Now Hiring - Vice President, Advancement
This key position will develop and implement a vision to advance Achieva’s position as a leader through relationship and partner cultivation, communications, and fundraising. Learn more and apply today.
New Camp Request Deadline
Please note that the due date for camp requests from our Charitable Residual Program has been moved up to  APRIL 15, 2025.  Please get your applications for camp requests completed timely to ensure you meet the application deadline!

News

'50 years ago this month, we exposed a state institution. It's finally closing.'

Polk State School & Hospital, later renamed Polk State Center, in Polk, Venango County, in an undated photo. (Historic American Buildings Survey/Library of Congress)
“In 1973, Polk State School and Hospital drugged, bound and caged people with intellectual disabilities. We demanded change and helped set the stage for improvements that have endured.”

Robert Nelkin was an integral part of Achieva’s history when known as the Allegheny County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (ACC-PARC). His recent piece in Public Source is a must-read, along with the links within the article, which point to a rich collection of historical documents.
Read Public Source Essay

Read Compass Newsletter