Empowered Voices
Achieva’s Empowered Voices Leadership Group is comprised of self-advocates from around the Pittsburgh area.
For more than 70 years, Achieva's disability advocates have been working with families and self-advocates to ensure that:Families have access to information, support, and advocacy
People with disabilities have access to quality education and community services
Policymakers and legislators are informed about disability issues
Ideas of self-determination, inclusion, and person-centered planning are the foundation of individual's supports
.jpg)
Before bedtime last school year, Melissa Skiffen sat with her son and showed him a picture of the new teacher assistant in his classroom to make him more comfortable with the person who would help him throughout the next day.
Nancy Murray, President of The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh and a Senior Vice President of Achieva, has been selected by the transition team for Governor-Elect Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Austin Davis to serve as a member of the Health and Human Services.
I greatly thank you for your support and help this year!
I still think about how you made sure that we read Timmy’s strengths to him from his IEP and the look on his face, beaming with pride! Have a great summer!
The advocates were able to give me strategies to work with the school district. They were even able to help me figure out what to ask for in the IEP meeting. And they were able to get the school district to be more cooperative than they had been with just me.
My Achieva advocate was able to guide me step by step as to everything I needed to do to get help for my daughter. Before stopping to see her I had no idea to where to even begin. I am soo grateful for her knowledge and graceful personality!
