Achieva awarded $1M grant from Highmark

Achieva, a major disability services nonprofit in Pittsburgh, announced a new investment aimed at reducing the need for long-term institutional care for children with highly complex medical needs.

On December 16, 2025, Achieva publicly announced it received a $1,000,000 grant from Highmark. The funding will support the launch of a comprehensive home-transition program designed specifically for children with complex medical conditions. The program is intended to help more children remain at home with their families rather than in pediatric medical care facilities.

Program targets gaps in home-based support

Achieva said the initiative is designed to bridge gaps in the current system that can leave families with limited options. Those gaps often include a lack of resources, coordination, and funding for in-home support. Without those elements in place, families may be forced to rely on long-term institutional care. The home-transition model is structured to address these barriers directly. Achieva’s focus is on building the supports needed to make home care feasible for children whose medical needs are highly complex.

What the home-transition program includes

Achieva reported that the program will offer a set of coordinated supports intended to reduce delays and improve practical readiness for home care. These elements include:

• Expert case management

• Clinical oversight

• Rapid problem-solving without bureaucratic delay

• Direct funding for critical home modifications

• Coordinated care with specialized staff and equipment support

Achieva said these services are intended to remove traditional barriers families face when bringing medically fragile children home. The approach centers on both planning and execution, with attention to clinical needs and day-to-day home requirements. Highmark’s leadership highlighted that the model not only strengthens family bonds, but could also lower long-term healthcare costs by reducing dependence on institutional care. Achieva positioned the new program within its broader Beyond Boundaries campaign. That campaign focuses on expanding community-based supports for people with disabilities across Pennsylvania.