Behavioral Health means services that help people with mental illness or substance use disorders reach their health and recovery goals. These might include going to school, working and being part of the community.

Long term care means services that help you with your activities of daily living. For example, if you need help from another person to bathe and get dressed, you could get a home attendant to come to your home to help you. Home care is a type of long term care. If you go to an adult day care center for activities and meals, that is also a type of long term care. Most people in New York who need this kind of help can get it in their own homes. If you can’t live safely in your own home, you can also receive long term care in a skilled nursing facility (also called a nursing home). Medicare doesn’t pay for long term care; only for short stays in skilled nursing facilities or a few weeks of home health aide services. Medicaid does pay for long term care.

The New York state public health insurance program for people with limited income. Medicaid provides free, comprehensive health insurance for over 5 million New Yorkers. Medicaid is also the primary source of coverage for long term care services, such as home care and nursing home care.