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Achieva, through their Disability Health Initiative, leads efforts to increase physical and programmatic access to care for individuals with disabilities and their families and they also promote medical workforce development and education. Achieva’s Disability Health Initiative is led by one staff member and engages a group of disability self-advocates in their strategy setting for advocacy activities.

Achieva has been a funded partner of CareQuest Institute since 2015 within the Grassroots Engagement Initiative, with historical work to restore Adult Dental Benefits in Medicaid in PA, and over the past two years, work to designate those with disabilities as a Medically Underserved Population at the state level in PA and at national level. A MUP designation unlocks additional federal funding for initiatives to increase access to primary, behavioral, and oral health care. It also increases research and loan repayment funding for health professionals who work with the MUP. In addition, it provides flexible immigration options for health professionals treating the MUP. Most importantly, the designation unlocks incentive payments through Medicaid and Medicare.

Achieva is one of the first, if not the first, entity to explore the Governor’s Exception Medically Underserved Population designation for the disability population at the state level. Within the first year of CareQuest Institute support for this work, Achieva uncovered and raised awareness about insufficient state-level data about people with disabilities within the PA Office of Health Equity and subsequently collected health disparity data in order to fill this gap. This data was a critical requirement of the PA Governor’s Exception MUP designation application. Over the past two years, Achieva has also built a foundation of state and grassroots level support for the PA MUP designation, demonstrated by a state-wide sign on letter calling for the designation in 2022, signed by 20 state-level disability and health-focused organizations.

At the federal level, a MUP designation must be approved via a bill through Congress. Such a bill was introduced in 2018 as the Healthcare Extension and Accessibility for Developmentally disabled and Underserved Population (HEADs UP Act). Achieva began its support for the bill through CareQuest Institute funding in 2021. Over the past two years, Achieva has supported legislators and policy makers with information about the HEADs UP Act, as well as engaged partners across the country in advocacy activities raising the HEADs Up Act as a priority for the disability community, but also the oral health community. Achieva has been a key member of OPEN’s Disability and Inclusion NRT and has regularly engaged the network with education and advocacy opportunities regarding the bill.

In 2023, Achieva will continue their work to advocate for the PA Governor’s Exception Medically Underserved Population designation as well as the HEADs Up Act on the federal level. On the state level, Achieva will leverage story-telling and collected data to educate newly sworn-in policymakers and their staff about the need for a MUP designation for people with disabilities. This includes the PA Secretary of Policy and Planning, Secretary of Health, and Secretary of Human Services. Achieva will create new, up to date communications materials for this audience. On the federal level, Achieva will collaborate with members of Congress to re-introduce and refine the HEADs Up Act in 2023. As trusted partners of the HEADs Up Act’s legislative sponsors (Representatives Moulton & Fitzpatrick), Achieva has been consulted to assist in the refinement of the bill’s language to tangibly define concepts like “comprehensive” dental as well as “integration” into primary care. Similar to state-level efforts, Achieva will develop cohesive educational materials for Congress members and staff. Achieva will continue to collaborate with OPEN members and partners across the country to host “hill visits” in support of the HEADs UP Act, either in-person or virtually. Achieva also plans to continually meet with national partners, like Families USA, in order to strategize and leverage additional resources where possible.

The requested amount for this proposal is $148,000, which represents 0.3% of Achieva’s overall organizational budget. Approximately $103,000 of the budget for this proposal is allocated toward staff time. Travel costs nationally and within the state for MUP-related meetings account for $15,000 of the budget. Smaller budget line items are for occupancy expenses, printing and staff development expenses. There is also a subgrant listed for PA Coalition for Oral Health to assist in developing new partnerships with healthcare entities in PA.