COMMUNITY MEMBER CORNER
SOCIAL CARE NETWORK – MEMBER INFORMATION
If you are a New York State Medicaid Member, there is a new statewide Program starting January 1, 2025, focused on meeting your health-related social needs, called the Social Care Network (SCN) Program.
what to know:
Health-related social needs (HRSNs) are things that can impact your health and well-being, like lack of healthy food, unstable housing, or stress from financial situations.
Under this Program, there are regional Social Care Networks (SCNs), or a group of providers of all kinds working together to meet your HRSNs. This Program brings your primary care doctor, health plan, government agency, and local social care service provider (like a food pantry) to the same table to support your health.
What is Healthy Alliance’s role? As the Social Care Network Lead Entity, we are working to build and support the SCN in the Capital, Central New York, and North Country Regions. We’re also a service provider, here to help you get services by screening you (to understand your needs) and connecting you to one of the many providers working with us. See our coverage area below:
Capital Region:
Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie counties.
Central New York:
Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego counties.
North Country:
Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Warren, and Washington counties.
Services under this Program are provided at no cost to you. You must meet the eligibility criteria to receive services, which is determined through an HRSN screening and eligibility assessment. Depending on the service, it is either provided to you once, for a few weeks, or for a longer term (about 6 months).
What you can get connected to under this Program:
Care Management
– Getting help with finding a job or job training program, applying for public benefits, managing your finances, and more.
– Getting connected to services like childcare, counseling, crisis intervention, health homes program, and more.
Navigation Services
– To existing federal, state, and local services.
Housing and Utilities
– Installing home modifications like ramps, handrails, grab bars to make your home accessible and safe.
– Repairing and fixing water leaks to prevent mold from growing in your home.
– Sealing holes and cracks to prevent pests from entering your home.
– Providing an air conditioner, heater, humidifier, or dehumidifier to help improve ventilation in your home.
– Helping you find and apply for safe and stable housing in the community.
Transportation Services
– Helping you with access to public or private transportation to places approved by the SCN such as: going to parenting classes, housing court to prevent eviction, local farmers’ markets, and city or state department offices to obtain important documents.
Nutrition Support
– Getting help from a nutrition expert who will give you guidance and support in choosing healthy foods to meet your health needs and goals.
– Getting prepared meals, fresh produce, or grocery items delivered to your home for up to six (6) months. These food items will be tailored to your specific health needs.
– Providing cooking supplies like pots, pans, microwave, mini-refrigerator, and utensils to prepare meals.
If you receive Medicaid benefits through your health plan, please know they are working with Healthy Alliance and are a resource for you to help get connected to the services under this Program. It does not change your existing health plan benefits or interrupt/change any services you are currently getting (SNAP, WIC, etc.) – it just expands the services available to you. You may not be able to get services through Healthy Alliance if you are already receiving them.
HOW IT WORKS:
STEP 1 - GET SCREENED
Before you can get services, we need to better understand what your needs are and if you are eligible for services under this Program. To do so, we have to ask you a few questions about housing and utilities, food security, transportation, employment, education, and interpersonal safety. Screenings are only done with your consent and the information you give is only used to determine your needs and eligibility.
Here are some ways to do the free screening:
Do it yourself with our self-screening tool
Your data will not be saved on our website. Access the tool here.
Call us and we can screen you
Capital Region: 518-520-3211
Central New York: 315-505-2290
North Country: 518-656-8312
Go to a local screening provider
Please note, as a New York State program, the Department of Health aims to have every Medicaid Member receive a screening each year and on an as-needed basis, for example, a major life event that may make you eligible for other services (serious injury, loss of benefits, significant change to income, etc.).
STEP 2 - FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR
If your screening identifies an unmet need and you give your consent, a Social Care Navigator will do an eligibility assessment to find out if you can receive services under this Program. They will reach out within 5 business days.
STEP 3 - GET CONNECTED
If you have unmet needs, want services, and are eligible, the Navigator will connect you with a provider who can help.
STEP 4 - SERVICES ARE PROVIDED
STEP 5 - FOLLOW UP
Your Care Manager or Healthy Alliance will follow up to ensure you got the service(s) and your need(s) have been met.
Learn more from New York State.
If you have any concerns about the quality, access, or delivery of services in our network, please fill out this form so we can work to make things better.
If you think there may be fraud, waste, or abuse, please help us keep things honest and fair by reporting it to [email protected]
Healthy Alliance will not threaten or punish you for sharing your concerns. It will not affect your ability to get services.