9/11 Responder Health Program Gets a Funding Fix and Expands Mental Health Care

The "9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025" makes some key changes to how the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) operates and gets funded. It's all about ensuring those affected by 9/11 continue to receive the care they need, now and in the future.

Mental Health Gets a Boost

One significant change is who can evaluate responders and survivors for mental health conditions. Previously, only physicians could do initial mental health evaluations. This bill expands that to include licensed mental health providers (SEC. 2). Think therapists, psychologists – the folks who specialize in mental health. The WTCHP Administrator will issue regulations within 180 days to spell out exactly which types of licensed mental health providers qualify (SEC. 2). This could mean faster and more accessible mental health support for those who need it. For example, a firefighter dealing with PTSD could get evaluated and certified for treatment by a qualified therapist, rather than having to go through a physician first.

Funding for the Long Haul

This is where things get a bit more complicated. The bill adjusts how the WTCHP is funded from fiscal year 2026 all the way through 2090 (SEC. 6). Essentially, the funding will increase each year by 7%, multiplied by the ratio of enrollees from the previous two years (SEC. 6). So, if enrollment goes up, funding goes up proportionally. If enrollment drops, so does funding. Fiscal year 2026 gets a special bump – funding will be at least 25% higher than what was spent in 2025 (SEC. 6). After that, the funding is tied directly to how much was spent the previous year (SEC. 6). The bill also says any leftover money in the Supplemental, Special, and Pentagon-Shanksville Funds goes back to the U.S. Treasury (SEC. 6).

Keeping Things in Check

To ensure transparency, the Secretary of Health and Human Services has to provide a detailed report to Congress within three years (SEC. 7). This report will project the program’s budget needs all the way to 2090, compare predicted versus actual spending since 2017, and recommend any changes to the funding formula to cover all anticipated costs (SEC. 7). It's a way to keep an eye on the program's financial health and make adjustments as needed. The bill also extends the time the WTCHP has to add new health conditions to the list for responders from 90 to 180 days (SEC. 5). This allows more time for consideration of potential additions to the list of covered conditions.

Streamlining the System

The bill clarifies that deceased individuals won't be counted in enrollment numbers when calculating funding (SEC. 4). This ensures resources are allocated based on the needs of living participants. It also updates some language in the law, replacing "Data Centers" with "WTC Program Administrator" to reflect current operations (SEC. 3).

It also removes a clause that dealt with credentialing providers in the nationwide health information network. (SEC 3.)