We don’t give you a list and walk away.
We give you direction and walk with you.

Skylands provide peace of mind for your family and for over one thousand families across the state of New Jersey. Our caring team goes beyond paperwork-based support coordination. We build a strong and compassionate relationship with your family. We answer your mid-day texts. We’re there for you and your loved ones. And we build greater independence for your whole family.

Our goal is to forge a strong and meaningful connection with your family.

We know how important effective support coordination is to your family. At Skylands, we make long-term commitments to our families and ensure we provide them with only the best support coordination services. Our experienced team of support coordinators is dedicated to taking the time to get to know your family… your needs… your goals.

How Skylands Works with Families

Support – We develop a personalized and effective care strategy. 
An Individual Support Plan (ISP) outlines personal preferences, medical history and other essential information. Skylands takes a comprehensive and compassionate approach to develop your loved one’s personalized plan. With the participation of your loved one, your family and members of your circle of support, we turn your ISP into a living document that helps you achieve your goals.

Resources –  We connect you to the services that make a difference.
Your family deserves specific and unique resources to ensure your loved one thrives and achieves their goals.  We identify these resources to fulfill the needs of your loved one and family in the community that helps them realize their fullest potential.

Coordination – We customize your support care.
There are many services and programs that can be incorporated into your loved one’s life, depending on their preferences, needs and dreams. We cultivate select services and support for your loved one so they have resources that work for their individual needs.

Personalization and updates – We deliver real peace of mind.
We analyze every support relationship to ensure that your loved one’s plan is being followed, that the outcomes they have chosen are being achieved, and that their health and safety are always prioritized. We also maintain and update an individual’s information to meet eligibility and funding requirements.

To qualify for New Jersey Department of Developmental Disabilities services, you must:

  • Be a New Jersey Resident
  • Be 21 years old or older for service eligibility
  • Live in your own home or with your family
  • Be enrolled in Medicaid and DDD
  • Meet functional criteria determined by DDD
  • Have completed the NJCAT

Families FAQs

Seek referrals from families you trust and verify the reputation of your agency-of-choice. The best agencies consistently build successful, long-lasting relationships with the families they serve. That means you and your family can lean on the expertise of the agency in addition to your support coordinator, ensuring your peace of mind and continuity of care for your loved one.

You should look for a support coordination agency that:

  • Creates a meaningful, person-centered relationship with your loved one and family
  • Provides connections to the resources and support services your loved one needs
  • Customizes and personalizes your loved one’s support care
  • Has experience working with families like yours 
  • Is self-approving, so the agency can approve all changes to support plans in-house, rather than sending to the state and waiting for a response 
  • Has a strong working relationship with the NJ Department of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) and its service providers
  • Do you have experience working with families like mine?
  • How many families does your agency support? 
  • Do you have any testimonials from other families?
  • How long have you been in business? 
  • What areas of the state do you provide coverage?

An experienced, personable, reliable support coordinator should: 

  • Foster person-centered relationships 
  • Provide at least one home visit per year, one face-to-face visit per quarter, and monthly calls
  • Be responsive to your questions and concerns
  • Connect you to support services in your area 
  • Deliver guidance in case of emergencies (Though Skylands is not an emergency service provider. If you or your family experience an emergency, please call 911 immediately.) 

Your support coordinator should take the time to understand your loved one’s goals, interests, preferences and medical history, so they can create a comprehensive and accurate Individual Support Plan (ISP). This is truly a collaborative effort between your family and the support coordination agency. Click here to see the NJ DDD Participant Statement of Rights and Responsibilities and learn more about what your family is responsible for.

An ISP is a mandatory, comprehensive and customized document that coordinates and provides prior authorization for all DDD services and associated service providers. This document ensures that every individual has access to the special supports they need in order to be healthy, safe, and a valued member within their community. The ISP includes information about: 

  • Medical history and current medical concerns
  • Dietary needs
  • Communication preferences
  • Contact information

The PCPT is a mandatory discovery tool used to guide the person-centered planning process and to assist in the development of an individual’s service plan. It includes information about:

  • Personal preferences 
  • Dreams and aspirations

Both of these documents represent your loved one’s entire support plan.

During the initial meeting and planning process, a support coordination agency will gather information about your loved one’s needs, strengths, goals, and preferences. They will work closely with your family to develop a Person-Centered Plan (PCP) that outlines the services and supports necessary to achieve those goals. Expect open communication, collaboration and a focus on tailoring the plan to meet your loved one’s unique needs.

The support coordination agency that you choose should proactively update and customize your loved one’s support plan to reflect their wishes. 

The best support coordinators view the ISP as a living document that adapts to your loved one’s needs and wishes as they change. Every resource relationship should be evaluated on an ongoing basis to ensure that your loved one’s plan is being consistently followed, their goals are being achieved, and their health and happiness remains a priority. Your support coordination agency should also maintain your loved one’s information so it’s accurate for program eligibility and funding requirements.

Your support coordinator can connect you to plenty of services and programs that can be incorporated into your loved one’s life, according to their interests, preferences and needs. New Jersey resources include but are not limited to:

  • Community-Based Instruction
  • Person-Centered Approaches
  • Supportive Housing Connection
  • Structured Learning Experience (SLE)
  • Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) in the NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development

Yes, support coordination agencies can help identify and connect families to respite care services or other supports that can provide temporary relief from caregiving responsibilities. The best support coordination agencies understand that sometimes, you need time to recharge in order to take care of your family. They can guide you through the process of accessing respite care programs, funding sources and other resources designed to support caregivers and promote their well-being.

Support coordination agencies aim to empower families by providing education and resources. They can offer training sessions, workshops and informational materials to help you better understand the system, build advocacy skills, and become more self-sufficient in navigating services and supports for your loved one. By empowering you with knowledge and tools, they enable you to advocate effectively on behalf of your loved one. 

Resource Center

A collection of Skylands FAQs, forms and helpful links.

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