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For too long, people with disabilities have faced significant hurdles in the job market, with unemployment rates roughly double the national average. Achieva is on a mission to change that, connecting people to jobs that match their skills and interests, offering competitive pay and a sense of purpose.

Achieva's supported employment program uses personcentered tools to help people secure and keep jobs they’re passionate about. This includes crucial support like benefits counseling, ensuring employees can maintain vital government assistance while working.

A key initiative is Achieva's Business Services program, which partners strategically with companies to fill talent gaps with qualified people with disabilities. An inclusion liaison, an Achieva employee, is embedded within the business partner’s HR department. This liaison works to create and promote opportunities, integrating people with diverse disabilities as productive employees.

The success of this model is evident in Achieva's partnership with Giant Eagle. Since 2014, over 200 placements have fostered a truly inclusive work environment. Liaisons provide continuous support, assisting with resume writing, interview preparation, and ensuring necessary accommodations.

Achieva is now a key provider for the Integrated Vocational Engagement & Support Team (InVEST) program, a groundbreaking initiative launched by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I). Funded by a $14 million federal grant, InVEST aims to help Pennsylvanians with disabilities transition from subminimum wage work (often in segregated “sheltered workshops”) to competitive integrated employment (CIE). This aligns with Pennsylvania’s “Employment First” philosophy, prioritizing competitive work in community settings.

As the selected provider for the western Pennsylvania region, Achieva provides comprehensive training, direct employment, and wraparound support for InVEST participants. As Steve Suroviec, Achieva's President and CEO, notes, “Achieva knows people with disabilities are an important yet largely untapped cohort of Pennsylvania’s workforce.” This support includes assistance with technology access, transportation, community connections, wellness, and ongoing professional development.

Sheetz, Inc. is the first employer to commit to InVEST, planning to hire up to 10 people annually, supporting them with OVR-funded job coaches for on-site assistance and accommodations.

Pennsylvania is among 14 states that have received federal grants for the Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) demonstration project. This collaborative e ort involves L&I’s O ce of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), the Department of Human Services’ O ce of Developmental Programs (ODP), and the PA Family Network: Vision for Equality (PAFN), o ering peer-topeer education and mentoring.

The practice of paying subminimum wages is being phased out, and InVEST, in line with the Employment First Act, advances e orts to ensure CIE is the primary focus for education, training, and support for eligible Pennsylvanians with disabilities.

These initiatives are not just filling jobs; they are transforming lives, helping businesses, empowering people, and redefining what it means to build truly inclusive workplaces for everyone across Pennsylvania.

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