1-800-222-1222 for emergencies or questions

What We Do

The Minnesota Poison Control System provides the following services for the citizens of the State of Minnesota.

Exposure Management

Nationally Certified Specialists in Poison Information (CSPI) provide poison exposure assessment and management techniques to the general public and to health care professionals from across the state. The service is provided though a national toll-free telephone number accessible by both voice and TTY and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Public and Professional Education Service

Various programs are available and designed to promote awareness and prevention of unintentional and intentional exposures; and to improve patient management to those exposures. These programs range from children’s safety camp participation for the public to lectures for health care professionals.

Poison Prevention Materials Distribution Service

Poison prevention brochures, telephone stickers, magnets and other printed materials written in various languages are provided to the general public by mail or internet to prevent exposures to hazardous substances, to promote awareness of poison prevention, and to increase utilization of poison control services.

Toxicosurveillance Service

The Minnesota Poison Control System participates on the Minnesota Department of Health’s Commissioner’s Terrorism and Health Task Force. In cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Health and the America’s Poison Centers, the Poison Center provides active surveillance to detect infectious disease outbreaks and chemical events.

Saving Lives and Money

Every $1 spent on Poison Center services SAVES $13 in unnecessary medical costs and lost productivity. Would you like to read the study that produced this data and learn more about how Poison Centers save lives and money? Read the Lewin Report.

Would you like to read more about how Poison Center surveillance detects emerging health threats and collaborates to develop effective responses? Read an article about the emergence of “bath salts” in Duluth and the critical role played by the Poison Center in timely detection and data collection.