The most commonly seen diagnoses/supervised experiences that interns can expect to be working with at this location include, but are not limited to, Opioid Dependence, Alcohol Dependence, Cannabis Dependence, Other Stimulant Dependence, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, ADHD, Schizophrenia, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Example supervised experiences (as listed by APPIC):

Aspire Indiana’s service area covers Boone County, Hamilton County, Madison County, Marion County, as well as Pike and Washington Townships of Indianapolis. Aspire’s service area is a blend of urban in Indianapolis, suburban in Lebanon, Carmel, Noblesville, and Anderson areas, and rural in outlying portions of Boone, Hamilton, and Madison Counties.

In calendar year 2024, Aspire served a total of 17,883 individuals with 340,743 encounters. Here is a breakdown of those we served:

By Gender

• Female – 9127
• Male – 8756

By Age group

• Age 0-17 : 3,087
• Age 18-54 : 11,640
• Age 55+ : 3,156

Ethnicity :

• Not Hispanic or Latino : 15,851
• Hispanic or Latino : 1237
• Others : 795

By race :

• White : 13063
• Black Or African American : 3190
• Patient Declined : 683
• Other Race : 572
• Asian : 265
• American Indian Or Alaska Native : 120

The area is 51.5% female and 48.5% male. 25.6% of the population is under the age of 18. 62.3% of the population is between the ages of 18 and 64. 12.1% is 65 years or older. 90.5% of the population chooses “English” as their preferred language. 4% chooses “Spanish” as their preferred language. 4.5% of the population chooses another language as their preferred language. The population is 13.24% African American, 0.13% American Indian, 3.31% Asian, 78.06% Caucasian, 0.02% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 2.74% Multiple races, and 0.1% Other race. 5.47% of the population is Hispanic, and 94.53% is Non-Hispanic.

In terms of education, 7.04% of the population is without a High School diploma or equivalent. 21.81% of the population has a high school diploma or equivalent only. 18.86% have completed some college coursework, and 7.32% hold associate’s degrees. 27.84% have completed a bachelor’s degree, and 16.56% have completed a graduate or professional degree.

Those we serve and those we hope to serve in our geographic service area have several significant barriers to treatment. The primary barrier is transportation. The geographic area has limited and inconsistent public transportation. Non-traditional options, such as Uber or Lyft, present financial challenges to those we serve who are low income. Telehealth services are offered to offset this barrier.

Another barrier to services is provider shortages. While not unique to Indiana, the state is among the worst performers in the country when it comes to mental health providers per capita. While Aspire does not turn away patients, providers are struggling with large caseloads, and managing new patients and getting them seen in a timely fashion is an ongoing challenge.

Lastly, the stigma of mental illness continues to persist in most parts of Aspire’s service area. Residents are often afraid to seek services, unaware of what services may exist, or don’t know how to properly access care.

Criminal history and background check are required, and the applicant must authorize the background investigation in writing using the Company form provided for that purpose. Provision of authorization is a condition of employment.

The following criminal history, background, and record checks may be conducted:

• Identity Verification
• Prior Employment Verification
• Reference Checks
• Education Verification
• License/Registration/Certification Verification
• National, State, and Local Criminal Records Search
• Driver’s License/Motor Vehicle Records Search
• Automobile Liability Insurance Verification
• Sex and Violent Offender Search
• Child Protective Services Search

The following factors will be considered in hiring or retaining employees with a criminal conviction history: the nature of the crime and its relationship to the position; the ability of the individual to provide services pursuant to Company contracts, state or federal laws, or any other policies or regulations, the time since the conviction; the number (if more than one) of convictions; and whether hiring, transferring, promoting, or retaining the applicant or employee would pose an unreasonable risk to the business.

The applicant will be given an opportunity to review the criminal background check results and submit an explanation. If any applicant is found to have falsified any information regarding conviction history or any information provided, the applicant will not be considered for employment.

Crimes barring employment at certain health care facilities: Under Indiana law (Code Sec. 16-28-13 et seq.) Aspire Indiana, Inc., as a health facility, may not knowingly employ a person if his/her criminal history indicates a conviction for:

• Sex crimes
• The exploitation of an endangered adult
• Failure to report battery
• Neglect
• Theft (if the individual’s conviction for theft occurred less than five (5) years prior)
• Murder
• Voluntary manslaughter
• Involuntary manslaughter within the previous five (5) years
• Felony battery within the previous five (5) years
• Felony offense relating to controlled substances within the previous five (5) years

Aspire Indiana is seeking interns who have a strong interest in working in a community mental health and integrated primary care settings as a career goal. We seek interns who wish to be whole-health providers. Ideal applicants would be welcoming of the challenges associated with serving people from diverse backgrounds, lower socioeconomic status, and complicated behavioral/primary health presentations. Aspire’s treatment philosophy is rooted in SAMHSA’s model of psychiatric recovery, and we use a person-centered approach for engaging/treating those we serve. Interns seeking to work in a team-based, collaborative, multidisciplinary setting that includes psychiatrists, therapists, care coordinators, and primary care providers are encouraged to apply.

Applicants will be screened by the Training Director, in consultation with the lead psychologist and primary supervisors. Interviews will be conducted by the Training Director and Lead Psychologist, and interns will be selected in consultation with primary supervisors. Interviews will be by videoconference. Receipt of a master’s degree (rather than education equivalent) is required at this site. Preference will be given to students who envision practicing in Indiana, as we hope that interns will look for employment opportunities at Aspire Indiana following the completion of their training.

Internship interviews are conducted virtually with the Training Director and Lead Psychologist, lasting approximately 45 minutes. These will be scheduled on an individual basis with selected candidates. Current interns also hold a Q&A session with potential candidates to hear about their experience and ask any questions.