Washington Poison Center

Programs: Poisoning is the leading cause of unintentional death in the u. S. Over 62,000 calls come into the washington poison center (wapc) annually. The wapc operates 24/7/365, always aware of the latest in poisoning and drug overdose. Calls made to 1-800-222-1222 are answered by medical experts - nurses, pharmacists, and poison specialists with extensive training and national certification. Board certified medical toxicologists are available for consultation, a unique service providing expertise to any healthcare provider requesting additional information and recommendation. Last year the wapc saved over 18 million dollars in avoidable medical costs by reducing unnecessary hospital visits. To complement our emergency call center services, we provide

educational programs to help prevent poison and drug exposures:--poison prevention for parents of young children: half of our calls concern children under 6 years of age. Our program introduces parents to the emergency services of the washington poison center while teaching children about mr. Yuk and the importance of asking an adult before eating, tasting, or touching any substances. We focus on the developmental processes that make young children vulnerable to poisoning. We provide yuk boxes that are placed around the state with health and safety educators at a variety of organizations. These presentation kits are used by organizations to educate on harm reduction and medication safety and can be borrowed by the public to

give their own presentations. --medication safety in older adults: geared towards adults 60+ and their caretakers, this program and its educational tools promote poison prevention and medication management strategies for our elderly population. Building on the mantra, "call before you poison yourself", it uses case studies to highlight dangers when elders make a mistake in their medication routine. --e-cigarettes: the truth amongst the vapors: this 2. 5-3 hour train-the-trainer style workshop introduces the concepts and devices for vaping nicotine and marijuana, data on e-cigarette use in

washington state, myth-busting health research, and e-cigarette policy. We produce e-cigarette/vaping kits that are placed around the state with health and safety educators at a variety of organizations. --not for kids: wapc created the new not for kids" logo which visually warns children to stay away from the product it is placed on and gives the national poison helpline as an immediate resource. The wapc public education team is creating a comprehensive not for kids campaign that will educate people on effectively using the logo as a safety tool in their homes. --take back your meds: in 2016, the wapc assumed ownership of takebackyourmeds. Org from king county. We updated the website, adding an interactive map showing locations throughout the state for safe disposal of unneeded medications. This site is considered the primary resource for identifying "take back" locations in the state and will continue to be an invaluable resource to help combat the opioid epidemic that is affecting this state and the country. --emergency preparedness: wapc is an integral partner of local, regional, and state emergency response and disaster plans, given our 24/7 information technology and communications' infrastructure. We participate in and serve as clinical toxicology subject matter experts in local, regional, and statewide drills involving chemical, biologic, and radiation/nuclear substances as well as provide a resource for central communications and messaging to the public, hospitals and other emergency preparedness responders