EQUAL Program Funding Available for ACFs That Serve Low-Income Residents

(Oct. 3, 2025) The Department of Health (DOH) has released the application for 2025-2026 Enhancing the Quality of Adult Living (EQUAL) Program funding. Operators of Adult Homes and Enriched Housing Programs who provide services to individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), State Supplement Program (SSP) benefits, Safety Net (SN) assistance, and/or Medicaid (with respect to residents of Assisted Living Programs) are eligible for EQUAL Program payments. Applications must be electronically submitted by 5 p.m. on Oct. 24, 2025. After this date and time, the application will no longer be available, and hard copies will not be accepted.

The purpose of this program is to enhance the quality of care and life experience for those residents. Funding is utilized to improve or expand services and/or enhance the facility’s physical environment. As has been the case in recent years, the program is bifurcated into “Local Assistance” to support improvements to the quality of life for Adult Care Facility residents by funding projects including clothing allowances; resident training to support independent living skills; improvements in food quality; outdoor leisure projects; and cultural, recreational, and other leisure events, and “Capital Improvement Projects” to support the enhancement of the physical environment of the facility and promote a higher quality of life for residents.

Funds will not be awarded to subsidize daily operational expenses such as staffing, utilities, or routine maintenance and may not supplant the obligations of the facility operator to provide a safe, comfortable living environment for residents in a good state of repair and sanitation.

Members are encouraged to review the Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) for information regarding the requirements of the program and how to locate the application. The DAL, Conditions for Participation, and related attachments are all posted below for your convenience.

Operators must expend their full award within 12 months of the date of payment.

Questions regarding the program can be sent to DOH at ltcresidentialsupport.equal@health.ny.gov.

Contact: Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8828