A Social Care Network (SCN) is New York's Medicaid structure for screening members for health-related social needs (HRSN), navigating them to services and paying community providers, run regionally by Lead Entities under the New York Health Equity Reform (NYHER) 1115 waiver amendment. This page is for community organizations and network sponsors bringing housing, nutrition and related supports into those contracts, whether joining a network or implementing an awarded service agreement. Integral Healthcare Solutions (IHS) turns your network contract into an operating manual and responsibility map; the network interprets the program and your team runs it.

Last reviewed: October 2026.

What is a Social Care Network?

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) says "SCNs were established through the New York Health Equity Reform 1115 Waiver Demonstration Amendment, approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on January 9, 2024. This initiative funds screening, navigation, and Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN), strengthening partnerships between health providers and the community" (NYSDOH).

The governing texts for a provider are the NYSDOH Office of Health Insurance Programs (OHIP) "SCN Program, Billing, and Data Governance Operations Manual," Version 9, dated August 12, 2026 (Operations Manual v9), and your executed contract with your regional SCN Lead Entity. NYSDOH's provider page labels the manual "Updated May 2026"; the PDF we read is Version 9, dated 08/12/2026, so check which version your contract references.

Per NYSDOH, SCNs "Ensure consistent screening using the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) screening tool" and "Coordinate screening and services using a closed-loop referral system and Statewide Health Information Network" (NYSDOH). The manual states "OHIP has awarded 9 SCN Lead Entities for a contract term running from August 1, 2024 – March 31, 2027" (Operations Manual v9, section 3.C).

Other states run their own social care programs under their own guidance. This page covers the New York model only.

Who needs it and what triggers it

The buyer is a community organization that provides at least one HRSN service, or a sponsor organizing providers into a network. NYSDOH says "Organizations that provide at least one health-related social needs service can join a Social Care Network. Joining a Social Care Network means contracting with one or more Lead Entities and participating in required trainings" (NYSDOH provider page). The work is triggered by:

• Joining a network. Contracting with a Lead Entity is the entry point.
• Getting paid. "To receive reimbursement, health-related social needs service providers must: Be in contract with a Lead Entity (note, HRSN providers can join more than one SCN) Provide screening and/or services in a manner consistent with the Social Care Network program Complete training (provided by Lead Entities) and use the Social Care Network IT platform" (NYSDOH).
• Starting screening. "Entities conducting HRSN Screening are required to receive informed consent from members to share their information and Screening information with the Social Care Network" (Operations Manual v9).
• Choosing a data system. OHIP's July 11, 2025 memo, addressed to Lead Entities and Health Homes, says "The eligibility assessment, navigation, and referrals must take place directly in the SCN IT platform or in an interoperable platform, working with a QE to ensure data quality standards are met," and adds in a parenthetical that "the assessment and navigation must be conducted directly in the SCN IT platform" (NYSDOH). Which platform your organization may use is a question for your Lead Entity.

How IHS helps

1. Gap assessment. IHS compares your operations with the duties in your network contract and the state's program guidance, using questionnaires on services, referrals, consent and data systems.
2. Document and evidence mapping. IHS builds a responsibility map across your organization, the network Lead Entity and the technology vendor, and ties each contract duty to a workflow or record.
3. Drafting. IHS drafts an operating manual with referral, consent, service documentation, escalation and reporting workflows. Any clinical or care-management content goes to your program leads to approve.
4. Mock review. IHS walks your team through referral scenarios, from screening to closed-loop referral, to find where the workflow breaks.
5. Readiness support. IHS revises the manual after the walkthrough and helps your team train to it.

What you supply: the executed contract, network guidance, current intake and service records, and your technology and billing contacts.

The limit: program interpretations are the network's to give, and billing and platform configuration belong to the vendors.

What to have ready

Each item ties to the SCN Operations Manual (Version 9, August 12, 2026) or the NYSDOH pages cited.

• Your executed contract with each Lead Entity; "HRSN providers can join more than one SCN" (NYSDOH).
• The version of the Operations Manual your contract references (Operations Manual v9).
• Training completion records for staff, since providers must "Complete training (provided by Lead Entities)."
• Your access to and use of the SCN IT platform, or the interoperable platform and QE arrangement you plan to use (OHIP memo, July 11, 2025).
• Your member consent form and process for sharing information and screening results with the SCN (Operations Manual v9).
• Confirmation your screening uses "the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) screening tool" (NYSDOH).
• Your referral workflow and how a referral is closed, matching the "closed-loop referral system" NYSDOH describes.
• A list of the HRSN services you provide, since joining requires "at least one health-related social needs service."
• A map of your current funding sources. OHIP's July 11, 2025 memo to Lead Entities and Health Homes states that "NYHER funding for HRSN services may not replace funding from other local, state, or federal programs" (OHIP memo); whether and how that applies to your organization's own funding is for your Lead Entity to say.
• Current intake and service records, and names of your technology and billing contacts.

Bring what you have to the introductory call; the gap assessment works from it.

How it compares

A community organization can take more than one role. These options are described neutrally; the choice is yours and the network's.

• HRSN service provider in one SCN, contracting with a single Lead Entity.
• HRSN service provider in several SCNs. NYSDOH says "HRSN providers can join more than one SCN" (NYSDOH), which means one operating manual has to serve more than one contract.
• Health Home or care management agency role. NYSDOH's July 11, 2025 memo describes Health Homes being reimbursed for screening, navigation and enhanced care management within the SCN program (NYSDOH), a different set of duties from service delivery.
• Grant-funded services outside Medicaid. OHIP's July 11, 2025 memo to Lead Entities and Health Homes states that "NYHER funding for HRSN services may not replace funding from other local, state, or federal programs" (OHIP memo); whether and how that applies to your organization's own funding is for your Lead Entity to say. How to balance the two streams is a decision for your leadership, and any comparison IHS offers is its reading, not NYSDOH's.

What it costs

NYSDOH does not publish a fee for joining a Social Care Network on the pages we reviewed; fees depend on scope. NYSDOH publishes reimbursement paid to providers under the SCN regional fee schedule, which is a payment rate, not a fee charged to you (NYSDOH).

IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.

What this is not

• It is not a program interpretation. The Lead Entity and NYSDOH interpret the SCN program; IHS does not speak for them.
• It is not billing, claims or platform configuration. Those belong to your billing staff and the technology vendors.
• IHS does not contact or submit anything to your Lead Entity or NYSDOH on your behalf, and this is not legal advice on your contract. IHS drafts; your organization submits.

Frequently asked questions

What is a New York Social Care Network (SCN) and who runs it in our region?

SCNs were "established through the New York Health Equity Reform 1115 Waiver Demonstration Amendment" approved by CMS on January 9, 2024, to fund "screening, navigation, and Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN)" (NYSDOH). Lead Entities run the networks; "OHIP has awarded 9 SCN Lead Entities" (Operations Manual v9).

How does a community-based organization join a Social Care Network?

By contract and training. NYSDOH says "Joining a Social Care Network means contracting with one or more Lead Entities and participating in required trainings." The organization must provide at least one HRSN service.

What does an HRSN service provider need in place to get paid by the SCN Lead Entity?

NYSDOH lists three conditions: be in contract with a Lead Entity, provide screening or services "in a manner consistent with the Social Care Network program," and "Complete training (provided by Lead Entities) and use the Social Care Network IT platform" (NYSDOH).

What member consent is required before screening and sharing data with the SCN?

Informed consent. The Operations Manual says "Entities conducting HRSN Screening are required to receive informed consent from members to share their information and Screening information with the Social Care Network." IHS drafts the consent workflow; the network confirms its form.

Which screening tool must be used for an SCN screening to be reimbursed?

NYSDOH says SCNs "Ensure consistent screening using the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) screening tool." Confirm any reimbursement conditions with your Lead Entity.

Do we have to use the SCN IT platform, or can we use our own system?

NYSDOH's provider page lists using the Social Care Network IT platform as a condition of reimbursement for HRSN service providers (NYSDOH provider page). A separate OHIP memo of July 11, 2025, addressed to Lead Entities and Health Homes, says eligibility assessment, navigation and referrals must take place "directly in the SCN IT platform or in an interoperable platform, working with a QE," and adds in a parenthetical that "the assessment and navigation must be conducted directly in the SCN IT platform" (OHIP memo). Whether an interoperable platform is open to an HRSN service provider that is not a Health Home is an open question under those two texts; this is IHS's reading as of October 2026, and your Lead Entity answers it. IHS can draft the question for your named contact to send.

How long does the SCN program run under the current waiver and Lead Entity contracts?

The Operations Manual says the 9 Lead Entities have "a contract term running from August 1, 2024 – March 31, 2027." What follows that term was not stated in the sources on this page.

Can our organization contract with more than one SCN?

Yes. NYSDOH notes "HRSN providers can join more than one SCN." Each contract has its own duties, so the operating manual has to reconcile them.

How do we write an operating manual that matches our SCN contract?

Start from the contract's duties and the current Operations Manual, then map each duty to a workflow and an owner across your organization, the Lead Entity and the platform vendor. IHS drafts that manual and responsibility map; the network interprets the program and your team runs it.