Section 215.200  Rights and Obligations of Regional Poison Control Centers

a)         The Director or his designee shall designate at least two and no more than three Regional Poison Control Centers.  (Section 15 of the Act)

b)         Human poison control centers wishing to be designated as a Regional Poison Control Center shall submit an application in accordance with Section 215.300.

c)         If there are more than three applicants for designation as a Regional Poison Control Center or there is more than one applicant for the same geographic service area, the Director shall consider the following criteria in selecting an applicant for designation:

1)         Whether the applicant has previously served as a Department-approved Regional Poison Control Center prior to January 1, 1993;

2)         Whether the applicant is affiliated with a medical school, school of nursing or other health care professional teaching program; and

3)         How quickly the applicant can establish its operations in compliance with the American Association of Poison Control Centers' Criteria for Certification as a Regional Poison Center (Appendix A of this Part) and the requirements of this Part.

d)         Applicants shall be notified, in writing, if they have or have not been designated as a Regional Poison Control Center.

e)         Regional Poison Control Centers shall comply with the American Association of Poison Control Centers' Criteria for Certification as a Regional Poison Center (Appendix A of this Part) within two years after designation unless the Center has been granted an extension by the Department.  (Section 15 of the Act)  The extension shall be provided in writing.  The Department's decision to grant an extension shall be based on, but not limited to, the following circumstances:

1)         The applicant has experienced difficulty in hiring staff;

2)         The applicant is waiting until designation to appoint a Medical or Managing Director and needs six months to fill the position;

3)         The applicant is waiting to establish a toll-free telephone number and conduct community outreach activities to promote public awareness of the toll-free telephone number.

f)          A Regional Poison Control Center shall maintain its designation unless it voluntarily closes, giving the Department at least a 90-day prior written notice of the intent to close, or the Department revokes the designation, in writing, for the Center's failure to comply with the Act and this Part. (Section 15 of the Act) Proceedings to revoke a Center's designation shall be conducted in accordance with the Department's Rules of Practice and Procedure in Administrative Hearings (77 Ill. Adm. Code 100).

g)         Poison Control Centers shall cooperate to reduce the cost of operations, collect information on poisoning exposures, and provide education to the public and health professionals.  (Section 15 of the Act)

h)         Regional Poison Control Centers shall be considered State agencies for purposes of the State Employee Indemnification Act [5 ILCS 350]. (Section 15 of the Act)