Children are in fact the most frequent reason for use of poison control centers. Calls for children under age 6 represent 53 percent of all poison control center calls, and calls for children under age 19 account for 67 percent of all such calls. Many poison control centers are housed at children’s hospitals because they are such an important part of health-care services for children.

Yet, despite poison control centers’ great importance, funding for these centers has faced significant financial challenges. Back in 1978 there were more than 600 centers across the country. However, that number has dropped to fewer than 100. The funding has decreased despite the reality that for every $1 spent for poison control centers, $7 is avoided in medical expenditures. Many centers now rely on state and local funding, plus private institutional funding. The federal government now provides only about 5 percent of poison control center funding.

The NACHRI public policy affiliate, the National Association of Children’s Hospitals (NACH), supports the establishment of federal funding to assist poison control centers. In 1998, NACH supported the “Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness Act,” which would authorize almost $30 million annually for poison control centers.

What can you do? Find out about your community’s poison control center, and let your governmental representatives know just how important funding these centers is. Having the resources to treat children who are accidentally injured is an important part of providing health services for all children.