Nursing Home Facility Programs and Support Resources

This page is designed to connect nursing homes to available programs and resources offered by the New York State Department of Health. A link or contact email is provided under each program for additional guidance.

New York State Department of Health Grants
For a full list of available grants, please see Grants/Funding Opportunities – New York State Department of Health.

Program Name:Health Care Access Loan Repayment (HEALR) Program
Program Description:This program is a workforce initiative authorized under New York's 1115 Medicaid Waiver Demonstration. The HEALR program aims to improve access to high-quality services for NYS Medicaid members by attracting and retaining providers in critical, high-demand roles through NYS. Under this program, loan payments will be made directly to the loan servicer on behalf of the awardee.
Link: Health Care Access Loan Repayment (HEALR) Program Guide
Contact: healr@health.ny.gov

Program Name:Medicaid Payment Lag Exemption for Distressed Providers
Program Description: The State holds Medicaid checks/payments for two weeks prior to releasing the funds to plans and providers. Organizations with cash flow challenges or Medicaid payment issues can request to be removed from the Medicaid two-week payment lag, thereby accelerating weekly Medicaid payments. Medicaid providers are able to request an exemption to the payment lag through a written request to lag@health.ny.gov.
Link: Medicaid Reimbursement Rate Reform
Contact: lag@health.ny.gov

Program Name:Safety Net Transformation Program
Program Description:The Safety Net Transformation Program provides temporary financial assistance for operating and/or capital funding to support multi-year transformation proposals to improve access, equity, quality, outcomes, and financial sustainability of safety net hospitals by encouraging collaborative partnership with at least one partner organization, which may include residential health care facilities. The applicant must meet the criteria of a safety net hospital as defined in NY Public Health Law §2825-i(2), identify at least one partner organization with which they jointly apply for the program, and provide a Letter of Interest, which must include a detailed description of the anticipated transformation plan and any regulatory flexibilities requested.
Link: Safety Net Transformation Program
Contact: SafetyNetTransformation@health.ny.gov

Program Name:Nursing Home Vital Access Provider (NH VAP) Program
Program Description: The NH VAP program is a State and Federally funded program, which provides financial assistance (up to three years) to financially distressed providers for the purpose of redesigning their healthcare delivery systems to promote financial sustainability.
The nursing home must meet the criteria for funding as outlined in NY Public Health Law §2826(a)-(f), including providing an established multi-year transformational plan. The funding will support operational costs during the implementation of turnaround objectives to improve financial viability, maintain essential community services, enhance quality of care, advance health equity for at-risk populations, and reduce Medicaid program costs.
Contact: NHVAP@health.ny.gov

Program Name: Nursing Home Vital Access Provider Assurance Program (NH VAPAP)
Program Description:The NH VAPAP program is a State-funded program, which provides temporary, non-reoccurring, short-term financial assistance (one-time) to financially distressed providers while they thoughtfully implement a transformation plan to promote financial sustainability. The nursing home must meet the criteria for funding as outlined in NY Public Health Law §2826(g), including providing a transformation plan with detailed initiatives that will demonstrate how the one-time funding will help the facility reach long term sustainability. The implementation of initiatives should occur during the funding period and should have a positive impact on the facilities baseline financial projections. In order to begin the application process, the facility must contact the Department via the email provided to receive a formal application. A link to the application is available here for informational purposes, to assist facilities in understanding the evaluation process and documentation requirements. Following initial contact with the Department, if applicable, a formal application will be provided directly to the facility. Applications submitted outside of this process will not be accepted for review.
Contact: NHVAPAP@health.ny.gov