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HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced that $126,150,000 is being provided immediately to support services provided in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist-inflicted disasters.

The funds are part of a total $5.1 billion in disaster-related funds released by President Bush today. HHS funds will be used especially to help New York health care facilities pay the extraordinary costs of responding to health care needs, to provide social services including emergency shelter and support for populations with special needs, to help provide longer-term mental health and trauma services, and to fund needed health services through Community Health Centers.

"Rescue workers, health care professionals and ordinary citizens have all responded valiantly to the needs of their communities, and the people of HHS are honored to be able to do our part in lending a helping hand," Secretary Thompson said. "Today the President is announcing substantial aid for victims and their survivors, and for those who have served in this emergency. But this is still just a beginning. We want every American to understand our bedrock commitment to the long process of restoration and healing."

HHS funding announced today includes:

• Support for Health Care Services -- $55 million. This includes $35 million in emergency grants to disaster-affected New York metropolitan health care providers, especially hospitals, to help pay for extraordinary and potentially debilitating expenses related to disaster response. Another $10 million will be provided to New York area Community Health Centers, which are HHS grantees that provide health care services to uninsured persons and others needing care. These funds will help support immediate costs of response as well as longer term health care services provided by the health centers. In addition, $10 million is available as needed to assure on-going operation of Medicare reimbursement in the New York area. While Medicare operations have continued smoothly, Empire Blue Shield, which administers Medicare claims and payments in New York, was headquartered at the World Trade Center. In addition, HHS will assess possible impacts on services to beneficiaries and providers under GHI, a health plan serving members in the borough of Queens.
• Mental Health Services -- $28 million. This includes $6.8 million for crisis mental health services beyond the initial counseling supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. These funds will also be used for assessment of longer term needs in affected states. In addition, $21.2 million will be made available to supplement the existing mental health and substance abuse system in the disaster areas.
• Social Services -- $25 million. This includes $23.7 million in grants to states affected by the disaster to address the needs of a range of special populations - children, families, people with disabilities and the communities they live in. Potential uses include emergency-related food and shelter, or other needs for those displaced by the disaster; services to those who may become disabled as a result of the disaster; assistance to home-bound disabled or elderly whose services are disrupted; and special child welfare service needs brought about by the disaster. Another $1.3 million is provided through HHS� Administration on Aging to provide especially for needs of homebound and other affected elderly persons.
• Environmental Hazard Control -- $10.4 million. This includes $5 million for safety of emergency workers, with provision of respirators and ongoing health assessments of workers. It also provides $5.4 million in technical assistance for response to hazardous environmental exposures and potential needs related to asthma, including dilators, asthma surveillance, and tracking exposure to contaminants.
• HHS Security and Other Activities -- $7.75 million. This includes $3 million for emergency response resources and $4.75 million will be provided to HHS agencies to improve security of key research facilities and medical materials.

Funding announced today is being made available by Secretary Thompson under HHS' Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. This emergency budget mechanism enables rapid disbursal of funds in special and urgent situations. The fund has been used to respond rapidly to needs including Y2K preparations and creation of the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile and responses to natural disasters.

The relief funds announced today are in addition to $2.5 million released Sept. 13 to support social services and mental health services in New York City. In addition to funds and medical supplies, HHS has deployed more than 700 personnel to New York, Washington, D.C., and Somerset County, Pa. These include medical personnel from HHS as well as teams of physicians and emergency health experts, mortuary personnel and veterinarians provided through the HHS-led National Disaster Medical System.

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