The After School Program For Interventions And Resiliency Education offered by the
Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute at Hoag, received a three-year accreditation, the group announced Wednesday.
Teens who complete the program are eligible to receive up to five WASC-approved
semester credit hours to be applied toward their high school graduation.
The
ASPIRE program at Hoag is now accredited by the Western Association of Schools
and Colleges (WASC) for teens to receive high school credits. Acceptance
of credits toward graduation, as well as the number and type of credits
granted, are determined by each individual school district and school.
This is the first Hoag program to offer a school credit option for teen
participants.
"Accreditation from WASC is a true testament to both the strength
of the ASPIRE program and the great need for these mental health support
services for our local community," said
Sina Safahieh, M.D., board certified in child and adolescent psychiatry
and program director of ASPIRE at Hoag. "The recognition further affirms the value and importance of the
services we offer to help teens and their families navigate the unique
and difficult set of pressures they encounter living here in Orange County."
Hoag currently collaborates with the Newport Mesa and Tustin school districts
to offer the credit program and is expected to expand to additional local
districts in the near future.
In response to an alarming local trend of youths in Orange County and across
the nation afflicted with severe depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts
and other
mental health disorders, Hoag launched the acclaimed ASPIRE program in 2018 in both Newport Beach
and Irvine to help local youth and families tackle the life-changing challenges
of these disorders.
According to the 2018 Orange County Community Indicators Report, major
depression hospitalizations among children and youth have increased 99%
locally since 2007.
To date, more than 50 Orange County teens and their families have participated in the
ASPIRE program and utilized its support, early intervention tools and access to specialists
with prevention training that strengthens future functioning for the entire
family. While the services provided are reimbursed by insurance, some
families can't afford the associated deductible. Philanthropy supports
family scholarships to ensure those who need ASPIRE can access it.
The intensive outpatient therapy program is designed for young people ages
13-17 with significant anxiety or depression and who are at risk of harming
themselves. Over the course of eight weeks, dialectical behavioral therapy
and expressive arts are used to help teens develop and practice healthy
behaviors and coping strategies. ASPIRE builds interpersonal relationships
through educational groups, skills groups and weekly family meetings,
requiring parents or guardians to participate during the course of the program.
WASC is one of six regional associations that accredit public and private
schools, colleges and universities in the United States. It is responsible
for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of higher-education institutions
in California, Hawaii, Guam and the Pacific Basin. The ASPIRE program
is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western
Association of Schools as Colleges as a Supplementary Education Program.
For more information on ASPIRE, visit
hoag.org/ASPIRE.
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