Mental Health and the World Trade Center Crisis: The Impact on New York

Mental Health and the World Trade Center Crisis: The Impact on New York

HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

OF NEW YORK IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 28, 2001

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, on October 2, 2001, I introduced H.R. 2992, the Mental Health Parity Enhancement Act of 2001. Clearly, we all have come to understand mental health is critical to the health and well being of our country and all Americans. I rise today to submit compelling, timely remarks about the mental health impact of terrorism as extraneous materials to the Congressional Record. On October 3, 2001, during the American Psychiatric Association's Annual Mental Illness Awareness Week Congressional Luncheon Symposium, in which they are joined by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, one of my most dedicated and brilliant constituents, Herb Pardes, M.D., President and CEO of New York Presbyterian Hospital, gave an enlightening and heartfelt presentation about the New York hospital system's response to the World Trade Center crisis. He discussed the phenomenal emergency medical services provided to victims by the New York healthcare system and also the resulting impact on the mental health of New York City and our Nation. Allow me to include excerpts of Dr. Pardes' October 3 remarks into the Record:

[text of speech included in Congressional Record]