History

The NY Connects: Choices for Long Term Care program was established in 2006 by the New York State Office for the Aging in collaboration with the New York State Department of Health. NY Connects was implemented in counties across the State, with the goal of promoting seamless access to long-term care services and supports for older individuals as well as people of all ages with disabilities, to enable them to remain at home and in the community.

In 2014, funds became available to enhance and expand NY Connects through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Balancing Incentive Program (BIP), and New York City and four other counties joined this state-wide initiative. BIP seeks to rebalance Medicaid long-term services and supports (LTSS) funds from institutions to home and community settings, and improve access to home and community-based long-term care services.

NY Connects is a locally based "No Wrong Door" system that provides one stop access to free, objective, comprehensive information and assistance for people with disabilities of all ages and older adults needing long term services and supports. The NWD system has a greater capacity to respond to the growing need and diversity of Information and Assistance requests. To learn more about the State and City partners involved in the No Wrong Door System, visit Our Partners.

NY Connects was officially launched in New York City in the Fall of 2015.

There are now over 60 local NY Connects offices throughout New York State.