Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions we hear. If you have do not see the answer to your question, please click on Contact Us (above right) and email us your question. We will get back to you as soon as possible. If your question is urgent, please call the number listed.
What does SKIP do?
Who does SKIP help?
Where does SKIP work?
How do I access help?
What does it cost to get help from SKIP?
Is there a waiting list?
How many children does SKIP help?
When did SKIP launch?
Can SKIP help me if I have private insurance?
What happens to SKIP kids when they turn 18 years old?
How can I help SKIP?
What does SKIP stand for?
SKIP stands for Sick Kids [Need] Invovled People
What does SKIP do?
SKIP is short for Sick Kids [Need] Involved People, but it’s long on the kind of assistance that helps severely sick and/or developmentally disabled children in the state of New York get (and stay!) home from hospitals and institutions to live with their families. It is based on the belief that every child deserves an opportunity to have the best childhood they can get, especially children who are chronically ill, severely sick and/or developmentally disabled. Through service coordination, advocacy and hands-on problem solving, more than 100 SKIP case managers make sure they get that chance. Services include but are not limited to home care/nursing services, environmental modifications, Assistance Technology and family education and training. True to our mission of providing the best possible childhood for special needs children, SKIP also connects families with schools, extracurricular programs and summer camps that are specially designed to meet their needs.
Who does SKIP help?
SKIP helps seriously ill and medically fragile children as well as children with developmental disabilities across all socioeconomic groups. SKIP does not provide service coordination or advocacy for children who are mentally ill. The list of diagnoses for the children SKIP serves is eight pages long, and every diagnosis and family situation is different. Diagnoses include cerebral palsy, Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, mental retardation, traumatic brain injury, congenital heart defects, HIV/AIDS, sickle-cell anemia, cancer, autism, among many others. SKIP also provides service service coordination and advocacy for young people 18 years and older who have aged out of programs for children. In addition, SKIP has recently become a state authorized provider of service coordination for disabled individuals of all ages who want to live outside of institutions.
Where does SKIP work?
Although 70% of the families SKIP helps live in the five boroughs of New York City, we also have offices in Buffalo and Rochester. SKIP partners with a variety of provider networks located across New York State to ensure quality of care regardless of proximity to the three SKIP offices.
How do I access help?
You can contact SKIP of New York at any time to see if your child qualifies for services. SKIP never turns a family away, even if the child does not immediately qualify for services. We provide the necessary initial psychological evaluation and offer case management through the entire application process.
What does it cost to get help from SKIP?
SKIP of New York is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and does not charge families for the services it provides, including case management and service coordination. Additionally, SKIP helps families manage the extraordinary cost of care by finding reimbursable services. Through accessing these services at home, families are able to reduce the cost of caring for a special needs child in a hospital or institution by as much as 85%.
Is there a waiting list?
SKIP maintains a no-refusal policy and charges no fees to families for its services. Also, while SKIP does not yet have the funding for outreach, 40 new families still find us each month through word of mouth. As a result, some children must wait for help. On average, the list is consistently 250 to 300 children long and enrollment typically takes 12 to 18 months. SKIP carries the costs of enrollment and services during that time.
How many children does SKIP help?
Each year, SKIP helps approximately 3,000 severely sick and/or developmentally disabled children in the State of New York access the care they need to live at home with family as part of their communities to the fullest extent possible.
When did SKIP launch?
SKIP of New York was incorporated as at 501 (c)(3) in 1983 by co-founders Margaret and Yves Mikol. See "How SKIP Began" for more information.
Can SKIP help me if I have private insurance?
Yes! Many of the families we work with have private insurance and still apply for Medicaid waiver services, which offer many reimbursable services not covered by private insurance.
What happens to SKIP kids when they turn 18 years old?
SKIP of New York accommodates families based on need, not age. If certain services are limited by age, SKIP will work with that family to ensure that their need for care continues to be met.
How can I help SKIP?
Ways to help SKIP include making a donation; purchasing an item from the SKIP Home Collection of jewelry by Carelle; donating an auction item to SKIP's annual Friendraiser or through your own fundraising event, corporate sponsorship, matching gifts, cause marketing and more. For more information, contact Pamela Dey, pdey@skipofny.org or 212.268.5999, ext. 208