Choosing an NHTD or TBI Waiver Provider in Brooklyn and Queens

When a family member in Brooklyn or Queens has a brain injury or a disability that makes living at home harder, the waiver programs can make the difference between staying home and moving to a nursing facility. The provider you choose shapes how well that works day to day. This guide covers what the TBI waiver and NHTD waiver pay for, what to ask a provider, and how to get started.

What waiver services actually do

The waivers are New York State Medicaid programs for people who need a nursing-home level of care but want to live in the community. They are built around a written service plan. The core services are:

• Service Coordination (SC): one coordinator who writes the plan with you, finds the providers, and keeps everyone on the same page.
• Independent Living Skills Training (ILST): one-on-one practice rebuilding everyday skills such as cooking, budgeting, using transit or managing medications.
• Community Integration Counseling (CIC): counseling for the person, and often the family, while adjusting to a big life change.
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS): a structured plan for behaviors that put safety or housing at risk, common after some brain injuries.

Aide hours are a separate piece. Medicaid or an MLTC plan arranges them through an agency in its network, and a good service coordinator helps you line them up. We do not send aides in New York City.

Questions to ask any waiver provider

• Which waiver services are you approved for, and in which region? Ask to see the approval, not just a brochure.
• Who will be our service coordinator, and how do we reach them after hours?
• How quickly do you return calls when something changes, like a hospital stay?
• How do you write goals into the service plan, and how often do you review them with us?
• If we need aide hours, which agencies or MLTC plans do you work with to arrange them?

A provider that answers clearly, in writing where it matters, is usually one that will be organized when you need them most.

What the first weeks usually look like

After eligibility is confirmed through the Regional Resource Development Center (RRDC), the service coordinator meets the person at home, learns their routines and goals, and drafts the service plan. Skills training or counseling starts once the plan is approved. Families should expect some paperwork early on; keeping copies of Medicaid letters, hospital discharge papers and a current medication list in one folder saves time.

A note on NHTD: New York State is not accepting most new NHTD referrals right now, and limited openings are released through the Regional Resource Development Center (RRDC). If your family member is already in the NHTD waiver, you can choose or switch providers. If they are new and have a brain injury, the TBI waiver is usually the place to start.

Where Priority Cares fits: in New York City (all five boroughs) Priority Cares Home Services is approved by the NYS Department of Health for the NHTD and TBI waivers: Service Coordination, Independent Living Skills Training (ILST), Community Integration Counseling (CIC) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). On Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk) we are approved for NHTD Community Integration Counseling only. Other waiver-funded services, such as aide hours or home modifications, come from other approved providers that your service coordinator lines up.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please talk with your doctor or care team about your own situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Priority Cares send home health aides in Brooklyn or Queens?

We do not send aides in New York City; there Priority Cares provides NHTD and TBI waiver services: service coordination, independent living skills training, community integration counseling and behavioral supports. If your family member also needs aide hours, we will connect you with a licensed home care agency or your MLTC plan’s network.

Who can get the TBI waiver?

Generally, New Yorkers with a traumatic brain injury who are Medicaid-eligible and who need a nursing-home level of care but want to live at home. The Regional Resource Development Center (RRDC) confirms eligibility.

Can we switch waiver providers if the current one is not working out?

Yes. Waiver participants can choose their providers. Tell your service coordinator or the RRDC that you want to change, and ask how the hand-off will work so services do not lapse.

If you are in Brooklyn or Queens and want to talk through whether the TBI or NHTD waiver fits your family, call (718) 400-6166 or reach us at prioritycareshs.com/contact.