Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019

To amend the Public Health Service Act to revise and extend the poison center network program. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019 2. National toll-free number Section 1271 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300d–71 (1) in the section heading, by inserting before the period the following: and Other Communication Capabilities (2) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: (a) In general The Secretary— (1) shall provide coordination and assistance to poison control centers for the establishment and maintenance of a nationwide toll-free phone number, to be used to access such centers; and (2) may provide coordination and assistance to poison control centers and consult with professional organizations for the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of other communication technologies to be used to access such centers. ; (3) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); (4) by inserting after subsection (a) the following: (b) Routing contacts with poison control centers Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019 ; and (5) in subsection (c), as so redesignated— (A) by striking 2015 through 2019 2020 through 2024 (B) by striking maintenance of the nationwide toll free phone number under subsection (a) establishment, implementation, and maintenance activities carried out under subsections (a) and (b) 3. Nationwide media campaign Section 1272 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300d–72 (1) in the section heading, by striking Nationwide media campaign to promote Promoting (2) in subsection (a)— (A) by inserting and support outreach to educate (B) by striking poison prevention poisoning and toxic exposure prevention (C) by striking established under and other available communication technologies established, implemented, or maintained under (3) in subsection (b)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking nationwide poison prevention nationwide poisoning and toxic exposure prevention (B) in paragraph (1), by striking poison prevention and poison control center poisoning and toxic exposure prevention awareness materials, applicable public health emergency preparedness and response information, and poison control center distribution of (4) by striking subsection (c); (5) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c); and (6) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated), by striking 2015 through 2019 2020 through 2024 4. Maintenance of program Section 1273 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300d–73 (1) in subsection (a), by inserting and toxic exposures poisonings (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) by striking for poison for poisoning and toxic exposure (ii) by striking and preparedness preparedness and response (B) in paragraph (3)— (i) by striking United States and United States, (ii) by inserting before the semicolon the following: , and other government agencies as determined to be appropriate and nonduplicative by the Secretary (C) in paragraph (8), by striking calls contacts (3) in subsection (d), by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: (3) Limitation In no case may the sum of the number of years for a waiver under this subsection exceed 5 years. Notwithstanding any previous waivers, in the case of a poison control center whose accreditation is affected by a public health emergency declared pursuant to section 319, the Secretary may, as the circumstances of the emergency reasonably require, provide a waiver under paragraph (1) or a renewal under paragraph (2) for up to 2 years. ; (4) by striking subsection (f) and inserting the following: (f) Maintenance of effort With respect to activities for which a grant is awarded under this section, the Secretary may require that poison control centers agree to maintain the expenditures of the center for such activities at a level that is not less than the level of expenditures maintained by the center for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the grant is received. ; (5) In subsection (g), by striking 2015 through 2019 2020 through 2024 (6) by adding at the end the following: (h) Biennial report to Congress Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019 (1) descriptions of the activities carried out pursuant to sections 1271, 1272, and 1273, and the alignment of such activities with the purposes provided under subsection (a); (2) a description of trends in volume of contacts to poison control centers; (3) a description of trends in poisonings and toxic exposures reported to poison control centers, as applicable and appropriate; (4) an assessment of the impact of the public awareness campaign, including any geographic variations; (5) a description of barriers, if any, preventing poison control centers from achieving the purposes and programs under this section and sections 1271 and 1272; (6) a description of the standards for accreditation described in subsection (c), including any variations in those standards, and any efforts to create and maintain consistent standards across organizations that accredit poison control centers; and (7) the number of and reason for any waivers provided under subsection (d). . 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019 2. National toll-free number Section 1271 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300d-71 (1) in the section heading, by inserting before the period the following: and Other Communication Capabilities (2) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: (a) In general The Secretary— (1) shall provide coordination and assistance to poison control centers for the establishment and maintenance of a nationwide toll-free phone number, to be used to access such centers; and (2) may provide coordination and assistance to poison control centers and consult with professional organizations for the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of other communication technologies to be used to access such centers. ; (3) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); (4) by inserting after subsection (a) the following: (b) Routing contacts with poison control centers Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019 ; and (5) in subsection (c), as so redesignated— (A) by striking 2015 through 2019 2020 through 2024 (B) by striking maintenance of the nationwide toll free phone number under subsection (a) establishment, implementation, and maintenance activities carried out under subsections (a) and (b) 3. Nationwide media campaign Section 1272 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300d-72 (1) in the section heading, by striking Nationwide media campaign to promote Promoting (2) in subsection (a)— (A) by inserting and support outreach to educate (B) by striking poison prevention poisoning and toxic exposure prevention (C) by striking established under and other available communication technologies established, implemented, or maintained under (3) in subsection (b)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking nationwide poison prevention nationwide poisoning and toxic exposure prevention (B) in paragraph (1), by striking poison prevention and poison control center poisoning and toxic exposure prevention awareness materials, applicable public health emergency preparedness and response information, and poison control center distribution of (4) by striking subsection (c); (5) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c); and (6) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated), by striking 2015 through 2019 2020 through 2024 4. Maintenance of program Section 1273 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300d-73 (1) in subsection (a), by inserting and toxic exposures poisonings (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) by striking for poison for poisoning and toxic exposure (ii) by striking and preparedness preparedness and response (B) in paragraph (3)— (i) by striking United States and United States, (ii) by inserting before the semicolon the following: , and other government agencies as determined to be appropriate and nonduplicative by the Secretary (C) in paragraph (8), by striking calls contacts (3) in subsection (d) , by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: (3) Limitation (A) In general The sum of the number of years for a waiver under paragraph (1) and a renewal under paragraph (2) may not exceed 5 years. (B) Public health emergency Notwithstanding any previous waivers, in the case of a poison control center whose accreditation is affected by a public health emergency declared pursuant to section 319, the Secretary may, as the circumstances of the emergency reasonably require, provide a waiver under paragraph (1) or a renewal under paragraph (2), not to exceed 2 years. The Secretary may require quarterly reports and other information related to such a waiver or renewal under this paragraph. ; (4) by striking subsection (f) and inserting the following: (f) Maintenance of effort With respect to activities for which a grant is awarded under this section, the Secretary may require that poison control centers agree to maintain the expenditures of the center for such activities at a level that is not less than the level of expenditures maintained by the center for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the grant is received. ; (5) In subsection (g), by striking 2015 through 2019 2020 through 2024 (6) by adding at the end the following: (h) Biennial report to Congress Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019 (1) descriptions of the activities carried out pursuant to sections 1271, 1272, and 1273, and the alignment of such activities with the purposes provided under subsection (a); (2) a description of trends in volume of contacts to poison control centers; (3) a description of trends in poisonings and toxic exposures reported to poison control centers, as applicable and appropriate; (4) an assessment of the impact of the public awareness campaign, including any geographic variations; (5) a description of barriers, if any, preventing poison control centers from achieving the purposes and programs under this section and sections 1271 and 1272; (6) a description of the standards for accreditation described in subsection (c), including any variations in those standards, and any efforts to create and maintain consistent standards across organizations that accredit poison control centers; and (7) the number of and reason for any waivers provided under subsection (d). . July 9, 2019 Reported with an amendment

Summary: Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019This bill modifies and reauthorizes through FY2024 the national poison center network program. Specifically, the bill allows the use of other communication technologies (in addition to the national toll-free number) to access poison control centers and requires the program to include toxic exposure (in addition to poisoning) in nationwide media campaigns. Further, the bill modifies the waiver limitations for poison control center accreditation.