Compass Newsletter | Achieva
You can expand our reach today and ensure its lasting impact for tomorrow
Support the Beyond Boundaries $15 million fundraising campaign.

News

Compass Newsletter

Stars Aligned at the Pittsburgh Promenade

Stars Aligned at the Pittsburgh Promenade

The Pittsburgh Promenade was a memorable evening filled with elegance and excitement, as guests gathered to support a worthy cause. Hosted by emcee Andrew Stockey from WTAE, the night featured a delicious dinner and lively conversations.

Read more

For teens with disabilities, transition to adulthood varies widely by school

For teens with disabilities, transition to adulthood varies widely by school

Pennsylvania schools must help 14-year-old students with IEPs to plan their future. In a state with 500 school districts, that process is far from uniform. A state panel aims to compel improvements.

Read more

As Congress considers Medicaid cuts, Pennsylvania's health care advocates settle in for a fight

As Congress considers Medicaid cuts, Pennsylvania's health care advocates settle in for a fight

And others who require assisted living support rely on the program too, said Mary Hartley, president of the Arc of Greater Pittsburgh. Her organization, which is part of the Achieva Family of Organizations, supports more than 2,000 families with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Read more

Hire your next great employee with Achieva!

Hire your next great employee with Achieva!

Discover how Zach Dixon found success in competitive-integrated employment and earned the title of "Employee of the Month" at McDonald's.

Read more

Empowering Students Through Leadership: Insights from the Student-Led IEP Webinar

Empowering Students Through Leadership: Insights from the Student-Led IEP Webinar

Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings often focus on planning for the needs and goals of students with disabilities. However, they can unintentionally exclude the very individual they're meant to support.

Read more

Will Hall and Steve Suroviec: The federal budget leaves people with disabilities without the technology they need

Will Hall and Steve Suroviec: The federal budget leaves people with disabilities without the technology they need

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 28% of people living in Pennsylvania have a disability. Many of them will be among the 28% of Pennsylvanians the United Way identifies as Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed (ALICE), and the 12% living below the Federal Poverty Line.

Read more

Achieva's Bridgeville Facility Received "Gift of the Season" from FirstEnergy

Achieva's Bridgeville Facility Received "Gift of the Season" from FirstEnergy

The FirstEnergy Foundation awarded Achieva Support $10,000, benefiting their pallets and packaging business operations in Bridgeville. The facility offers services and manufacturing assistance while providing employment opportunities to people with and without disabilities.

Read more

Awards of Excellence Recognized Extraordinary Honorees

Awards of Excellence Recognized Extraordinary Honorees

Achieva's 2024 Awards of Excellence occurred on Monday, December 9 at the Sheraton Station Square, Pittsburgh. Fifteen awardees were honored during the event.

Read more

US Department of Labor announces proposed rule to phase out certificates allowing payment of less than minimum wage to workers with disabilities

US Department of Labor announces proposed rule to phase out certificates allowing payment of less than minimum wage to workers with disabilities

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a proposed rule that would phase out the issuance of certificates allowing employers to pay some workers with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage, currently $7.25 per hour, for the work they perform.

Read more

New Award in Memory of Devoted Parent and Advocate

New Award in Memory of Devoted Parent and Advocate

We're excited to debut a new award at this year's Awards of Excellence. Created in memory of a dedicated parent who championed the rights and aspirations of their loved one, this award celebrates those who promote real-life experiences and personal growth.

Read more

Achieva Partners with the Shapiro Administration to Advance Employment for People with Disabilities, Meet Workforce Needs

Achieva Partners with the Shapiro Administration to Advance Employment for People with Disabilities, Meet Workforce Needs

Achieva proudly announces its role in the new Integrated Vocational Engagement & Support Team (InVEST) program, launched in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I).

Read more

Celebrating Michael's Journey

Celebrating Michael's Journey

Michael McMurray has found a fulfilling role working at a fast-food chain three days a week. As the dedicated dishwasher, Michael describes his job simply: "I clean the dirty dishes, put the clean dishes away, and help my friends."

Read more

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

"Employment First ...Competitive Integrated Employment is the first consideration and preferred outcome of publicly funded education, training, employment and related services, and long-term services and support for individuals with a disability." - Act 36 of 2018

Read more

Celebrating Achieva's First Credentialed DSP 1 - Pam Thomas!

Celebrating Achieva's First Credentialed DSP 1 - Pam Thomas!

We are excited to share a momentous achievement with our community: Pam Thomas is officially Achieva's first certified DSP 1 through the Achieva Credentialing Academy and the NADSP E-Badge Academy!

Read more

Plans of Care for Students with Special Health Care Needs

Plans of Care for Students with Special Health Care Needs

Federal law and professional nursing standards require the development of individualized plans of care for students with special health care needs.

Read more

Achieva C&J Employee Wins Unique Source Achievement Award

Achieva C&J Employee Wins Unique Source Achievement Award

Congratulations to Gerald McGinnis, an employee of Achieva's Cleaning & Janitorial (C&J) staff for winning the 2024 Achievement Award from UniqueSource!

Read more

Achieva Moderates Capitol Hill Panel Discussion on IDD Health Inequities

Achieva Moderates Capitol Hill Panel Discussion on IDD Health Inequities

The "Closing the Gap: People with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities as a Medically Underserved Population" roundtable event was a collaborative effort hosted by Rep. Seth Moulton, Achieva, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, and the NYU Dentistry: Center for Oral Health Policy & Management.

Read more

State Budget Questions Remain

State Budget Questions Remain

A state budget was adopted in Harrisburg on July 11. One of Achieva's largest funding streams comes from the PA Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) for services to people with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A).

Read more

Olmstead - 25 Years Later

Olmstead - 25 Years Later

In June of 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in its Olmstead decision that unnecessary institutionalization violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Read more

The Arc of Pennsylvania Wins Public Health System Award

The Arc of Pennsylvania Wins Public Health System Award

The Arc of Pennsylvania was awarded with the inaugural "Strengthening the Public Health System Award" from the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) for its campaign to raise awareness of health disparities related to COVID-19 in the disability community.

Read more

Amplify Voices with Achieva's Annual Online Giving Event! June 17 - 18, 2024

Amplify Voices with Achieva's Annual Online Giving Event! June 17 - 18, 2024

As we approach June 17th at 2 p.m., we invite you to join us for 1,951 minutes to Impact Achieva. Your support will help amplify the voices of people with disabilities. Add the date to your calendar, and get ready to make an impact!

Read more

As State Budget Deadline Nears, Will People With Disabilities Be A Bipartisan Priority?

As State Budget Deadline Nears, Will People With Disabilities Be A Bipartisan Priority?

After years of underfunding, inflation was taking a serious toll on non-profit service providers like Achieva. Rates paid to these organizations by state government had only increased one time in seven years.

Read more

Self-Advocates Amplify Voices During Governor Shapiro's Visit to Achieva

Self-Advocates Amplify Voices During Governor Shapiro's Visit to Achieva

President and CEO of Achieva, Steve Suroviec, welcomed the governor to Achieva's headquarters during a recent visit and press conference. Achieva employee Erin Grimes spoke along with two women she supports, Sierra & Christy Wechtenhiser, about the impact of budget deficiencies.

Read more

Governor Shapiro Visits Achieva to Highlight Budget Proposal for ID/A Services

Governor Shapiro Visits Achieva to Highlight Budget Proposal for ID/A Services

President and CEO of Achieva, Steve Suroviec, welcomed Governor Josh Shapiro to Achieva's headquarters in the South Side. There, he addressed members of the media to promote his unprecedented spending plan for the Intellectual Disability and Autism (ID/A) service system.

Read more

Achieva Promotes the HEADs UP Act at National Conference

Achieva Promotes the HEADs UP Act at National Conference

Achieva's Disability Health Policy Director, Vanessa Rastovic, educated the audience on how health disparities impact people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) during a panel discussion at the 2024 Disability Policy Seminar in Washington, DC.

Read more