Dr. Spencer Eth Testifies Before Congressional Committee on Persistant Mental Health Effects of 9/11
01/16/2008
Calls on Congress to Renew Commitment to Funding Mental Health Treatment
NEW YORK, NY (September 10, 2007) - Dr. Spencer Eth, Vice Chairman of Psychiatry and Medical Director of Behavioral Health testified today at a hearing before the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization and Procurement, on the persistent mental health consequences of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center.
Six years after the attack on the World Trade Center, Dr. Eth detailed the ongoing mental health problems experienced by rescue and recovery workers at Ground Zero, as well as the residents, workers, and students in the area that morning. In addition to the thousands of individuals who came to St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan seeking psychiatric care and counseling in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, Dr. Eth testified that many patients presented for the first time after years of trying unsuccessfully to cope with their suffering.
Dr. Eth testified, 'Our clinical experience suggests that there will be an ongoing need for mental health care for 9/11 workers and others exposed to the terrorist attack and its aftermath. Peer review research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry has shown that the overall prevalence of PTSD, among a very large sample of rescue and recovery workers 2-3 years after 9/11, was 12%. This figure represents people diagnosed with chronic PTSD.'
According to Dr. Eth this mental condition is well known to be difficult to treat and to be associated with long term emotional distress and occupational disability. As has been increasingly documented, many victims of 9/11 are developing pulmonary and other medical illnesses arising from their exposure to toxic substances. These individuals can be expected to experience new and worsening psychiatric symptoms that will erode their level of function and ability to cope.
Dr. Eth called on Congress to renew its commitment to funding mental health treatment for those affected by 9/11. 'These are not theoretical concerns, but actual findings from our evaluation and treatment of first responders,' he stated. Federal funding for the treatments provided by St. Vincent's through Project Liberty and the Public Safety Worker Program ended two years ago. In the interim, St. Vincent's has continued to provide much needed services to affected individuals, relying on private donations such as the 9/11 Funds of the Red Cross and The New Times Foundation.
Dr. Eth concluded, 'St. Vincent's will not be able to continue going it alone - we need federal assistance to provide mental health care to our current and future patients.'
Saint Vincent's
Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers (Saint Vincent's) is anchored by St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan, an academic medical center located in Greenwich Village, St. Vincent's Westchester, a behavioral health hospital in Westchester County, and continuing care services that include two skilled nursing facilities in Brooklyn, another on Staten Island, a hospice, and a home health agency serving the Metropolitan New York area. Its behavioral health services also provide supportive housing programs for people with mental illness throughout the Metropolitan area. Saint Vincent's is the designated provider for the New York and New Jersey region of the US Family Health Plan sponsored by the US Department of Defense.
Saint Vincent's serves as the academic medical center of New York Medical College in New York City. The healthcare organization is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Brooklyn and the president of the Sisters of Charity of New York.
