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28 with local police departments to provide support. ASIAN COMMUNITY COUNSELING SERVICES: These professional counseling services include adult, children and family in-home therapy, addiction recovery and groups for Asian- American clients and their families. TRAINING PROGRAMS: Aspire Health Alliance has had an American Psychological Association Accredited Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology since 1963 and is also developing a Nurse Practitioner training program. In addition, Aspire Health Alliance works with many master and bachelor level social work programs providing clinical learning opportunities for students. The Community Training program helps to educate our community about mental health and provides critically important Mental Health First Aid trainings for first responders around the South Shore. OUTPATIENT SERVICES: Five outpatient clinics provide counseling, diagnostic evaluation, psychological and neuropsychological testing, psychopharmacology and individual and family therapy for children, teens and adults. These are just some of Aspire Health Alliance's programs. It also provides services for trauma issues, postpartum depression and eating disorders. For those in crisis, it offers short-term psychiatric intervention in a 24 hour unit as an alternative to hospitalization. Its residential services provide homes and supportive environments for vulnerable adults who may be transitioning from a hospital or may have lost housing. Aspire Health Alliance's programs are rooted in the community and provide peer support for a reason: the importance of relationships cannot be overstated. Research shows that loneliness and isolation can have devastating effects on people's health; the stress of it affects one's endocrine and cardiovascular systems. Sheehan says, "We are seeing an increase in isolation at the ends of the age spectrum: the very young and the very old. We see a chance to take responsibility and reduce this isolation for people." We are social beings, and relationships are important for our wellness. Aspire Health Alliance creates age appropriate services where people can have friendships and create connections. There is a lot of work to be done to ameliorate the stigma of mental health challenges, but there is also a lot of promise. People are talking about anxiety, depression and substance abuse more than ever before. Schools offer presentations about self-esteem and confidence in age-appropriate ways, and many companies are putting programs in place to address workplace stress. "For us, 'health' is defined by the people we serve," says Sheehan. Aspire Health Alliance constantly seeks new and better ways to meet the needs of the community. It tailors its services around the community and not the other way around. Through its groundbreaking integrated treatments and services, it is improving lives every day. For more information, visit www.aspirehealthalliance.org or call 617.847.1950. "Health is a life worthwhile as defined by the individual seeking help." – Antony Sheehan, President and CEO of Aspire Health Alliance Step One Early Intervention provides services in the child's home, the learning center and in community settings, such as child care centers. The Mission of Aspire Health Alliance: We are making emotional well-being essential to overall health and building a supportive community for all, through effective, integrated care that is tailored to the way you live.