World Trade Center Health Program reaches out to 9/11 responders and survivors

Press Office Contact: Christina Spring 202.245.0633

The World Trade Center Health Program (WTC Health Program) today launched a new outreach effort to help eligible responders and survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attacks understand how the program can help them through medical monitoring and treatment.

“We are committed to providing high quality care to those responders and survivors affected by the tragic events of September 11, 2001,” said WTC Health Program Administrator John Howard, M.D. “We want to reach out to those eligible for care through the World Trade Center Health Program, but who may not know what it offers, or may be hesitant to enroll. We want these people to know that we can help.”

The program is open to responders at the World Trade Center and related sites in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and survivors who were in the New York City disaster area.

Through video testimonials from current members of the WTC Health Program, the outreach effort explains how other responders and survivors with their health conditions, including airways and digestive disorders, certain types of cancer, mental health conditions, musculoskeletal disorders have received help. Expert medical care for health conditions related to the 9/11 attacks are at no cost to enrollees.

The WTC Health Program will share the testimonials through social media channels, including Twitter and Facebook. Community, labor, and private organizations, as well as others who are interested in supporting the effort can find links to the testimonials and other material by visiting: www.cdc.gov/wtc/socialmedia.html.

Administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the CDC, the WTC Health Program was established by the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010.