I’m a 9/11 Survivor. What Should Do if I’m Not Sick But Want to Protect Myself For the Future?
As a survivor, a.k.a. somebody who lived, worked, or went to school downtown on or after 9/11, you must be symptomatic to participate in the programs established by the Zadroga Act: The WTC Health Program and September 11th VCF. That means that if you are not currently sick with any 9/11-related conditions, you likely wont qualify for services…yet. There are, however, a few things you should do to protect yourself for the future:
Register with the VCF: We encourage anybody who was in the area, whether or not they are sick, to do this. It’s quick and easy to do from the VCF website, but feel free to contact us with questions. (Keep in mind that no documents are required to register with the VCF. You only need to provide proof of presence to file a claim.)
Get your proof of presence documents in order: For most people, finding proof of presence gets more difficult as time passes. Look into the documentation requirements for the WTC Health Program and make sure you know which documents you will use should you become sick. If you don’t have the appropriate documents available, now is a good time to start thinking about how you will obtain them.
Monitor your physical AND mental health conditions: Survivors do not need to be sick with a physical condition in order to qualify for the WTC Health Program. Mental health conditions like PTSD, anxiety, or depression, though they are not compensable through the VCF, will qualify Survivors for the WTC Health Program at which point you will have access to yearly monitoring visits and quicker certification for any physical health conditions they later develop.
If you are a first responder, you are able to access monitoring from the WTC Health Program whether or not you are sick. Going to your yearly monitoring visits, even if you’re healthy now, is helpful from a research perspective and is also a great way to make sure that you get certified immediately should you develop any 9/11-related conditions. For more information on the services available to responders, head to the WTC Health Program’s site!