§ 2825-h. Health care facility transformation program: statewide V. 1. A statewide health care facility transformation program is hereby established within the department for the purpose of transforming, redesigning, and strengthening quality health care services in alignment with statewide and regional health care needs, and in the ongoing pandemic response. The program shall also provide funding, subject to lawful appropriation, in support of capital projects, debt retirement, working capital or other non-capital projects that facilitate furthering such transformational goals.

2. The commissioner shall enter into an agreement with the president of the dormitory authority of the state of New York pursuant to § 1680-r of the public authorities law, which shall apply to this agreement, subject to the approval of the director of the division of the budget, for the purposes of the distribution and administration of available funds pursuant to such agreement, and made available pursuant to this section and appropriation. Such funds may be awarded and distributed by the department for grants to health care providers including but not limited to, hospitals, residential health care facilities, adult care facilities licensed under title two of Article 7 of the social services law, diagnostic and treatment centers licensed or granted an operating certificate under this chapter, clinics, including but not limited to those licensed or granted an operating certificate under this chapter or the mental hygiene law, children's residential treatment facilities licensed under Article thirty-one of the mental hygiene law, assisted living programs approved by the department pursuant to § 461-l of the social services law, behavioral health facilities licensed or granted an operating certificate pursuant to articles thirty-one and thirty-two of the mental hygiene law, home care providers certified or licensed under article thirty-six of this chapter, primary care providers, hospices licensed or granted an operating certificate pursuant to article forty of this chapter, community-based programs funded under the office of mental health, the office of addiction services and supports, the office for people with developmental disabilities, or through local governmental units as defined under Article forty-one of the mental hygiene law, independent practice associations or organizations, residential facilities or day program facilities licensed or granted an operating certificate under Article sixteen of the mental hygiene law, and midwifery birth centers established pursuant to this chapter. A copy of such agreement, and any amendments thereto, shall be provided by the department to the chair of the senate finance committee, the chair of the assembly ways and means committee, and the director of the division of the budget no later than thirty days after such agreement is finalized. Projects awarded, in whole or part, under sections twenty-eight hundred twenty-five-a and twenty-eight hundred twenty-five-b of this article shall not be eligible for grants or awards made available under this section.

3. Notwithstanding § 163 of the state finance law, or any inconsistent provision of law to the contrary, up to four hundred ninety million dollars of the funds appropriated for this program shall be awarded, without a competitive bid or request for proposal process, for grants to health care providers, as defined in subdivision two of this section. Awards made pursuant to this subdivision shall provide funding for capital projects, debt retirement, working capital or other non-capital projects to the extent lawful appropriation and funding is available, to build innovative, patient-centered models of care, increase access to care, to improve the quality of care and to ensure financial sustainability of health care providers, and develop capacity in underserved areas of the state. For the purposes of this section, the development of capacity in underserved areas shall include new construction and renovation projects in areas determined to be underserved by the department.

4. Notwithstanding § 163 of the state finance law, or any inconsistent provision of law to the contrary, up to five hundred million dollars of the funds appropriated for this program shall be awarded, without a competitive bid or request for proposal process, for technological and telehealth transformation projects, which shall include projects related to improving cyber security, and which may also include unfunded project applications submitted in response to a request for applications issued by the department pursuant to subdivision six of section twenty-eight hundred twenty-five-g of this article.

5. Selection of awards made by the department pursuant to subdivisions three and four of this section shall be contingent on an evaluation process acceptable to the commissioner and approved by the director of the division of the budget. Disbursement of awards shall be conditioned on the awardee achieving certain process and performance metrics and milestones as determined by the commissioner. Such metrics and milestones shall be structured to ensure that the goals of the project are achieved, and such metrics and milestones shall be included in grant disbursement agreements or other contractual documents as required by the commissioner.

6. The department shall provide a report on a quarterly basis to the chairs of the senate finance, assembly ways and means, and senate and assembly health committees, until such time as the department determines that the projects that receive funding pursuant to this section are substantially complete. Such reports shall be submitted no later than sixty days after the close of the quarter, and shall include, for each award, the name of the health care provider as defined in subdivision two of this section, a description of the project or purpose, the amount of the award, disbursement date, and status of achievement of process and performance metrics and milestones pursuant to subdivision five of this section.