Senate Committee OKs Mental Health Funds For Sept. 11 Victims
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee yesterday approved a bill that would allocate an "unspecified" amount in grants to state and local entities to provide mental health services for those affected by the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, CongressDaily/AM reports. The measure passed the committee without debate and is a revised version of an amendment that Sens. John Warner (R-Va.), Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) "unsuccessfully" attempted to add to the FY 2002 Defense authorization package earlier this month. The approved bill provides funding to locate individuals in need of mental health care and to provide treatment, including medication, if needed. Kennedy said, "This help is essential for the individuals and families who were injured or lost a loved one, for the brave public safety officers who put their lives on the line trying to rescue or recover victims and for the many other Americans of all ages in communities across the country who have suffered psychological trauma as the result of these attacks." The committee also unanimously approved three other health bills yesterday:
- The "Rare Diseases Act of 2001" would provide statutory authority to the Office of Rare Diseases at NIH.
- The "Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research and Education Amendments of 2001" would expand muscular dystrophy research and surveillance at the CDC, create a public information and education program and establish an initiative for the disease through the Director of NIH.
- The "Teaching Children to Save Lives Act" would authorize $30 million in grants over three years for public schools to teach students CPR (Rovner, CongressDaily/AM, 10/17).
