Poison Center and Public Health Collaborations Community of Practice (CoP)

Data collected by the nation’s poison centers (PCs) is an important tool for all-hazards exposure and illness surveillance. Close collaboration and open communication among local, state, and federal public health partners and PCs is necessary to leverage PC data for public health surveillance.

In 2010, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, (CSTE), American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Health Studies Branch spearheaded the creation of the Poison Center & Public Health Collaboration CoP.

Mission: To bolster collaboration between federal, state, and local health agencies and departments and poison centers through sharing best practices and facilitating networking between members

Successes:

  • Recruited more than 250 public health and PC professionals as active members of the CoP
  • Established a CoP steering committee to set goals and direction of CoP
  • Conducted more than 25 national webinars on state and national public health uses of PC data (see select examples in table of select previous webinars)
  • Led eight roundtable discussions at national meetings to discuss the importance, current state, and obstacles between PC and health department (HD) collaboration
  • Conducted special projects focused on supporting partnerships between HDs and PCs (example below)

CoP Special Project:

In 2012, the steering committee developed questions to better characterize current collaboration and barriers to collaboration between PCs and state and local HDs. Questions were then tailored towards either PC managing directors or state and local epidemiologists and administered as an online survey. HD results were collected and analyzed by CSTE staff whereas PC results were analyzed by CDC staff. CDC also performed a separate analysis looking at results linked by jurisdiction (I.e., linking the PC(s) that serve a specific state).The results of this evaluation (presented in the two following reports) illustrate the wide spectrum of collaboration and partnerships that exist between PCs and DOHs across the country. Two major findings of this evaluation are:

  1. PC/DOH partnerships with low collaborative capacity might benefit from improving communication between PCs and DOHS
  2. PC/DOH partnerships with high collaborative capacity may benefit from addressing data transmission, management, and analysis issues.

Use of Poison Center Data Assessment Report (2012)Cdc-pdf[PDF – 339 KB]External

Assessment Report on Collaboration between Health Departments and Poison Centers (2015) Cdc-pdf[PDF – 1.63 MB]

Documents:

Newsletters:

Upcoming Webinars:

To Be Announced

 

Select Previous Webinars:

Previous Webinars
Date Title Presenter(s)
2018
Using Drug Overdose Syndromic Surveillance Data to Impact Local Public Health ActionCdc-mediaExternal
  • Mandy Billman, MPH
    Overdose Surveillance Educator
    Epidemiologist
    Indiana State Department of Health
  • Kayley Dotson, MPH
    Overdose Surveillance Systems
    Epidemiologist
    Indiana State Department of Health
Epidemiology of Suspected Pesticide Poisoning LivestockCdc-mediaExternal
  • Judy Akkina, MPH, PhD
    Epidemiologist
    Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
    Veterinary Services
    Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health
Opioid Misuse in Missouri: Analyzing Emergency Department Use in Urban/Rural AreasCdc-mediaExternal
  • Andrew Hunter
    Bureau Chief
    Bureau of Health Care Analysis & Data Dissemination
    Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
  • Evan Mobley
    Research Analyst
    Bureau of Health Care Analysis & Data Dissemination
    Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
Public Health Surveillance in a Large Evacuation Shelter Post Hurricane HarveyCdc-mediaExternal
  • Leann Liu, MD MS
    Deputy Surveillance Epidemiology Program Manager
    Office of Science, Surveillance, and Technology – Harris County Public Health (TX)
Developing Guidance Documents to Facilitate Poison Center and State Health Department
Collaboration (CSTE 2018)Cdc-mediaExternal
  • Jay L. Schauben, PharmD, DABAT, FAACT
    Director
    Florida/USVI Poison Information Center – Jacksonville
  • Nena Bowman, PharmD, DABAT
    Managing Director
    Tennessee Poison Center
  • Royal Law, PhD., MPH
    Senior Service Fellow
    Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Emily Glidden, MPH
    ORISE Fellow
    Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Harmful Algal Blooms: a public health approachCdc-mediaExternal
  • Lorraine C. Backer, PhD, MPH
    Research Epidemiologist
    National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Lesley V. D’Anglada, DrPH, MEH
    Senior Microbiologist
    Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water
  • Elizabeth D. Hilborn, DVM, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM
    Epidemiologist
    US EPA, Environmental Public Health Division
  • Elizabeth Hamelin, M.S.
    Research chemist
    National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Virginia Roberts, BS, MSPH
    Epidemiologist
    National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Andrew Reich, MS, MSPH, RRT
    Scientific Advisor
    Bureau of Environmental Health, Florida Department of Health
West Virginia Poison Center: Collaboration with Public Health to Monitor Lay Public Naloxone UtilizationExternal
  • Elizabeth J. Scharman, Pharm.D., DABAT, BCPS, FAACT
    Director, West Virginia Poison Center
    Professor, West Virginia University School of Pharmacy
2017 Georgia… We have a problem: The Anatomy of
an Opioid OutbreakCdc-media[MP4 – 60 MB]External
  • Gaylord Lopez, PharmD, DABAT
    Director
    Georgia Poison Center
  • Stephanie Hon, PharmD, DABAT
    Assistant Director
    Georgia Poison Center
  • Laura Edison, DVM, MPH
    Epidemiology Field Officer
    Geogria Department of Health
  • Nelly Miles, BA
    Director
    Georgia Bureau of Investigation Office of Public Affairs
Oregon Poison Center and Oregon Public Health Division monitoring for the 2017 Solar EclipseExternal
  • Sandy Giffin, RN, MS
    Director
    Oregon Poison Center
  • Laurel Boyd, MPH
    ESSENCE Epidemiologist
    Oregon Public Health Division
Methanol Ingestions: Public Health and Poison Center Response – TennesseeExternal
  • Mary-Margaret A. Fill, M.D.
    Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer
    Tennessee Department of Health
    Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
  • Donna Seger, MD
    Executive Director and Medical Director of Tennessee Poison Control, Medical Toxicology
Opioid Surveillance Webinar Series #3 Part 1: Syndromic Surveillance Case Definition for Monitoring Opioid Related ED visits in the Colorado North Central Region (CO-NCR), State of Nebraska, and Marion County, IndianaExternal
  • Yushiuan Chen, MS
    Syndromic Surveillance Epidemiologist
    Tri-County Health Department
Challenges and Implications of Postmarketing
Surveillance of Prescription OpioidsExternal
  • Richard Dart, MD, PhD
    Director
    Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center
    Executive Director
    ADARS System
    Professor
    University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Rapid surveillance of overdose morbidity –
Developing case definitions, building queries,
and analyzing resultsExternal
  • R. Matthew Gladden, PhD
    Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention
    Center for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Alana Vivolo-Kantor, PhD, MPH
    Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention
    Center for Disease Control and Prevention
2016 Collaborative investigation of a clenbuterol-adulterated heroin outbreak in Virginia
  • Kirk Cumpston, DO, FACEP, FACMT, FAACT
    Medical Director of the Virginia Poison Center
  • Brigette Gleason, MD, MPH
    CDC EIS Officer – Virginia Department of Health
  • Christopher Holstege, MD
    Professor
    Department of Emergency Medicine & Pediatrics, University of Virginia, School of Medicine
  • Priyanka Vakkalanka, ScM
    Epidemiologist
    Blue Ridge Poison Center, Division of Medical Toxicology
Adulterated medications sold on the street as prescriptions, The Fake Xanax Bars in San FranciscoExternal
  • Annie Arens, MD
    Medical Toxicology Fellow
    California Poison Control System, San Francisco Division
  • Kathy Vo, MD
    Medical Toxicology Fellow
    California Poison Control System, San Francisco Division
Development of the Arkansas PCC Mission Ready Package to Support Continuity of Operations and Surge Utilizing the Emergency Management Assistance CompactExternal
  • Dr. Howell Foster
    Arkansas Poison Control CenterAaron Adams
    Arkansas Department of HealthCarol Walton
    Arkansas Department of Emergency Management
2015 Massachusetts poisonings and department of public health collaborations
  • Rebecca Bruccoleri, MD
    Regional Center for Poison Control serving Massachusetts and Rhode Island
  • MyDzung Chu, MSPH
    Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health
2014 The High Cost of Bath Salts: A Study of the Health Care Burden of Illicit Synthetic Drug Use in Duluth, Minnesota
  • Sarah Dugan
    Public Health Associate
    Minnesota Dept. of Health
2013 Linking Poison Center Call Data to Hospital Discharge Data: Understanding proxy variables to better document work related poisonings
  • Karla Armenti, PhD
    New Hampshire Occupational Health Surveillance Program
Poison Centers: Public Health’s Information & Communication Partner
  • Greg Bogdan
    Administrative Director
    Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center
Use of data from poison centers for hazardous exposure and illness surveillance (ISDS webinar)External
  • Jay L. Schauben, PharmD, DABAT, FAACT
    Director
    Florida/USVI Poison Information Center – Jacksonville
  • Prakash Mulay, MBBS, MPH
    Florida Dept. of Health
2012 Michigan’s public health collaborations to prevent poisonings
  • Martha Stanbury
    Section Manager
    Environmental Health Section
    Michigan Dept. of Community Health
  • Susan Smolinske
    Director
    Michigan Poison Center
Increasing the use of Poison Centers by the Federal and State Regional Response Team (RRT) in Region 6 to provide medical and public health support
  • Patrick Young
    ATSDR Region 6
    Division of Community Health Investigation
2011 Incorporation of Real Time Poison Center Data to Enhance Surveillance – The Florida Department of Health ESSENCE-PIC Project
  • Jay L. Schauben, PharmD, DABAT, FAACT
    Director
    Florida/USVI Poison Information Center – Jacksonville
  • Prakash Mulay, MBBS, MPH
    Florida Dept. of Health
Wisconsin’s use of the NPDS web service for surveillance
  • David Gummin, MD, FACEP, FAACT, FACMT
    Wisconsin Poison Center
  • Marni Y.V. Bekkedal, PhD
    Wisconsin Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health
Poison Center and Public Health Collaboration in Oregon
  • Melissa Powell, MPH
  • June Bancroft, MPH
    Oregon Department of Health Services
2010 Use of the National Poison Data System for chemical surveillance
  • Colleen Martin, MPH
    Health Studies Branch
    Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Camphor-Related Seizures – A Bronx Tale: One Case Study of NYC’s PCC Surveillance
  • Katie Wheeler, MPH
    New York City Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene

 

More information:

For more information on the Poison Center and Public Health Collaborations Community of Practice or to become a member, please contact:

Emily Glidden, MPH
Community of Practice Contact
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Environmental Health
Division of Environmental Health and Science Practice
4770 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30341
EGlidden@cdc.gov

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Page last reviewed: October 3, 2018