Across Pennsylvania\u2019s health systems, hundreds of children with disabilities or complex medical conditions live in hospitals or extended-care pediatric facilities instead of with their families.<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh nonprofit
\nAchieva plans to launch a comprehensive home transition program in 2026 to help those children and families.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery child deserves to grow up in a loving family environment, not in a hospital room,\u201dAchieva President and CEO Steve Suroviec said.<\/p>\n
Research consistently shows children thrive best when living with families rather than in institutional settings, with improved developmental outcomes and stronger family bonds.<\/p>\n
However, transitioning such children to home \u2014 or keeping them home in the first place \u2014 often requires intensive case management. That requires a nurse, home-based medical equipment and technology, respite for the parents or caregivers and expensive home modifications.<\/p>\n
Achieva received a $1 million grant from health insurer Highmark for the program. Officials said government funding frequently moves too slowly or falls short of families needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis program represents exactly the kind of community-based solution that can transform lives while reducing long-term health care costs,\u201d said Kenya Boswell, Highmark senior vice president of community affairs and chair of the Highmark Foundation.<\/p>\n
The program aims to provide:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Case management and clinical oversight<\/p>\n
\u2022 Rapid problem-solving without bureaucratic delays<\/p>\n
\u2022 Direct funding for the types of home modifications necessary to bring a child with a complex medical illness back home to their family<\/p>\n
\u2022 Support for technology and medical equipment<\/p>\n
\u2022 A medical director and specialized staff to coordinate care<\/p>\n
\u201cThis generous support from Highmark will allow us to build service capacity and remove barriers that keep medically complex children separated from their families, creating a clear pathway home,\u201d Suroviec said.<\/p>\n
The initiative is one part of Achieva\u2019s larger goal: \u201cBeyond Boundaries,\u201d a $15 million fundraising campaign that will allow it to expand
\nall aspects of service.<\/p>\n
Seeking job opportunities<\/p>\n
Another aspect is partnering with businesses to create job opportunities for people with disabilities, working to connect them with jobs in areas where they are passionate and helping them create a path to independence when it is available.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have cerebral palsy, and my mom was telling me I shouldn\u2019t try to find another job because I had applied for several jobs and gotten rejected,\u201d said Kristen Lasser of Blairsville. \u201cShe wanted me to quit looking, was afraid I\u2019d get hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n
Achieva\u2019s Center for Supported Decision Making works with families in guardianship situations, providing specialized training and individualized support, and aiming to reduce reliance on guardianships.<\/p>\n
In recent years, Lasser has worked as a circulation clerk at the Adams Memorial Library in Latrobe and at a local Walmart.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think my parents and family should be in charge of my life decisions,\u201d Lasser said. \u201cI would involve them, but I should decide. Achieva helped me work through that with my mom, set goals for myself and my future decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Achieva supports more than 10,000 Pennsylvanians with disabilities annually through housing, care-giving, employment, and advocacy programs.<\/p>\n