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News

A collection of newsletters, press releases, and media coverage.

Find out what's happening!

Whether you want to learn what's new in the disability world, hear what others have to say about Achieva, or share Achieva's messaging with your audience, this is the place for you. Read all the latest news, or select the category of your choice to narrow down your search results.
Achieva Announces $15 Million "Beyond Boundaries" Campaign to Expand Services for People with Disabilities

Achieva Announces $15 Million "Beyond Boundaries" Campaign to Expand Services for People with Disabilities

Achieva proudly announces the launch of its $15 million Beyond Boundaries fundraising campaign. This initiative will expand Achieva's reach, strengthen its infrastructure, & secure long-term sustainability to meet the growing needs of people with disabilities and their families.

Achieva Family Trust Employment Benefits Counseling Program

Achieva Family Trust Employment Benefits Counseling Program

If you are concerned about how your employment income may affect your government benefits, we can help. Discover how Achieva Family Trust Employment Benefits Counseling Program can assist you to achieve your employment goals.

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Proposed Rates Fail "Employment First" - Fail People with Disabilities

Proposed Rates Fail "Employment First" - Fail People with Disabilities

Achieva Compass Newsletter. A message from Steve Suroviec, President and CEO. In late December, the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) proposed new rates for all of its community-based services. In a macro-sense, the ODP proposal simply provides too little funding.

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Commentary : We're the Pa. moms of disabled kids. We have some questions for Gov. Wolf

Commentary : We're the Pa. moms of disabled kids. We have some questions for Gov. Wolf

Gov. Wolf, tens of thousands of families of people with intellectual disabilities and autism look forward to hearing answers to these questions.

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IRS Raises Limit For ABLE Accounts

IRS Raises Limit For ABLE Accounts

For the first time in four years, the amount of money that people with disabilities can save without jeopardizing eligibility for government benefits is rising. Starting this month, the Internal Revenue Service said that the federal gift tax exclusion is growing from $15,000 to $16,000 annually.

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Achieva Announces Partnership Between Erie and Pittsburgh Sites

Southwestern Pennsylvania-based Achieva, a disability advocacy and service organization, has announced its affiliation of The Arc Erie County with The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh, a member of the Achieva Family of Organizations.

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Achieva and The Arc Erie County Announce Affiliation

Achieva and The Arc Erie County Announce Affiliation

Southwestern Pennsylvania-based Achieva, a disability advocacy and service organization, is excited to announce the affiliation of The Arc Erie County (PA) with The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh, a member of the Achieva Family of Organizations.

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Achieva and The Arc Erie County Announce Affiliation

Achieva and The Arc Erie County Announce Affiliation

The Arc Erie County will operate as a subsidiary of The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh.

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New Year, New Website.

New Year, New Website.

Pittsburgh, PA (January 5, 2022) - Achieva, a leading provider of lifelong comprehensive services for people with disabilities and their families, is proud to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website.

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Gov. Wolf and the legislature must raise wages now for home workers caring for people with disabilities

Gov. Wolf and the legislature must raise wages now for home workers caring for people with disabilities

Everyone's dealing with something during this pandemic, but thousands of parents caring for children with physical or intellectual disabilities are facing a catastrophic crisis. Families of people with disabilities are pleading with Gov. Tom Wolf and the legislature to help.

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Gov. Wolf and the legislature must raise wages now for home workers caring for people with disabilities | PennLive Editorial

Gov. Wolf and the legislature must raise wages now for home workers caring for people with disabilities | PennLive Editorial

Families of people with disabilities are pleading with Gov. Tom Wolf and the legislature to help. They are asking them to work together to raise the wages of the DSPs.

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PA facing dire shortage of direct support professionals

PA facing dire shortage of direct support professionals

Nancy Murray, Senior Vice President of Achieva, says Pennsylvania is facing a dire shortage of direct support professionals to help those families in need. "You know, it's just awful. That's really the best word I can use to describe it. These families are becoming more, and more desperate.

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Questions moms of disabled want to ask Governor Wolf

Questions moms of disabled want to ask Governor Wolf

Repeated underfunding has resulted in community disability programs being unable to recruit a workforce of direct support professionals (DSPs) to support people with disabilities in their homes, at their jobs, and in their communities.

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Low pay is causing a staffing crisis for disability care. Advocates say Pa.'s plan to raise wages isn't enough.

Low pay is causing a staffing crisis for disability care. Advocates say Pa.'s plan to raise wages isn't enough.

Now we have families who finally got the funding for the services they need, and we can't provide them with those services because we can't recruit and retain staff," said Nancy Murray, senior vice president of Achieva, a disability services provider in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

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Low pay is causing a staffing crisis for disability care. Advocates say Pa.'s plan to raise wages isn't enough

Low pay is causing a staffing crisis for disability care. Advocates say Pa.'s plan to raise wages isn't enough

Pennsylvania is facing a dire shortage of direct support professionals who help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities bathe, get dressed, eat, exercise, socialize, and perform many other fundamental tasks.

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'It's always a fight': Pa. families seek lifeline as funding, staffing for disability services falls short

'It's always a fight': Pa. families seek lifeline as funding, staffing for disability services falls short

A staffing shortage has left people with intellectual disabilities without essential services and their families without desperately needed help.

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Governor Tom Wolf must Address the Collapse of PA's Intellectual Disability System

Governor Tom Wolf must Address the Collapse of PA's Intellectual Disability System

The Pennsylvania Capital-Star published an op-ed prepared and signed by 17 statewide CEOs and leaders (including Achieva's President and CEO, Stephen Suroviec) in the disability community calling on Governor Wolf and the PA General Assembly to take action.

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Reflections on 2021

Reflections on 2021

As we continue with our preparations for celebrating the holiday season, I want to take a look back at 2021 before we close the door on it and welcome in 2022.

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Achieva's Awards of Excellence to Honor Inspirational People who Impact the Disability Community

Achieva's Awards of Excellence to Honor Inspirational People who Impact the Disability Community

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Feds approve Pennsylvania's plan to distribute more than $1 billion in pandemic funds for Medicaid services

Feds approve Pennsylvania's plan to distribute more than $1 billion in pandemic funds for Medicaid services

The state's plan for the money focuses on increasing access to home and community-based services and staffing for those services. Addressing staff recruitment and retention is key, said Nancy Murray, president of the Arc of Greater Pittsburgh and senior vice president at Achieva.

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Pittsburgh artist Maggie Kambic has 'a following overseas.'

Pittsburgh artist Maggie Kambic has 'a following overseas.'

Ms. Kambic, who has Down syndrome, also developed an original pictographic written language. She uses it to title and explain her art, which spans the mediums of fiber, mixed media painting and sculpture — a "pretty rare" mixture of abilities for any artist.

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Recognizing Excellence in Our Community

Recognizing Excellence in Our Community

Every year, Achieva holds its "Awards of Excellence" event to recognize citizens and organizations that are extraordinary, or have done or achieved extraordinary things, when it comes to helping people with disabilities lead lives of personal significance.

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Achieva Welcomes Two New Executives

Achieva Welcomes Two New Executives

Achieva is pleased to welcome two new executives, LaToya Warren, MPA, MSW and Kurt R. Emmerling, M.Ed, NCC, LPC

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Social Security, SSI Benefits Set To Increase

Social Security, SSI Benefits Set To Increase

People with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income and other Social Security benefits are set to see the biggest rise in their monthly payments since 1982. The change is the result of an automatic cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, which is tied to inflation.

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Now Is The Time!

Now Is The Time!

Achieva, along with other members of the Provider Alliance (TPA), is fervently advocating for the funding needed to ensure people with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism (ID/A) can receive necessary services. TPA urges Governor Wolf and the General Assembly to use the funding available from...

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Achieva can help with disability employment.

Achieva can help with disability employment.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Achieva is known to many as a "go-to" organization when it comes to disability employment. If you're a person with a disability, you can get assistance by either contacting Achieva directly or working with someone from one of several...

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