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Memory Care: SNALR Certification in New York

New York requires a Special Needs Assisted Living Residence (SNALR) certification for dementia-specific care -- an add-on to an ALR license, not a separate disclosure requirement.

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Memory care in New York: SNALR, not a separate license

New York does not issue a wholly separate “memory care license.” Dementia-specific care is regulated through the Special Needs Assisted Living Residence (SNALR) certification — an add-on certification layered onto an existing Assisted Living Residence (ALR) license, under 10 NYCRR Part 1001. A community can legally use the words “memory care” in its marketing without holding SNALR certification, so the certification itself is what to verify, not the marketing language.

What to actually ask for on a Long Island tour

Ask to see the SNALR certification specifically, by name — not a brochure that uses the words “memory care” or “memory neighborhood.” You can also independently verify SNALR status before the tour, free, by searching the community on NYS Health Profiles’ Adult Care Facilities tool (profiles.health.ny.gov/acf) and filtering by facility type.

Questions families ask

How much money can my spouse keep if I go on Medicaid for nursing home care in New York in 2026?

For 2026, the community spouse may generally keep the greater of the state minimum Community Spouse Resource Allowance ($74,820) or half of the couple's countable resources, up to the federal maximum of $162,660. The community spouse is also entitled to a Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance of $4,066.50 per month from the institutionalized spouse's income. These figures come from NYSDOH's GIS 26 MA/03 guidance, effective January 1, 2026.

How much spending money is a Medicaid nursing home resident allowed to keep each month in New York?

New York's Nursing Home Resident Personal Needs Allowance is $50 per month - the amount a Medicaid-funded nursing home resident is permitted to keep from their own income for personal expenses, with the rest going toward the cost of their care. According to the NY State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA), this figure has been unchanged since the 1980s, and NYSOFA notes that 33 other states currently pay a higher PNA, ranging from $52 to $200.

What is the MLTC special income standard for Long Island and why does it matter for Medicaid home care?

The special income standard for housing expenses, available to certain individuals enrolled in a Managed Long Term Care plan, varies by NYSDOH region - for the Long Island region specifically, it is $1,701.00. This regional figure is higher than most upstate regions (for comparison, the Central New York region's is $426 and the Western region's is $341), reflecting Long Island's higher housing costs, and remains in effect until updated federal poverty levels are published.

How much does assisted living cost in New York State?

According to CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, the median cost of an assisted living community (private one-bedroom) in New York State is $225 per day, or about $7,110 per month and $85,320 per year. This is a statewide median - CareScout's published state-level data tables do not break out a separate Long Island or metro New York figure.

What does a nursing home cost per day in New York?

CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey puts the New York State median at $511 per day ($15,528/month, $186,333/year) for a semi-private room and $550 per day ($16,729/month, $200,750/year) for a private room, both based on 365 days of care. These are statewide figures; CareScout does not publish a separate Long Island-specific nursing home rate.

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