HHS Announces $10.5M in Grants for Health Concerns Related to Sept. 11 Attacks
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on May 8 announced $10.5 million in grants to fund training and research programs that address health concerns related to the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center. The NIH National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences will award six training grants and six research grants to address "immediate and long-term worker and community health protections." NIEHS will award $6 million in grants to six groups to help train hazardous material teams, environmental remediation employees and site cleanup workers to respond to weapons of mass destruction. In addition, NIEHS will award $4.5 million in research grants to six groups to conduct exposure assessment, epidemiology and community outreach in Lower Manhattan. Thompson also said that HHS will offer more than $2 million in grants for mental health and substance abuse services for firefighters, police officers and other rescue employees who responded to the World Trade Center attack. "When the terrorists attacked, we turned to firefighters, police officers and other rescue workers to save lives and help America recover. These grants will help fulfill our obligation to these brave men and women by supporting needed research, training and health services to protect their health and well-being," Thompson said (HHS
release, 5/8).
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