[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 67 (Friday, April 8, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18036-18037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7017]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


HHS Approval of Professional Organizations and States' Standards 
for Certification

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) 
Healthcare Systems Bureau, Division of Healthcare Preparedness Poison 
Control Program, provides supplemental funding to Poison Control 
Centers (PCCs) across the United States, promotes universal access to 
PCC services, and encourages the enhancement and improvement of poison 
education, prevention, and treatment. To receive funding from HRSA, 
PCCs must meet certain certification requirements. The purpose of this 
solicitation of comments is to assist HRSA in establishing criteria/
guidelines to approve professional organizations and State governments' 
certification standards for PCCs.

DATES: To be considered, written comments should be postmarked no later 
than June 7, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Please send all comments to HRSA's Division of Healthcare 
Preparedness, Healthcare Systems Bureau, Attention: Maxine Jones, Room 
13-103, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maxine Jones, HRSA, HSB, Division of 
Healthcare Preparedness, (301) 443-6192, fax (301) 443-4922, or e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In February 2000, Congress enacted the Poison Control Center 
Enhancement and Awareness Act, Pub. L. No. 106-174. This Act authorized 
funding to establish a national toll-free number to access Poison 
Control Center (PCC) services, a nationwide poison prevention media 
campaign, and a grant program to achieve financial stability of PCCs. 
In addition, the Act directed the Secretary of HHS to: (1) Develop 
standard education programs; (2) develop standard patient management 
protocols for commonly encountered exposures; (3) improve and expand 
the poison control data collection systems; (4) improve national toxic 
exposure surveillance, and (5) expand the physician/medical 
toxicologist supervision of PCCs. This Act was amended by Public Law 
108-194, the Poison Control Enhancement and Awareness Act Amendments of 
2003, which directs the Secretary of HHS to improve the capacity of 
poison control centers to answer high volumes of calls during times of 
national crisis, in addition to the activities listed in the original 
Act.
    The grant program that was established provides funding for 
financial stabilization, certification, and incentive grants. Financial 
stabilization grants assist with financial stabilization and the 
improvement of services in PCCs that already meet American Association 
of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) certification standards. 
Certification grants assist uncertified centers in efforts to attain 
certification status in addition to promoting enhancement of services. 
Incentive grants are awarded to PCCs that are working collaboratively 
and innovatively to improve poison control systems and services.
    In general, PCCs must meet the certification requirements listed in 
Public Law 108-194 sec. 1273(c) to receive funding from HRSA. One way 
PCCs can fulfill this requirement is if the PCC ``has been certified by 
a professional organization in the field of poison control, and the 
Secretary has approved the organization as having in effect standards 
for certification that reasonably provide for the protection of the 
public health with respect to poisoning.'' The second way PCCs can 
fulfill this requirement is if the PCC ``has been certified by a State 
government, and the Secretary has approved the State government as 
having in effect standards for certification that reasonably provide 
for the protection of the public health with respect to poisoning.'' 
(Pub. L. No. 108-194 sec. 1273(c)).

Solicitation of Comments

    The HRSA is seeking public input regarding guidelines by which the 
Secretary shall approve professional organizations and State 
governments as having in effect standards for PCC certification. 
Respondents are asked to submit recommended guidelines for approving 
professional organizations and State governments' standards for 
certification, per Public Law 108-194 sec. 1273(c).
    Written comments should be limited to no more than 10 double-spaced 
pages or 5 single-spaced pages and should contain the name, address, 
telephone, and fax numbers, and any organizational affiliation of the 
persons providing written comments. Respondents may be contacted by the 
Poison Control Program, HRSA, to answer questions regarding their 
submitted comments. We are particularly interested in comments which 
address but are not limited to the following issues:
    1. Modeling the guidelines after certification requirements that 
are currently being used to certify PCCs;

[[Page 18037]]

    2. Elements of approval that the guidelines should include and 
justification of the elements;
    3. Guidelines applying to all State governments;
    4. Guidelines applying to all professional organizations; and
    5. Inclusion of re-certification as an element of certification.

    Dated: March 31, 2005.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05-7017 Filed 4-7-05; 8:45 am]
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