New York State Medicaid waiver helping eligible adults transition from nursing homes to independent, community-based care through the NHTD Program, with personalized support from Cottage Home Care.
The Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) Waiver Program is a New York State Medicaid initiative designed to help eligible seniors and individuals with physical disabilities live independently instead of in a nursing home. The program provides personalized home care services that promote safety, independence, and well-being.
Home-Based Transition
Supports individuals in transitioning from nursing homes to home-based care.
Medicaid-Covered
Provides Medicaid-covered services for eligible participants.
Your Choice, Your Team
Allows participants to choose their services, providers, and caregivers.
Which services you receive depends on your individualized service plan. Medical services covered under standard Medicaid are handled separately from the waiver.
Home and Community Support Services
Personal care assistance in your own home.
Community Transitional Services
Help moving from a nursing home back to your own place.
Service Coordination
A dedicated coordinator manages and adjusts your care plan.
Environmental Modifications
Home modifications that improve safety and accessibility.
Assistive Technology
Equipment and devices that support independent living.
Skill-Building Assistance
Training to strengthen independent living skills.
Respite Care
Short-term relief and backup coverage for family caregivers.
Active HHA Aides
Extensive Experience
Expert Medical Team
The Nursing Home Transition and Diversion waiver supports New Yorkers who qualify for Medicaid and need nursing-home level care but want to live safely at home.
You may qualify for the NHTD Waiver Program if you meet the following requirements:
If you don't qualify for NHTD, Private Pay home care may still be an option.
Talk to Our NHTD Team Today
Whether you are planning a transition from a nursing home or exploring waiver services at home, we can help you understand options and connect with the right resources.
Resources & Documentation
Hear directly from participants and caregivers about what it’s like to receive waiver services at home through the NHTD Program — from staying close to family to keeping the independence that matters most.
Receive waiver services at home while staying connected with the people who matter most.
Live in a familiar environment with tailored supports — including home modifications and medical assistance when you qualify.
Cottage Home Care can guide you through each step.
Reach out to get started
Nursing-home residents: ask your discharge planner to connect you with an RRDC. Community residents: contact your local Regional Resource Development Center (RRDC).
Meet with an RRDC coordinator
Work with a coordinator to review your needs and begin the waiver process.
Complete your Initial Service Plan (ISP)
Finalize your ISP with Cottage Home Care as your provider so services can start.
These are real families in your neighborhood who made the same call you're thinking about making.
Cinthya Almendarez
Profession : Patient
Service: HHA
Riverside Select Services, LLC DBA Cottage Homecare Services is a spectacular agency with a great work environment. I can call any hour and there is always someone on the phone who will answer me and provide the help I need.
Rated 5 out of 5
5
Sherry Fiedtkou
Profession : Patient
Service: HHA
I'm having the best experience working with Riverside Select Services, LLC DBA Cottage Homecare Services The staff and management is exceptional because I've been working in the Home care for 17 years and this is one of the best agencies.
Rated 4.8 out of 5
4.8
Natividad Mateo
Profession : Patient
Service: NHTD
Excellent customer service and employee service, always with a smile. Staff is caring and loving and receptive to your needs. Great home care agency to sign up with for work, or to receive Homecare services at home.
Rated 5 out of 5
5
Cinthya Almendarez
Profession : Patient
Service: HHA
Riverside Select Services, LLC DBA Cottage Homecare Services is a spectacular agency with a great work environment. I can call any hour and there is always someone on the phone who will answer me and provide the help I need.
Rated 5 out of 5
5
Sherry Fiedtkou
Profession : Patient
Service: HHA
I'm having the best experience working with Riverside Select Services, LLC DBA Cottage Homecare Services The staff and management is exceptional because I've been working in the Home care for 17 years and this is one of the best agencies.
Rated 4.8 out of 5
4.8
Natividad Mateo
Profession : Patient
Service: NHTD
Excellent customer service and employee service, always with a smile. Staff is caring and loving and receptive to your needs. Great home care agency to sign up with for work, or to receive Homecare services at home.
Rated 5 out of 5
5
Service Area
Cottage Home Care is a home care agency serving NHTD participants across New York, with more than 2,500 nurses, caregivers, and medical support staff in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County, and Westchester County. Offices in Freeport, Queens, and Jamaica.
The NHTD program, short for Nursing Home Transition and Diversion, is a New York Medicaid waiver that helps seniors and people with disabilities transition from nursing homes to community-based care. It promotes independent living while offering essential support services at home.
The NHTD waiver program allows Medicaid-eligible individuals to receive care in their own homes or communities instead of in a nursing facility. It includes services like personal care, case management, and assistive technology.
To qualify, you must be Medicaid-eligible, need a nursing home level of care, and be 65 or older—or between 18 and 64 with a verified physical disability. You must also be able to live safely in the community with waiver services.
Services include personal care assistance, service coordination, medical equipment, environmental modifications, and independent living skills training. These services aim to enhance quality of life and independence.
NHTD stands for Nursing Home Transition and Diversion. It reflects the program's goal to help individuals avoid or leave nursing home settings and live more independently with Medicaid-funded support.
Under Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act, states like New York can provide home and community-based services through Medicaid. The NHTD waiver was approved under this federal provision in 2007.
Yes. Individuals have the right to select their service providers and customize their care plans. This flexibility helps ensure that support is aligned with their personal needs and goals.
While housing is not classified as a waiver service, some participants may be eligible for a state-funded housing subsidy under the NHTD waiver to help them remain in the community.
If you're in a nursing home, ask your discharge planner for a referral to the RRDC or Open Doors. Community residents can contact their local RRDC to start the application process and complete an Initial Service Plan (ISP).
Success is measured through improved quality of life, independence, participant satisfaction, and reduced reliance on institutional care.
NHTD stands for Nursing Home Transition and Diversion. It's the short name most people search for, so you'll see it written both ways: NHTD, and the full "Nursing Home Transition and Diversion Waiver Program."
NHTD helps two groups: people currently living in a nursing home who want to move back to their own home or community, and people at risk of needing nursing home care who want to stay independent instead. Both groups get Medicaid-funded, community-based support through the waiver.
No. NHTD and the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Waiver are separate but related New York Medicaid programs. If a nursing-home-level need is related to a traumatic brain injury specifically, the TBI waiver may apply instead. We can help you figure out which one fits.
