Transportation and care management under New York's SCN program

The least discussed parts of the Social Care Network program are the ones that make the rest of it usable: getting you there, and having someone coordinate it.

Last reviewed: August 7, 2026 Published: August 7, 2026 Reading time: 5 minutes Covers: All of New York State

Transportation

The program covers transportation related to an HRSN service or care management activity. This is transport to the social services themselves — not the general Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation benefit for doctor visits, which is separate.

To qualify, a member must be assessed as having an unmet HRSN in the transportation domain and need transportation assistance to access HRSN and/or care management activities. Per the State's eligibility summary, an unmet need includes:

not having a valid driver’s license;
not having a working vehicle available in the household;
being unable to travel or wait for services alone; or
having a physical, cognitive, mental, or developmental limitation.

Clinical criteria: none beyond the enhanced population requirement.

Note the third and fourth tests. "Unable to travel or wait for services alone" and "physical, cognitive, mental, or developmental limitation" mean transportation need is not only about vehicle access. A member with a car in the household may still qualify if they cannot travel alone.

Care management: two tiers

1.1 Navigation

Navigation is explicitly not an Enhanced HRSN Service. It is available to any Medicaid member — Fee-for-Service or Managed Care — who screens as having an unmet health-related social need. It is the only service in the program that requires just criterion 1.

Navigation means someone helps you find and connect to existing federal, state and local resources: food pantries, benefit applications, housing programs, and so on.

1.2 Enhanced HRSN care management

This is an Enhanced HRSN Service, so it requires the full set — unmet need, Medicaid Managed Care enrollment, and an enhanced population category. There are no additional clinical criteria.

Enhanced HRSN care management is the coordination layer: someone who manages your case across services rather than pointing you at a list.

Why the distinction matters

	Navigation (1.1)	Enhanced care management (1.2)
Unmet HRSN required	Yes	Yes
Managed care required	No	Yes
Enhanced population required	No	Yes
Who can receive it	Any Medicaid member (FFS or MMC)	MMC members meeting all criteria

If you are on Medicaid Fee-for-Service, navigation is the door that is open to you. It is genuinely useful — a good navigator knows which local programs exist and how to get into them.

The closed-loop referral system

One of the State's stated goals is to coordinate screening and services using a closed-loop referral system and the Statewide Health Information Network. In principle this means a referral is tracked to its outcome rather than disappearing — the referring party finds out whether you actually received the service.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same as Medicaid transportation to my doctor?

No. Non-emergency medical transportation to medical appointments is a separate Medicaid benefit. SCN transportation covers travel related to HRSN services and care management activities.

I have a car. Can I still get transportation help?

Possibly. The unmet-need tests include being unable to travel or wait for services alone, and having a physical, cognitive, mental or developmental limitation — neither of which depends on vehicle access.

What is the difference between a navigator and a care manager?

Navigation connects you to existing resources and is open to all Medicaid members with an unmet need. Enhanced HRSN care management is a funded service for managed care members meeting the full criteria, and coordinates your services on an ongoing basis.

See if you qualify

The Compass Care can screen you for food, meals and household support under the Social Care Network program. It takes a few minutes, it is confidential, and there is no cost to apply.

Apply Now 212-258-1045

Sources

NYSDOH — Summary of Eligibility for Enhanced Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) Services (last updated May 2025) — https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/sdh/scn/hrsn_svs_elig_sum.htm
NYSDOH — SCN Program Operations Manual (May 2026) — https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/sdh/scn/docs/operations_manual.pdf
NYS Department of Health — Social Care Networks (SCN) — https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/sdh/scn/

Important — please read

This page is general information, not medical, legal, or benefits advice. It explains a New York State Medicaid program in plain language. It is not a substitute for advice from your doctor, your care manager, an attorney, or a benefits counsellor, and reading it does not create any professional relationship.

We do not decide eligibility. Whether you qualify for Enhanced HRSN services is determined by New York State rules, your Medicaid managed care plan, and the Social Care Network in your region — not by The Compass Care and not by this website. Submitting a form here is a request to be screened, not an approval.

We are an independent participating provider. The Compass Care, a service of My Therapist LCSW, PLLC, delivers services in connection with the SCN program. We are not a Social Care Network Lead Entity, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorised to speak for the New York State Department of Health, CMS, or any health plan named on this page. Plan and program names are the trademarks of their owners.

Program rules change. This page reflects published State guidance as of the "last reviewed" date above. Always confirm current rules with your health plan, your regional Social Care Network, or the New York State Department of Health before acting.

If you have a medical emergency, call 911. For Medicaid questions, contact your health plan or your local department of social services.