Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/1098052
26 Aspire Health Alliance is a non-profit behavioral health agency that has been providing services and hope to children, teens and adults experiencing mental illness, behavioral challenges, disabilities and substance use disorder for almost 100 years. Formerly South Shore Mental Health, Aspire Health Alliance changed the name to reflect its focus on eliminating the disconnect between mental and physical health, creating alliances with community providers and reducing the stigma associated with behavioral health disorders. "The word 'Aspire' represents our lofty ambition to integrate physical health with mental health," says President and CEO Antony Sheehan. Sheehan began his 25 year career in England as a clinical nurse specializing in addictive behavior and mental health, and then went on to serve as a Senior Civil Servant in health care policy and administration. He became a hospital CEO before moving to the United States to work with health center and community programs. "Health is not just reducing symptoms or achieving medical improvements" he says. "Health is a life worthwhile as defined by the individual seeking help." Care services for people's physical bodies have traditionally been separate from mental health services; yet the two are inextricably linked: There can be no health without mental health is Aspire Health Alliance's mission. Our emotions and mental state have an enormous impact on our bodies. Behavioral health issues can contribute to digestive disorders, trouble sleeping, lack of energy, heart disease, chronic health issues and early death. 68 percent of U.S. adults with mental health disorders also have medical conditions. Between 15 and 30 percent of adults with diabetes, cancer or heart disease also suffer from depression. The mind-body connection is real, yet treatment for each is fragmented in both application and location. Aspire Health Alliance provides effective, research - based behavioral health services that will increasingly bridge this troubling gap in our health care systems and fosters an environment that is safe and supportive, with the goal of alleviating the stigma that surrounds mental illness. One in five people in Massachusetts live with a behavioral health disorder. Despite this prevalence, people with mental illness often suffer the indignity of the negative perceptions that are associated with their conditions. It can be difficult for someone to ask for help when they fear being judged; and when one does get the courage to seek treatment, they may not know where to find it. Aspire Health Alliance brings this care directly to the places where people need it. With around 800 employees based across the greater South Shore region, as well as early intervention and mental health treatment and aspire health alliance: Pioneering a New, Integrated Approach to Behavioral Health By Erica Ford, photos by Susanne Malloy Programs at Aspire Health Alliance provide a continuum of care through early intervention programs for children, intensive wrap- around services for individuals and families, and community and job services for adults and adolescents looking to increase their independence in the community.