Let our Friendly and Experienced Staff Help You Enroll in NHTD

Table of Contents

What is NHTD?

Who does the NHTD program help?

NHTD Meaning – What is the meaning of “Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD)”?

What services does NHTD cover? How many NHTD waiver services are there?

How do I find NHTD providers?

Who is eligible to enroll in the NHTD Program?

How can consumers under 65 demonstrate that they have a physical disability?

NHTD Application – How do I apply for NHTD?

What if I don’t have Medicaid?

What are the maximum number of home care hours that consumers can receive under NHTD?

Can home care consumers with Alzheimer’s and/or Dementia enroll in NHTD?

Does Medicare cover NHTD?

Is NHTD covered under Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC)?

NHTD vs MLTC – What is the difference between NHTD and MLTC?

Where is the NHTD Waiver Program available?

Who administers the NHTD Waiver Program?

Can residents living in a nursing home or other facility transition to the community and enroll in NHTD?

Where do consumers in the NHTD Waiver Program live?

NHTD Forms

What is NHTD?

The Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) Waiver Program is a Medicaid program that helps New York´s elderly and disabled receive comprehensive services – including home care – while they live in the community (e.g. their home) instead of a nursing home or other institution.

Who does the NHTD program help?

The NHTD program helps elderly and disabled New Yorkers who wish to receive care in the community instead of a facility such as a nursing home.

NHTD Meaning – What is the meaning of “Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD)”?

The goal of the NHTD program is to allow consumers to receive care at home instead of an institution such as a nursing home. “Nursing Home Transition” refers to the program’s goal of helping consumers “transition” from a nursing home to the community. “Diversion” refers to diverting consumers from needing to enter a nursing home by providing their needs in a community setting.

What services does NHTD cover? How many NHTD waiver services are there?

NHTD covers the following services (we count 18 😊):

  • Assistive Technology (AT)
  • Community Integration Counseling (CIC)
  • Community Transitional Services (CTS)
  • Congregate and Home Delivered Meals
  • Environmental Modifications (E-Mods)
  • Home and Community Support Services (HCSS) – Commonly referred to as Home Care
  • Home Visits by Medical Personnel
  • Independent Living Skills and Training Services (ILST)
  • Moving Assistance
  • Nutritional Counseling/Educational Services
  • Peer Mentoring
  • Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Respite Services
  • Service Coordination (SC)
  • Social Transportation
  • Structured Day Program Services (SDP)
  • Wellness Counseling

How do I find NHTD providers?

As NHTD covers many services, there are many NHTD providers. In fact, there are often many providers available for any single service covered by NHTD. NHTD enrollees have a Service Coordinator (SC) who is responsible for helping to arrange services from the available NHTD providers. We are a contracted NHTD provider for home care services and would be honored if you requested us as your home care provider.

Who is eligible to enroll in the NHTD Program?

To qualify, consumers must:

• Be eligible for Medicaid.
• Be assessed as needing a nursing home level of care.
• Be 18 or older. Consumers below the age of 65 must have a verified physical disability.

The individual must also be able to live safely in the community with the services and supports offered through Medicaid, the waiver program and other community resources.

How can consumers under 65 demonstrate that they have a physical disability?

Consumers that have received awards/determinations verifying their disability may be recognized as disabled for the purpose of applying for NHTD. Examples of awards/determinations for which consumers will be considered disabled include:

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Railroad Retirement letter for total permanent disability for SSI benefits

Consumers that do not have prior awards/determinations that document their disability may receive a disability determination via a state disability review or through documentation from the individual’s physician, hospital summaries, or nursing facility records.

NHTD Application – How do I apply for NHTD?

Application for NHTD must go through your local Regional Resource Development Center (RRDC). There can be a number of steps and components in the process and it can be helpful to have someone experienced in the process help you with your application. We are a contracted provider for NHTD and our experienced staff would be happy to help you with applying for NHTD.

What if I don’t have Medicaid?

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have Medicaid. We have Medicaid specialists that can guide you through the process of enrolling in Medicaid coverage. There is a lot of misinformation out there with regards to Medicaid eligibility, and many consumers who were told that they are not eligible in fact can get Medicaid coverage.

What are the maximum number of home care hours that consumers can receive under NHTD?

Consumers can receive up to 24 hours of home care under NHTD. In fact, it is not uncommon for consumers to be approved to receive split-shift care – this means that they receive a round-the-clock rotation of home attendants to ensure that there is always a home attendant on call.

Can home care consumers with Alzheimer’s and/or Dementia enroll in NHTD?

Absolutely. The NHTD program can be a great option for home care consumers with Alzheimer’s and/or Dementia. In fact, a consumer having a cognitive impairment can be an important factor in their being determined eligible for NHTD.

Does Medicare cover NHTD?

NHTD is a Medicaid program and is not covered by Medicare.

Is NHTD covered under Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC)?

Currently, the NHTD waiver program is cut-out of MLTC and consumers enrolled in MLTC would have to transition from their MLTC Managed Care plan to enroll in NHTD.

NHTD vs MLTC – What is the difference between NHTD and MLTC?

While one may encounter many differences between the NHTD program and MLTC, the following outlines a fundamental structural difference between them:

NHTD is a Medicaid sponsored waiver program that provides comprehensive services to elderly and disabled New Yorkers. Under the NHTD program consumers receive a number of services (see above) under the oversight of a dedicated Service Coordinator (SC). These services are billed directly to Medicaid under a fee-for-service structure.

MLTC refers to long-term care services that Medicaid consumers receive under a Managed Long-Term Care plan. These plans receive capitated monthly rates from Medicaid for each consumer enrolled in their plan. Consumers enrolled in MLTC plans will also have a care coordinator assigned to them. Services provided under MLTC are billed to the MLTC plan.

Where is the NHTD Waiver Program available?

The Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) Waiver Program is available in all 62 counties of New York State.

Who administers the NHTD Waiver Program?

The Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) Waiver Program is administered by Regional Resource Development Centers (RRDCs) that cover 9 Regions throughout the state.

Can residents living in a nursing home or other facility transition to the community and enroll in NHTD?

Yes. In fact, New York State has a program called Open Doors that provides information on transition from nursing facilities, hospitals or health care facilities to the community and provides support to residents of nursing homes, hospitals or health care facilities; their families or representatives; nursing home staff, community service providers, managed care plans and Discharge Planners. Open Doors serves as a bridge between the pre-discharge planning that takes place in the facility and the delivery of medical and supportive services in the community.

Where do consumers in the NHTD Waiver Program live?

Most NHTD applicants reside in their own home. The individual or their representative must be able to identify an appropriate residence where waiver services will be provided. Open Doors Transition Specialists, Service Coordinators, and discharge planners will help individuals in need of housing identify and locate a residence.

Community Transitional Services may be used for applicants transitioning out of a nursing facility who need help paying for certain aspects of securing a home. The following are some available resources:

  • Information on programs that are available to provide rental subsidies and housing services can be found on a Community Outreach & Other Resources page of the NY State Health Site.
  • The NYS Office for the Aging website includes tools to search for housing throughout New York State.
  • The Service Coordinator who will help the applicant with the program application can also help the individual identify a residence.

NHTD Forms

The following are forms for the Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) Waiver Program provided in multiple languages:

English Forms

  • DOH-5727 – Service Coordination Agency Selection
  • DOH-5728 – Freedom of Choice
  • DOH-5729 – Application for Participation, Initial Interview and Acknowledgement
  • DOH-5730 – Provider Selection
  • DOH-5731 – Change of Service Coordination Agency Request
  • DOH-5732 – Waiver Participant Rights and Responsibilities
  • DOH-5750 – Change of Provider Request

Bেঙলি (Bengali Forms)

  • DOH-5727 – পরিষেবা সমন্বয় এজেন্সি নির্বাচন
  • DOH-5728 – স্বাধীনতা 0f চয়েস
  • DOH-5729 – অংশগ্রহণ, প্রাথমিক সাক্ষাত্কার এবং স্বীকৃতির জন্য আবেদন
  • DOH-5730 – সরবরাহকারী নির্বাচন
  • DOH-5731 – পরিষেবা সমন্বয় এজেন্সি অনুরোধের পরিবর্তন
  • DOH-5732 – দাবিত্যাগ অংশগ্রহণকারীদের অধিকার এবং দায়িত্ব
  • DOH-5750 – সরবরাহকারীর অনুরোধের পরিবর্তন

繁體中文 (Chinese Forms)

  • DOH-5727 – 服务协调机构的选择
  • DOH-5728 – 自由0f选择
  • DOH-5729 – 参与,初次面试和确认书的申请
  • DOH-5730 – 供应商选择
  • DOH-5731 – 更改服务协调机构的请求
  • DOH-5732 – 放弃参加者的权利和责任
  • DOH-5750 – 更改提供者请求

Kreyòl Ayisyen (Haitian Creole Forms)

  • DOH-5727 – Sèvis Ajans Kowòdinasyon Seleksyon
  • DOH-5728 – Libète of Chwa
  • DOH-5729 – Aplikasyon pou patisipasyon, entèvyou inisyal ak rekonesans
  • DOH-5730 – Seleksyon Founisè
  • DOH-5731 – Chanjman nan Sèvis Ajans Kowòdinasyon Demann
  • DOH-5732 – Dwa ak Responsablite Patisipan yo
  • DOH-5750 – Chanjman nan Demann Founisè a

한국어 (Korean Forms)

  • DOH-5727 – 서비스 조정 기관 선택
  • DOH-5728 – 자유 0f 선택
  • DOH-5729 – 참가 신청, 초기 면접 및 인정
  • DOH-5730 – 제공자 선택
  • DOH-5731 – 서비스 조정 기관 요청 변경
  • DOH-5732 – 참가자 권리 및 책임 면제
  • DOH-5750 – 제공자 요청 변경

русский (Russian Forms)

  • DOH-5727 – Выбор агентства по координации услуг
  • DOH-5728 – Свобода 0f Выбор
  • DOH-5729 – Заявка на участие, первоначальное собеседование и благодарность
  • DOH-5730 – Выбор провайдера
  • DOH-5731 – Изменение запроса агентства по координации услуг
  • DOH-5732 – Права и обязанности участников отказа от прав
  • DOH-5750 – Запрос на изменение провайдера

Español (Spanish Forms)

  • DOH-5727 – Selección de la agencia de coordinación de servicios
  • DOH-5728 – Libertad de elección
  • DOH-5729 – Solicitud de participación, entrevista inicial y reconocimiento
  • DOH-5730 – Selección de proveedor
  • DOH-5731 – Solicitud de agencia de coordinación de cambio de servicio
  • DOH-5732 – Renuncia a los derechos y responsabilidades del participante
  • DOH-5750 – Solicitud de cambio de proveedor

יידיש (Yiddish Forms)

  • DOH-5727 – סערוויס קאָאָרדינאַטיאָן אַגענטור סעלעקציע
  • DOH-5728 – פרייהייט 0 ף טשויס
  • DOH-5729 – אַפּלאַקיישאַן פֿאַר פּאַרטיסאַפּיישאַן, ערשט ינטערוויעוו און באַשטעטיקונג
  • DOH-5730 – פּראַוויידער סעלעקציע
  • DOH-5731 – ענדערונג פון סערוויס קאָאָרדינאַטיאָן אַגענטור בעטן
  • DOH-5732 – רעכט און ריספּאַנסאַבילאַטיז פון פּאַרטיסאַפּאַנט
  • DOH-5750 – ענדערונג פון פּראַוויידער בעטן