New York, NY — Centers Health Care is expanding its partnership with NYU Langone Health’s Rusk Rehabilitation to five additional nursing homes, bringing hospital-level therapy services to a total of 10 Centers-operated sites across New York City.
The move builds on a collaboration launched in 2022 and aims to put physical, occupational, and speech therapy directly inside skilled nursing facilities, rather than relying on transfers to hospitals or outpatient clinics. Company leaders say the model is already cutting hospital readmissions and improving recovery times for residents who are older, medically complex, and often dependent on Medicaid.
Rusk Rehabilitation — nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report — will provide on-site clinicians, weekly specialty rounds, and virtual consults. The expansion also includes tele-rehab capabilities, AI-assisted therapy tools, and tighter coordination between the two organizations’ electronic health records.
“This expansion with Rusk Rehabilitation is a game-changer for our residents,” said Kenneth Rozenberg, CEO of Centers Health Care. “By bringing NYU Langone’s therapists directly to our doors, we’re not just treating conditions — we’re restoring lives and dignity.”
What the expansion includes
Centers operates 23 skilled nursing facilities serving more than 3,000 residents. With the latest phase, five more facilities in Brooklyn and Queens will adopt Rusk’s protocols and staffing model, joining seven existing sites that piloted the approach over the last three years. New locations include Glendale Rehabilitation & Nursing Center and Rutland Nursing Home, with additional facilities in both boroughs coming online in the months ahead.
Implementation begins immediately. More than 150 Centers staff are set to train on Rusk protocols over the next six months, while the organizations integrate EHR systems and roll out new therapy technologies. The partnership is non-exclusive, and financial terms were not disclosed. Funding will come through a mix of Medicare, private insurance, and Centers’ operating budgets, according to the companies.
Early results and goals
Pilot data from the initial sites showed meaningful gains, the partners said. A joint analysis found a roughly 25% drop in 30-day hospital readmissions among participants, with 85% meeting functional independence targets within 60 days — compared with national averages closer to 70%. The organizations estimate the readmission reductions could save Medicare about $1.5 million a year across the Centers network.
“Partnering with Centers allows us to scale our expertise into community settings, addressing the rehab desert in many nursing homes,” said Steven R. Flanagan, MD, chair of Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Health. “This is about equitable access — ensuring every resident gets the therapy they deserve, regardless of location.”
The expansion focuses on conditions common in post-acute care, including stroke recovery, orthopedic injuries, and chronic mobility limitations. About 60% of Centers’ residents are Medicaid beneficiaries, and the companies say bringing specialty rehab on site can reduce travel burdens for families and keep fragile residents stable.
Regulatory backdrop and oversight
The announcement comes as New York nursing homes face heightened scrutiny on staffing and quality following the pandemic and state reforms. New York requires minimum daily care hours per resident, and federal rules tie reimbursement to outcomes such as readmission rates. Centers resolved a $45 million settlement with the state attorney general in 2024 related to past misconduct at several facilities; state health officials said they support partnerships that improve care and will monitor implementation closely.
Advocates say the model could help close persistent access gaps if results hold up at scale. “Partnerships like this are vital as SNFs grapple with labor shortages,” said Bobbie Day, executive director of Consumer Voice. “It could set a precedent, but families must ensure it’s not just PR — real outcomes matter.”
What’s next
Training is slated to start mid-November, with full integration — including technology rollouts and standardized protocols — targeted by March 2026. If readmission and recovery targets are met, the companies indicated the partnership could reach more Centers facilities over the next two years.
The announcement also coincides with Rusk Rehabilitation’s 77th anniversary. For NYU Langone, the effort fits into a broader strategy to extend specialty services beyond its hospital campuses. For operators, industry reports suggest that embedding academic rehab inside nursing homes could boost quality scores and pressure competitors to follow suit — a shift that may reshape post-acute care in New York and beyond.
2 Comments
This is great, but not a lot of clarity on the facilities. Some facilities mention a “Go Rehab Program” but none of the site ats Centers Health Care mention an NYU affiliation at all. I also couldn’t find any contact info for the CEO Kenneth Rozenberg. After trying to get someone on the phone at any facility for half an hour, when I did get through, I was patched into a voicemail, no name attached- just leave a message. First impressions are lasting ones.
Center’s Health has called me back (800 305 9151) only to ask if I am ready to enroll my family member, but could not answer any questions on whether they were one of the 10 locations with the RUSK initiative. That gentleman gave me a number ( 718 931 9700) and no one there knew anything about this collaboration either. I was transferred to admissions, and the phone just rang out.