World Trade Center Environmental Health Center Fact Sheet
NYC Health + Hospitals
World Trade Center Environmental Health Center
Fact Sheet
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
NYC Health + Hospitals’ World Trade Center Environmental Health Center (WTC EHC) is one of the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program’s eight Clinical Centers of Excellence. It provides dedicated care for the New Yorkers who lived, worked, went to school, or were passing through Lower Manhattan and were exposed to toxic contaminants on the day of the attack and in the months that followed.
The WTC EHC provides physical and mental health treatment and surveillance for eligible WTC survivors — local New York City residents, workers, students, and commuters — in accordance with the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, which established the federal WTC Health Program. First responders also receive services through the WTC Health Program at multiple Clinical Centers of Excellence in the New York metropolitan area.
Care is provided at three NYC Health + Hospitals clinic locations: NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur. Services cover both physical and mental health conditions related to 9/11, are provided at no out-of-pocket cost, and are confidential.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Nearly 22,000 survivors have received care since the program opened in 2011
- More than 18,000 survivors remain active members
- Approximately 120 new members enroll each month
- Three clinic locations across the NYC Health + Hospitals system
- Roughly 400,000 people were exposed to toxic contaminants, risk of physical injury, and physically and emotionally stressful conditions in the days, weeks, and months following the attacks, according to CDC estimates
WHERE MEMBERS LIVE
Eighty-five percent of WTC EHC members live in the New York metropolitan area. An additional 5% live elsewhere in New York State, and 4% live in New Jersey outside the metropolitan area. The remaining 6% live across a range of other states, including Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Florida, and travel to New York City for care at NYC Health + Hospitals’ WTC EHC clinics.
WHAT MEMBERS RECEIVE
- Initial health evaluations and certification of WTC-related conditions
- Annual monitoring exams
- Connection to clinical specialists, including ear, nose and throat (ENT) physicians, pulmonologists, and gastroenterologists
- Behavioral health support from clinical psychologists and facilitated peer support groups
- Care management, including insurance authorizations, claims support, and benefits coordination
Once an individual is admitted to the WTC Health Program by the federal government, they are assigned to a Clinical Center of Excellence for ongoing care.
MOST COMMON CERTIFIED CONDITIONS
- Cancer
- Obstructive airway disease, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and reactive airway dysfunction syndrome
- Upper respiratory disease, including chronic laryngitis and chronic rhinosinusitis
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Depression
Two years ago, cancer certifications overtook obstructive airway disease as the most common condition among WTC EHC members at NYC Health + Hospitals. Excluding skin cancers, the five most common cancers certified among members are, in order, breast, prostate, lung, thyroid, and lymphomas. Among mental health conditions, PTSD remains the most common, followed by depression.
A complete list of certified WTC-related health conditions is available at cdc.gov/wtc/conditions.html.
WHO QUALIFIES FOR 9/11-RELATED HEALTH SERVICES
- People who lived, worked, or went to school or day care in the area of Manhattan south of Houston Street or in northwest areas of Brooklyn, between September 11, 2001, and July 31, 2002
- Anyone who was exposed to the dust cloud on 9/11, or to dust or smoke in the disaster area after 9/11
- People who worked as a cleanup worker or performed maintenance work in the disaster area between September 11, 2001, and January 10, 2002
Eligibility is determined by the federal WTC Health Program. Applicants should review documentation requirements, including geographic and exposure criteria, at cdc.gov/wtc.
HOW TO APPLY AND WHERE TO GET CARE
- WTC Health Program eligibility and enrollment: call toll free 1-888-982-4748 or visit cdc.gov/wtc
- NYC Health + Hospitals WTC EHC clinics: call 877-982-0107 or visit nychealthandhospitals.org/wtc-environmental-health-center
The WTC Health Program has multiple Clinical Centers of Excellence throughout the New York metropolitan area to serve both responders and survivors, as well as a Nationwide Provider Network to serve members who live outside the New York metropolitan area.
MEDIA CONTACT
Please contact NYC Health + Hospitals Press Office: pressoffice@nychhc.org