What Is New York’s Social Care Network — And What Does It Mean for Your Family?

A lot of families we work with have heard the term “Social Care Network” — or SCN — without anyone explaining what it means for them. It shows up in letters from managed care plans, comes up in meetings with Care Managers, and gets mentioned in passing without much context. Here’s what it actually is — and what Chemlu can do for your family through it, starting today.

The basic idea

Health care has historically meant medical care: doctor visits, medications, hospitalizations. But for most people — and especially families in the I/DD community — the things that most affect daily life and health aren’t medical. They’re things like stable housing, access to food, transportation to appointments, and employment.

New York’s Social Care Network is a statewide initiative built around that reality. Through SCN, organizations that serve Medicaid members — health plans, hospitals, and community-based organizations like Chemlu — screen people for social needs, refer them to the right resources, and actually track whether the referral led anywhere. The goal is to close gaps: not just pass names along, but make sure someone with a need gets connected to help.

What Chemlu does in the SCN — and where

Chemlu is a contracted SCN partner in two regions:

• The Hudson Valley, through Hudson Valley Care Coalition — covering Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, Sullivan, and Ulster counties
• The Bronx, through SOMOS

In both regions we provide screenings and navigation. A screening is a short, plain-language conversation — a few questions about your household’s needs around food, housing, transportation, and safety. Navigation means we stay with you after the screening: helping you actually reach the food program, the housing resource, or the transportation assistance, instead of leaving you with a phone number and a wish of good luck.

Who can get screened?

Any Medicaid member in our regions can receive an HRSN screening at no cost — you do not need to be receiving any other Chemlu service. Eligibility for navigation or enhanced services depends on your Medicaid coverage type, identified need, region, and program rules. If your family member is already working with us through OPWDD or Children’s HCBS, even easier: mention it to any Chemlu staff member and we’ll set it up.

What this means for families receiving OPWDD or Children’s HCBS services

If your family member is on Medicaid and working with a Care Manager through a CCO, expect more coordination between their health care and their community services as SCN matures. The network is designed to make handoffs real — so a need that comes up in one conversation actually gets followed through on, rather than getting lost between agencies.

Want a screening, or just want to understand how this affects your family? Call Chemlu at (718) 774-1422 or send us a message — ask about the Social Care Network.