Wis. Stat. § 255.35 — WI Code / Chapter 255 / Section 255.35
Statewide poison control system.
Status: in_force

(1m) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Appropriate health-oriented background” means one of the following:

1. Licensure as an emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical technician, emergency medical technician — intermediate, or paramedic under s. 256.15 (5) (a) .

2. Licensure as a licensed practical nurse under s. 441.10 .

3. Completion of a training program directed by a physician specializing in toxicology and, as determined by the medical director of a poison control center, background sufficient to understand and interpret standard poison information resources and to transmit that information understandably to both health professionals and the public under the direct supervision of a staff member specified under sub. (3m) (b) 1. to 7. or the medical director.

(b) “On-line staff member” means a member of the staff of a poison control center who personally responds to telephone inquiries received by the poison control center.

(c) “Pharmacist” has the meaning given in s. 450.01 (15) .

(d) “Physician” has the meaning given in s. 448.01 (5) .

(e) “Poison control services” means poison prevention education, and rapid and accurate poison interpretation, poison intervention and management information.

(f) “Registered nurse” means a nurse who is licensed under s. 441.06 .

(g) “School of pharmacy” means a school of pharmacy that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

(3) Poison control.

(a) The department shall implement a statewide poison control system, which shall provide poison control services that are available statewide, on a 24-hour per day and 365-day per year basis and shall provide poison information and education to health care professionals and the public. From the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (1) (ds) , the department shall, if the requirement under par. (b) is met, distribute total funding in each fiscal year of up to $482,500 to supplement the operation of the system and to provide for the statewide collection and reporting of poison control data. The department may, but need not, distribute all of the funds in each fiscal year to a single poison control center.

(b) No poison control center may receive funds under par. (a) unless the poison control center provides a matching contribution of at least 50 percent of the state funding for the center. Private funds and in-kind contributions may be used to meet this requirement.

(c) The department may use moneys expended from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (ds) for the poison control system under this section as the state share for purposes of obtaining federal matching funds under 42 USC 1397aa to 42 USC 1397mm , if those moneys are eligible for a federal funding match.

(3m) Requirements of poison control centers.

(a) A poison control center shall maintain telephone services capable of providing rapid, accurate and complete poison information that is accessible throughout the state and that is free to users through a statewide toll-free hotline.

(b) An on-line staff member who interprets poison exposure data and provides poison intervention and management information shall be one of the following:

1. A registered nurse.

2. A pharmacist.

3. A physician.

4. A person who is certified by or eligible for certification by the American Association of Poison Control Centers as a specialist in poison information.

5. A school of pharmacy graduate who is in residency training.

6. A school of pharmacy enrollee who has completed the 2nd professional practice year.

7. A person who was employed as an on-line staff member on May 1, 1994, who has worked in that capacity at the poison control center for at least 3 years and who annually receives at least 16 documented hours of continuing education in interpreting poison exposure data and providing poison intervention and management information.

8. A person who is designated as a poison information provider, annually receives at least 16 documented hours of job-relevant continuing education and has an appropriate health-oriented background.

9. A person who obtained relevant education, training, instruction, or other experience in connection with military service, as defined in s. 111.32 (12g) , if the person or the poison control center demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the education, training, instruction, or other experience that the person obtained in connection with his or her military service is substantially equivalent to the education, training, instruction, or other experience that is required to interpret poison exposure data and provide poison intervention and management information for a poison control center.

(4) Rule making. The department shall promulgate rules that specify the information that shall be reported to the department under the statewide poison control program.

History: 1993 a. 16 ; 1995 a. 27 ; 1997 a. 27 ; 1999 a. 9 ; 2007 a. 20 ; 2007 a. 130 ss. 151 to 155 ; Stats. 2007 s. 255.35; 2009 a. 28 ; 2011 a. 120 ; 2013 a. 124 ; 2015 a. 55 ; 2017 a. 12 ; 2025 a. 15 .