Governor Paterson signed legislation that expands disability retirement benefits to city and state employees injured in the WTC rescue, recovery and clean-up efforts. Based on recommendations from the September 11 Worker Protection Task Force, disability benefits are now available to more first responders than were originally covered. According to Paterson aides, an additional 1,800 public workers may now be eligible for benefits under the new legislation.
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Several members of New York's Congressional delegation re-introduced an updated version of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The original bill was submitted to the House of Representatives in September 2007. Following a Congressional Budget Office review, which found the legislation too costly, the bill was refined while maintaining its key provisions. On July 31, Mayor Bloomberg testified in support of the updated legislation before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. "Passing this bill would, at long last, fully engage the Federal government in resolving the health challenges created by the attack on our entire nation that occurred on 9/11," Bloomberg said in his testimony.
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The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a request for proposals to provide health screening, monitoring and treatment services to area workers, residents, students and other "non-emergency responders" impacted by the WTC disaster. The request is part of a grant program to help people whose health was affected by the WTC attacks.
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>Read the press release from the CDC

The June issue of Environmental Health Perspectives includes a new study  based on World Trade Center (WTC) Health Registry data that provides a broad snapshot of the disaster’s physical health effects among children. Researchers found that those under five years old on Sept. 11, 2001, had an increased likelihood of being diagnosed with asthma in the two to three years following the event.

These recent findings emphasize how important it is for parents and guardians of children enrolled in the Registry to complete the follow-up pediatric survey, which will remain open through August 31, 2008. This survey will help assess whether 9/11-related health symptoms have persisted or new conditions have emerged in the seven years since the disaster. For a copy of the survey, call (866) 692-9827 or email wtchr@health.nyc.gov.
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The Health Department recently released updated clinical guidelines for health care providers on how to treat adults exposed to the WTC disaster. The guidelines were written and reviewed in collaboration with external medical experts and other clinical advisors. Drafts were also shared with the WTC Health Registry's labor and community advisory committees for input.
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For many residents of Lower Manhattan, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, had lasting psychological consequences. New findings, released today by the Health Department’s World Trade Center Health Registry, show that one in eight Lower Manhattan residents likely had posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) two to three years after the attacks. The findings show that Lower Manhattan residents developed PTSD at three times the usual rate in the years following 9/11. The rate among residents (12.6%) matched the rate previously reported among rescue and recovery workers (12.4%). Residents who were injured during the attacks were the most likely to develop PTSD. The study was published online this week in the Journal of Traumatic Stress.
> Read the press release

A new study by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine shows that Ground Zero rescue and recovery workers suffered from high rates of post-traumatic stress and other mental health conditions as many as five years after the 9/11 attacks. 

About 11% of the workers – all patients at the Mount Sinai Consortium WTC Center of Excellence - met the criteria for probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recent findings from the WTC Health Registry revealed similar rates of PTSD among rescue and recovery workers. PTSD affects 3% to 4% of the U.S. adult population.
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WTC Health Registry 2003/2004 baseline survey statistics are now available through the Health Department’s user-friendly EpiQuery system.

Users can quickly and easily search for survey data based on enrollee demographic, eligibility category, type of exposure on 9/11 or WTC-related health condition. Enhancements are underway so users can sort Health Registry statistics by multiple indicators.

In addition to WTC Health Registry survey data, EpiQuery offers access to Community Health Survey data, Youth Risk Behavior Survey data and Vital Statistics Death/Mortality data.

The Health Department today announced a new mental health benefit program for people still experiencing psychological distress or struggling with substance use as a result of the events of September 11, 2001. To ensure that all needs are met, the Health Department will reimburse out-of-pocket costs for mental health or substance-use treatment through a claims process similar to any insurance benefit.
> Read the press release
> Read the fact sheet
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In February 2007, Mayor Bloomberg accepted the World Trade Center Health Panel’s recommendations to expand New York City’s response to 9-11-related illnesses. With nearly all of the recommendations implemented this year, including the launch of the 9-11 Health website, the City is on its way to achieving all of the panel’s goals.

New York State has extended two important deadlines for workers who have 9/11-related health problems or who may develop them in the future.

Workers’ Compensation Deadline: September 11, 2010

Disability Filing Deadline: September 11, 2010