On August 28, 2003, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) announced the release of funds totaling $187.5 million over three years under the Nursing Home Quality Improvement Demonstration Program, a competitive grant process established under the Health Care Recruitment and Retention Act of 2002. In response to the request for applications (RFA) from DOH in April 2002, GNYHA developed the GNYHA Quality Improvement Consortium (QIC) and a QIC Steering Committee of representative members to develop a consortium-based application on behalf of GNYHA members to improve the quality of nursing home care through recruitment and retention efforts targeted at direct care staff. GNYHA's Center for Continuing Care staff, the QIC Steering Committee, and The Health Economic and Outcomes Research Institute at GNYHA worked together to systematically develop the template for an extremely competitive application, and individual continuing care members worked diligently with GNYHA staff to provide the extensive information required for the grant proposal. In June 2001, GNYHA submitted a proposal on behalf of 85 nursing home members. As one of the 30 consortium proposals that DOH received, GNYHA's Consortium received more than $121 million to help facilities with needed funds for staff recruitment and retention efforts.

Successful applicants are expected to receive a lump sum payment prior to the end of 2003, reflecting most or all of the 2002–03 component of their three-year award, with the balance to be paid prospectively through the end of the grant period, which concludes on December 31, 2004. GNYHA will be providing a QIC Quality Improvement Support Network to help its members implement their quality-related programs and to plan its own training initiatives. GNYHA congratulates the QIC Steering Committee and all of the Consortium members who worked so effectively with GNYHA staff during the spring of 2002 to make this initiative so successful.