Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

Childhood Cancer Lantern
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New York program

The county special-health-needs program (PHCP / CYSHCN)

Your county's special-health-needs program can help you find support and, in some counties, pay care costs.

What it is

Your county's special-health-needs program can help you find support and, in some counties, pay care costs.

CYSHCN programs connect families with care and services. Some counties also offer PHCP financial help for approved expenses after insurance. Your county's rules decide whether that extra help is available.

Eligibility rules
  • The program serves children under 21 in participating counties.
  • Financial assistance uses county income guidelines. Having insurance does not by itself block help with remaining approved costs.
  • Sullivan County lists cancer among qualifying conditions.
What you get
  • Information and referrals for children with special health needs.
  • A county coordinator where that service is offered.
  • In some counties, help with approved medical and support costs after insurance.
What the help includes
  • Sullivan offers diagnostic and evaluation services regardless of income.
  • Steuben publishes no cost to families. That does not establish another county's terms.
If you decide to apply
  1. Ask your county health department for its Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs program.
  2. Ask whether it offers financial help and whether your child's condition fits.
  3. Have a diagnosis letter, insurance cards, denials and household income ready.

County health department; Sullivan County: 845-292-5910, extension 2202 · Official page ↗

After you ask
  • The county can explain its referral services and any separate financial application.
  • An approval should identify the specific costs the county will pay.
Good to know

County financial help uses public and private insurance first. Costs generally need the county's approval before care.

Other details
  • Sullivan and Steuben have financial components. Available services differ by county.
  • The county must confirm whether it offers financial help, its current income rules, any family charge, covered travel and the time needed for a decision. Sullivan and Steuben’s published terms describe those counties only. A missing county income table is not a reason to assume your family is over the limit.
Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Does our county offer help with costs insurance leaves behind? What are the limits and paperwork, and could you help us speak with the county coordinator?”

Why I’m asking: We want to see whether the county can fill a gap that our insurance and hospital assistance leave.

More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.

You

Call the county, ask about the financial component and its income guideline, and send the application.

Your social worker

The social worker names the county contact and sends the diagnosis letter.

The care team

Records and letters when the application asks for them.

Who decides
The county health department decides eligibility and what it authorizes.
Ask the agency
“Does our county have the financial part of the special-health-needs program (PHCP or CYSHCN-SS), what is the income guideline, and does it accept leukemia?”

How to apply

First step: Call your county health department and ask for the Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs program. Ask whether it has a financial component, its income guideline and whether it accepts leukemia.

  1. Call the county health department and ask whether the county has the financial component (PHCP / CYSHCN-SS) and its income guideline.
  2. If a condition is accepted, complete the treatment application the county gives you.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: Call your county health department and ask for the Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs program (Sullivan: 845-292-5910 ext. 2202).

What to gather

  • Diagnosis letter
  • Insurance cards and denials
  • Household income

How long: Not found. The county answers referral questions by phone; treatment applications follow condition acceptance.

What a yes looks like

A county case number, a coordinator, and written prior authorization for the costs the county will pay.

What a no looks like, and the next move

"No financial part in this county" or "over the income guideline". Ask for the referral help anyway.

Watch out

  • County by county: Sullivan and Steuben are verified to have the financial part; the statewide roster was not found. Ask your county directly.
  • Insurance first: the county pays only what public and private insurance leave, and only for care it approved in advance.
  • Income guidelines in 2026 dollars, the cost-share schedule and travel help were not found; do not assume another county's terms.

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 9, 2026.

What it is worth

Information and referral in every participating county; in some counties, limited financial help for approved medical care and support services after insurance (Sullivan: cancer on the condition list; Steuben: no cost to families).

Covers: Information and referral · Care coordination (county-dependent) · Limited financial assistance for approved medical care and support services after all insurance (county-dependent) · Diagnostic and evaluation services regardless of income (Sullivan)

What it costs the family: Steuben publishes no cost to families; the statewide cost-share schedule was not found.

The eligibility facts, as published

Age
under 21
Residency
a county that operates a CYSHCN program
Income
county income guidelines for the financial component; 2026 dollar cutoffs NOT FOUND
Insurance
all private and public insurance must be used first; insurance is not a bar to gap assistance
Condition list
Sullivan's list names cancer (leukemia not separately named); statewide list not found
County roster
the list of counties with a financial program was NOT FOUND (directory inaccessible); Sullivan and Steuben verified

Decisions this site cannot make: County eligibility and prior authorization

Expect friction on: County by county · Prior authorization

The trap: This is county by county. Statewide income limits, the cost-share schedule, travel help and the roster of counties with a financial program were not found; one county's "no cost to families" is not another's rule.

Where I read this

← Back to your options