What are New York's Social Care Networks? A 2026 guide to the SCN program
New York State now pays for groceries, meals, rent help and home repairs as if they were health care — because for a lot of people, they are. The vehicle is the Social Care Network program. Here is what it is and how it works.
If you have New York Medicaid and you are skipping meals, living somewhere that is making your asthma worse, or missing appointments because you have no way to get there, the State now has a program designed for exactly that. It is called the Social Care Network program, and most people who qualify have never heard of it.
This guide explains what it is, who runs it, what it pays for, and how you get connected — in plain English, with links to the State's own documents so you can check everything yourself.
The short version
New York State recognized something that doctors have said for years: you cannot treat a diabetic patient successfully if they cannot afford food, and you cannot manage a child's asthma if the apartment is full of mold. These are called health-related social needs, or HRSNs — social and economic problems that directly damage health.
So the State built a system to screen Medicaid members for those needs and then actually pay for the fix. That system is delivered through nine regional Social Care Networks (SCNs), which cover every county in New York.
In one sentence: Social Care Networks screen New York Medicaid members for unmet social needs, then connect eligible members to services like home-delivered meals, pantry stocking, rent assistance and home repairs — at no cost to the member.
Where the program came from
The SCN program was created by the New York Health Equity Reform (NYHER) 1115 Waiver Demonstration Amendment, which the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved on January 9, 2024.
An "1115 waiver" is a mechanism that lets a state run Medicaid differently from the standard federal rulebook, in order to test something. New York used it to test whether paying for food and housing support produces better health outcomes and lower costs than paying for the emergency rooms visits that follow when those needs go unmet.
Governor Hochul's office announced $500 million for the Social Care Networks program to deliver these services. The SCN program is one component of the broader NYHER waiver. Services began rolling out to members from January 1, 2025.
Who actually runs it
The State does not deliver meals itself. It contracts with nine SCN Lead Entities — regional organizations that build and manage networks of local community-based organizations (CBOs). According to NYSDOH, Lead Entities:
- build networks of CBOs;
- coordinate screening and navigation services;
- support referrals and service delivery;
- enable secure data exchange;
- monitor program performance; and
- establish regional governance structures.
They also coordinate with managed care plans, health care and behavioral health providers, local governments, and child and family service organizations.
Underneath the Lead Entities sit the organizations that do the actual work — food providers, housing agencies, home repair contractors, and health care practices. See which Lead Entity covers your county.
The four goals the State set
NYSDOH lists these goals for the program:
- expand access to HRSN services;
- ensure consistent screening using the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) screening tool;
- improve coordination across providers, community organizations and health plans; and
- coordinate screening and services using a closed-loop referral system and the Statewide Health Information Network.
That second point matters more than it sounds. Every SCN in New York uses the same standardized screening questionnaire, so the answer to "do I qualify?" does not depend on which organization happens to ask you.
What the program pays for
Services fall into four categories. Each has its own eligibility rules — meeting one does not mean you qualify for all of them.
| Category | Examples of what is covered |
|---|---|
| Care management | Navigation to existing resources; Enhanced HRSN care management |
| Nutrition | Medically tailored meals; clinically appropriate home-delivered meals; food prescriptions; fresh produce and non-perishable groceries (pantry stocking); cooking supplies; nutritional counseling and education |
| Housing | Home accessibility and safety modifications; mold and pest remediation; ventilation repairs; refrigeration for medication; asthma remediation; recuperative care; up to six months of rent or temporary housing; utility set-up; pre-tenancy, transitional and tenancy-sustaining services |
| Transportation | Transport related to an HRSN service or care management activity |
Read the detail: food and nutrition benefits, housing benefits, and transportation and care management.
Two tiers: navigation vs Enhanced HRSN Services
This distinction trips people up, so it is worth being precise.
Navigation is available to any Medicaid member — Fee-for-Service or Managed Care — who screens as having an unmet health-related social need. Navigation means someone helps you find and access existing federal, state and local resources. It is not classed as an "Enhanced Service".
Enhanced HRSN Services are the services the waiver actually pays for — the meals, the groceries, the rent assistance. These are only available to members enrolled in Medicaid Managed Care, and only when further criteria are met.
Practical consequence: if you are on Medicaid Fee-for-Service rather than a managed care plan, you can be screened and navigated to resources, but you cannot receive Enhanced HRSN Services. Full eligibility rules.
How members get connected
NYSDOH lists four routes. You can:
- go to your regional Social Care Network's website and fill out the self-screener, or call its direct line;
- speak with your provider or care manager;
- contact your health plan; or
- ask a community-based organization participating in the network.
The State intends for every Medicaid member to receive an HRSN screening annually, or after a major self-reported life event — so if your circumstances change, you can be re-screened rather than waiting a year.
Scale so far
NYSDOH announced that the SCN program has screened more than one million Medicaid members. The State publishes periodic SCN Program Updates, most recently in May 2026.
What happens next
The NYHER waiver is a time-limited demonstration. New York has submitted a Section 1115(a) demonstration extension request, and NYSDOH held public hearings on July 31, 2026 and August 11, 2026 to present it and take public comment.
In practice this means the program as described here is current, but the shape of it beyond the demonstration period depends on federal approval. Check the State's 1115 waiver page for the latest status.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Social Care Network cost anything?
No. Enhanced HRSN services are funded through New York's Medicaid 1115 waiver. There is no cost to the member for services you are approved to receive, and no cost to be screened.
Do I need to be a US citizen?
The program's eligibility criteria are built on Medicaid enrollment, not citizenship directly — the requirement is that you are an enrolled New York Medicaid member, and for Enhanced HRSN Services, enrolled in Medicaid Managed Care. If you are unsure about your own Medicaid status, contact your health plan or your local department of social services.
Will using these services affect my immigration status or count as a public charge?
This is a legal question and we cannot advise on it. Speak with an immigration attorney or an accredited legal services organization before acting. Do not rely on this website for immigration advice.
Is this the same as SNAP or food stamps?
No. SNAP is a separate federal nutrition program. SCN nutrition services are Medicaid-funded and delivered through your health plan's network. You may be eligible for both; receiving one does not disqualify you from the other. A Social Care Navigator can help you apply for existing benefits like SNAP as part of navigation.
How often can I be screened?
The State intends for Medicaid members to be screened annually, or after a major self-reported life event — for example a new diagnosis, a pregnancy, a job loss or an eviction.
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.
Sources
- NYS Department of Health — Social Care Networks (SCN) — https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/sdh/scn/
- 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 — New York Health Equity Reform (NYHER) 1115 Waiver: SCN Program Overview — https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/sdh/scn/docs/overview.pdf
- NYSDOH — New York State Medicaid 1115 Waiver — https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/1115_waiver/
- NYSDOH — SCN Program Updates (May 2026) — https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/sdh/scn/docs/updates.pdf
- NYSDOH — SCN Program Operations Manual (May 2026) — https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/sdh/scn/docs/operations_manual.pdf