Services to help you remain in your home

The department of Social Services is responsible for the needs assessment, eligibility determination and authorization of a wide range of medical and home care services to Medicaid recipients.

All home care services are designed to insure the health and safety of elderly, infirm, or disabled individuals by providing a range of home based services which assist in maintaining the recipient at home. Home care services are physician ordered and supervised by a registered nurse. Licensed providers under contract with and monitored by Department of Social Services, are responsible for service delivery.

Below are the home care services available to Medicaid recipients:

• Personal Care Services provide assistance with the activities of daily living: personal hygiene, dressing and feeding, household tasks and nutrition.  They may be combined with other services such as visiting nurse or hospice.
  
  
• Long Term Home Health Care Program (LTHHCP), also known as Nursing Home without Walls, is a coordinated plan of care and services provided at home to individuals who are medically eligible for placement in a health related facility or nursing home.  It is a financially capitated program.
  
  
• Consumer Directed Personal Care Assistance Program (CDPAP) enables the individual who can recruit, hire, and train their personal care aide, to manage the delivery of their own home care.
  
  
• Comprehensive Care Management (C.C.M.) provides a pre-capitated program of coordinated health care through the NY State Comprehensive Care Management Program. The individual who is most appropriate for this program is frail and elderly with a complex medical profile and nursing home eligible.  Patients receive all their medical care through Beth Abraham Health Services located in White Plains and attend their day program.
  
  
• Assisted Living Program (ALP) serves individuals who are medically eligible for residential health care facility placement but whose needs could be met in a less restrictive setting. Care needs are met by combining the services of an adult home or enriched housing program with supportive home care services.
  
  
• Certified Home Health Services (CHHA) are health services such as nursing services, physical therapy or home health aide services provided at home rather than in a hospital or nursing home.
  
  
• Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) is a telephone electronic monitoring device that summons emergency assistance to homebound individuals. This device is used in conjunction with Personal Care or Long Term Home Health Care Services.
  
  
• Care-at-Home  is a program designed to enable parents to care for their severely physically disabled child at home by providing medical assistance, case management, and respite care services to children aged 0-18 who would be Medicaid-eligible if institutionalized.

How to apply for home care services

Eligibility for all home care programs is determined by the Office of Medical Home Care Services located at 131 Warburton Avenue, (North Side) Yonkers, N.Y. 10701. The phone number is (914) 231-3621.

Nursing home care

Chronic Care Medical Assistance is a financial service available to meet the cost of nursing home care. Through our Deputized Worker Program, staff at a majority of homes and hospitals in Westchester have been trained to conduct eligibility interviews in their facility for the convenience of those  already residing there or hospitalized and in need of  placement. Eligibility is determined by the Institutional Assistance Unit located at 131 Warburton Avenue, (North Side) Yonkers, N.Y. 10701. The phone number is (914) 231-3672. To make an appointment or file an applications call (914) 231-3674.

Long-term care

NY Connects provides information about long-term care options (in Spanish) for seniors and for disabled children and adults. The local contact number is (914) 813-6300.

Medical transportation services

These services are provided under the Medicaid program to SSI and Medicaid eligible individuals for the purpose of accessing medical care. 

Modes of medical transportation

Bus, taxi, ambulette, ambulance, and mileage for private cars are usual.

Who determines the correct mode of transportation?

Determination is made by the patient's physician and/or medical practitioner in conjunction with prescribed guidelines within which the unit operates.

Who chooses the providers of medical transportation?

The individual chooses from a list of approved providers/vendors.

What is the process for those enrolled in managed care plans?

Medical transportation is a component of each managed care plan, which determines approval and authorization, not the Medical Transportation Unit.

Getting approval for medical transportation

The Medical Transportation Unit is located at 131 Warburton Avenue, (North Side) Yonkers, N.Y. 10701. The phone number is (914) 231-3676.

Bus and private car approvals are handled by the local Department of Social Services district offices. The SSI Unit is located at 112 East Post Road, White Plains, NY 10601. The phone number is (914) 995-6771.