Jennifer Gangel works in Kansas University Hospital Poison Control Center, which serves the state of Kansas. The center receives about 30,000 calls annually.

A majority of the nation’s 57 poison control centers could be in jeopardy if they lose federal funding.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would cut $27 million — or 93 percent — of federal funding for poison control centers. The Senate rejected the bill March 9.

Congressional leaders now need to negotiate a final spending measure, and that bill might include funding cuts to the poison control centers.

These centers provide professional advice 24/7 for free, often to frantic parents whose child has just ingested a household cleaner or grandma’s pills. They field 4.2 million calls each year.

All poison centers can be reached by calling the same telephone number: 1-800-222-1222. The calls are directed to the closest center by area code.

Kansas University Hospital Poison Control Center is the official poison control center for Kansas. It receives about 27,000 calls each year, with at least one call from every county.

KU Hospital pays for all of the operational costs, which is about $850,000 per year. The poison control center gets about $180,000 in federal grant money, which is used to help offset operational costs and to help pay for educational outreach.

“The hospital’s position has been, ‘We can’t count on that money from the federal government,’” said Rick Couldry, director of pharmacy, who oversees the poison control center. “We will remain in operation whether the grant is funded or not.”

Kansas University Hospital by Kevin Anderson

Dennis McCulloch, KU Hospital spokesman, said hospital officials are concerned, however, about the infrastructure for the national number and what might happen to that if federal funding is cut.

“We want the phones to keep ringing,” McCulloch said. “The hospital is prepared to support a network in Kansas, but does the whole national network and infrastructure stay in place? That we can’t answer.”

Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Health and Human Services, has suggested just having one national poison control center instead of “duplicating” services.

However, poison control center operators, including Couldry, says that’s a bad idea because local connections are invaluable.

Couldry estimates about 75 percent of calls concern toddlers.

“The vast majority of those we manage without them ever having to leave their home,” he said. “We are preventing emergency room visits and we are getting people the care and prevention they need in their home and taking care of them faster.”

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, for every dollar spent on poison centers, $7 in health spending is saved.

Don't leave medications within reach of children.

Poison prevention

Here are some tips from Safe Kids Kansas and Kansas University Hospital Poison Control Center as part of National Poison Prevention Week:

• 1-800-222-1222. Keep this poison control center number near every phone in your home and in your cell phone.

• kumed.com/poison. The website includes lists of poisonous plants, common poisons, seasonal hazards and more.

Nationally, each year:

• 100 children, under age 14, die from unintentional poisoning.

• 1.2 million calls are made to poison control centers as a result of accidental poisoning of children ages 5 and under.

• 90 percent of these toxic exposures occur in the home.

• 56 percent involve nonpharmaceutical products such as cosmetics, cleansers, personal care products, plants, pesticides, art supplies, alcohol and toys.

Rick Couldry, of KU Poison Control Center, said they commonly get calls involving weekly pill boxes. Often, these are stored in purses and on counters within children’s reach.

They also get numerous calls involving household chemicals, cleaners, bleaches and antifreeze, which looks like Kool-Aid to kids.