New York State Department of Health Accepting Letters of Interest for New Safety Net Transformation Program Funding
Safety Net Transformation Program Aims to Leverage New York's World-Leading Clinical and Operational Expertise to Support Safety Net Hospitals and Improve Health Care Access
Program Offers Financial Resources and Regulatory Flexibilities to Encourage Partnerships That Improve Resilience of Safety Net Institutions
ALBANY, N.Y. (August 6, 2024) – The New York State Department of Health is accepting Letters of Interest for the new Safety Net Transformation Program, which will leverage New York's world-leading clinical and operational expertise to support and ensure the viability of safety net facilities. Safety net hospitals and healthcare partners will jointly apply for financial resources and regulatory flexibilities necessary to make critical improvements to ensure access to quality health care in the communities they serve.
"Safety net hospitals are important community institutions serving New York's most vulnerable populations," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "These awards are an investment in New York's safety net hospitals, allowing them tomaintain and expand their capacity for vital services and build a stronger health care delivery system in New York State."
The Safety Net Transformation Program enables strategic and transformative partnerships between safety net hospitals and other healthcare providers. Partnerships will depend upon the unique needs of the safety net hospital, and partners may include other health systems, hospitals, nursing homes, health insurance plans, physician groups, community-based organizations, or others.
Through this program, New York may provide both financial resources – capital and operating – and regulatory flexibilities to facilitate these partnerships and improve the resilience of safety-net institutions. The Safety Net Transformation Program will help to improve access, equity, quality and outcomes while increasing financial sustainability of New York's safety net hospitals.
The program was enacted through the State Fiscal Year 2025 Budget and codified in Public Health Law (PHL) Section 2825-i. The law took effect on April 1, 2024.
Eligibility requirements include the following:
- Applicants must be a safety net hospital as defined in PHL section 2825-i(2).
- Applications for this program must be jointly submitted by a safety net hospital and at least one partner organization.
- Eligible partner organizations can include health systems, hospitals, health plans, residential health care facilities, physician groups, community-based organizations or other identified health care entities that can serve as partners in the transformation of the safety net hospital.
- Safety net hospital applicants should also have a history of regulatory compliance and be in good standing in terms of participation in the Hospital Capacity Direct Access program.
Facilities that are currently interested in applying together must submit a Letter of Interest, which is the first step of the application process. The Letter of Interest must identify the safety net hospital and its partner organization(s), describe the collaborative model proposed between the safety net hospital and its partner organization(s) and outline the anticipated transformation plan.
More detail about the program, including requirements for the Letter of Interest, are on the Department's website at Safety Net Transformation Program.
Letters of Interest or questions about the Safety Net Transformation Program should be directed to SafetyNetTransformation@health.ny.gov.
