Helping New Yorkers Heal: Manuel Trujillo and Bellevue after 9/11

Manuel Trujillo has been a clinical professor in psychiatry at New York University and he served as director of psychiatry at Bellevue Hospital from 1990 to 2008. In 2008 he founded a Fellowship in Public Psychiatry that trained physicians to work in community settings. While he led Bellevue, the department expanded services for diverse, low-income patients and strengthened training for residents.

"Within two hours after the World Trade Center collapsed, Bellevue Hospital was running in full disaster mode." Trujillo addressed post-traumatic stress after September 11, 2001, and he presented on the psychological impact of the attacks at professional meetings. His work has focused on public psychiatry, cultural competence, and integrating research with clinical care, and trainees have been taught to provide long-term support for affected families.

The health problems among rescue workers were documented by public health agencies, and studies have shown lasting physical and mental illness in many responders. Therefore Bellevue’s early disaster response was followed by longer term programs and monitoring. However, care for survivors required ongoing research and training, and Trujillo’s emphasis on education helped build those services.