FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gentiva^® Health Services Schedules Third Quarter Earnings Call

Melville, N.Y., October 20, 2006 -- Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: GTIV), the nation's largest provider of comprehensive home health and related services, today announced that it has scheduled a conference call and web cast on Friday, November 3, 2006, at 10:00 a.m. ET to discuss operating results for the third quarter ended October 1, 2006.  

The conference call is open to investment analysts and managers, Company shareholders and others interested in Gentiva Health Services. Instructions for participation in the conference call follow:

• Event: Gentiva Health Services' third quarter 2006 conference call
• Date and Time: Friday, November 3, 2006, 10:00 a.m. ET
• Instructions: Participants in the United States, Canada and international locations may call (973) 935-8599 and reference call #7959069. 
• Web Cast URL: http://www.gentiva.com/investors/FinancialEvents.asp
• Replay:  A replay of the call will be available on November 3, beginning at approximately 12:30 p.m. ET, and will remain available continuously through November 10. To listen to a replay of the call from United States, Canada or international locations, dial (973) 341-3080 and enter the following PIN at the prompt: 7959069. Visit http://www.gentiva.com/investors/FinancialEvents.asp to access the web cast archive.
• Transcript:  A transcript of the call, including questions and answers, is expected to be available on Gentiva’s web site within 36 hours after its conclusion.

About Gentiva Health Services, Inc.
Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: GTIV) is the nation's largest provider of comprehensive home health and related services. Gentiva serves patients through more than 500 direct service delivery units within over 400 locations in 35 states, and through CareCentrix^®, which manages home healthcare services for major managed care organizations throughout the United States and delivers them in all 50 states through a network of more than 3,000 third-party provider locations, as well as Gentiva locations.   The Company is a single source for skilled nursing; physical, occupational, speech and neurorehabilitation services; hospice services;  social work; nutrition; disease management education; help with daily living activities; durable medical and respiratory equipment; infusion therapy services; and other therapies and services. Gentiva's revenues are generated from federal and state government programs, commercial insurance and individual consumers. For more information, visit Gentiva's web site, www.gentiva.com, and its investor relations section at http://www.gentiva.com/investors.  GTIV-E

Forward-Looking Statement
Certain statements contained in this news release, including, without limitation, statements containing the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “expects,” “assumes,” “trends” and similar expressions, constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based upon the Company’s current plans, expectations and projections about future events. However, such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the Company’s ability to successfully integrate the operations of The Healthfield Group, Inc., acquired on February 28, 2006, and to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies within expected time frames or at all;  the possibility that revenues may be lower than expected following the transaction; the possibility that difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers, or suppliers may be greater than expected following the transaction; the Company’s ability to service debt incurred as a result of the transaction; general economic and business conditions; demographic changes; changes in, or failure to comply with, existing governmental regulations; legislative proposals for healthcare reform; changes in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement levels; effects of competition in the markets in which the Company operates; liability and other claims asserted against the Company; ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; availability and terms of capital; loss of significant contracts or reduction in revenues associated with major payer sources; ability of customers to pay for services; business disruption due to natural disasters or terrorist acts; a material shift in utilization within capitated agreements;  and changes in estimates and judgments associated with critical accounting policies and estimates.  For a detailed discussion of certain of these and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in this news release, please refer to the Company’s various filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the “Risk Factors” section contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 1, 2006.