BY NATALIE LOWIN
New York City’s Health + Hospitals’
World Trade Center Environmental
Health Center commemorated
the 20th anniversary of 9/11 with
community events at their centers,
including at Elmhurst Hospital, on
Saturday, Sept. 11.
The centers, which have seen more
than 13,000 members at its three clinics
in NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst,
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
and NYC Health + Hospitals/
Gouverneur, provides services at no
out-of-pocket cost to 9/11 survivors
as defined in the Zadroga 9/11 Health
and Compensation Act.
“For many people, the horrific
attacks on 9/11 occurred 20 years
ago, but for those who were in lower
Manhattan during and even years
after are constantly reminded of that
day through their health,” President
and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals
Mitchell Katz said.
The creation of the clinic is intended
to combat this issue.
The center employs nearly 100
qualified clinical providers to treat
those with conditions resulting from
the attacks. Those with health conditions
caused by 9/11, even if only adolescents
at the time of the attacks, are
encouraged to seek membership and
receive health care.
Despite the severe impact of COVID
19, the city’s public health system’s
clinics continued to provide care to
its members and maintained clinic
visits through telemedicine and mental
health outreach. There has been
a 28 percent increase in total patient
visits with the majority through telemedicine
as the pandemic continued
from 2020 into 2021.
Minisa Martin, a current patient
at the center, was diagnosed with
respiratory disease, GERD, PTSD
and asthma in 2019 as a result of the
attack. She was a student at the Borough
of Manhattan Community College
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.4 COM | SEPT. 17 - SEPT. 23, 2021
and witnessed the World Trade
Center attacks on 9/11.
“As time went by, it became harder
to cope. I had trouble breathing and
some nights I felt I wouldn’t even
wake back up,” Martin said. “My therapist
at Elmhurst, Awilda Cortez, has
shown me I don’t have to feel alone.
She talks to me individually and we
also have a group meeting with other
patients who have gone through the
same things. Being in this program
makes me feel so grateful.”
The most common conditions
treated through the WTC Environmental
Health Center are Obstructive
Airway Disease (OAD), Upper
Respiratory Disease (URD), Gastroesophageal
Reflux (GERD), Cancer
Treatment and Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD).
NYC Health + Hospitals website
states that those who qualify for the
treatment at the center are 1) people
who lived, worked or went to school
or day care in the area of Manhattan
that is south of Houston Street or
in northwest areas of Brooklyn, between
Sept. 11, 2001, and July 31, 2002;
2) anyone who was exposed to the dust
cloud on 9/11, or to dust or smoke in
the disaster area after 9/11; 3) people
who worked as a cleanup worker or
performed maintenance work in the
disaster area between Sept. 11, 2001,
and Jan. 10, 2002; and 4) workers who
assisted in rescue, recovery, clean-up
and related support.
For eligibility and enrollment information,
individuals can call 888-
982-4748 or visit cdc.gov/wtc.
To contact the NYC Health + Hospitals
WTC Environmental Health
Center clinics, individuals can call
877-982-0107 or visit the WTC Environmental
Health Center webpage.
NYC Health + Hospitals’ World
Trade Center Environmental
Health Center commemorates
20th anniversary of 9/11
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