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Categories Global Development, News, Substance Abuse Disorders, Suicide Prevention Tags Awards, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Communications & Outreach, Conference Services, Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO), Department of Defense (DoD), Ebola, Global Development, Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network Dissemination Initiative (NIDA), Project Awards, Quality Improvement

BIZZELL WINS FIVE HERMES CREATIVE AWARDS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH-RELATED CONTENT

BIZZELL WINS FIVE HERMES CREATIVE AWARDS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH-RELATED CONTENT

May 8, 2020 (Lanham, MD) – The Bizzell Group (Bizzell), one of the fastest growing companies in America according to Inc. Magazine and Washington Business Journal, has won five Hermes Creative Awards, including two Platinum awards, two Gold awards, and one Honorable Mention. Bizzell was recognized for visual communication and marketing projects designed to support federal agencies and corporate initiatives that tackle the most critical and consequential issues affecting our world such as Ebola, suicide, substance use disorders and healthcare quality improvement.

“At Bizzell, we integrate world-class strategy, design, and technology to accelerate our clients’ missions, transforming lives in the process,” said Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., President & CEO. “We take pride in delivering exceptional communication products and will continue to set monumental standards worth achieving. Thank you, Hermes, for this distinguished honor.”

The Hermes Creative Awards, administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals are an international competition for creative professionals and serve as a benchmark of excellence for communications. Winning companies and individuals are selected from over 200 categories grouped under advertising, publications, marketing, branding, integrated marketing, public relations/communications, electronic media, and training.   From the United States, there were about 6,000 entries in the 2020 competition.

Full list of Bizzell’s Hermes Creative Awards:

Platinum Awards:

Gold Awards:

Honorable Mention:

For a  full list of awards won by Bizzell, please visit our website at:  https://thebizzellgroup.com/awards/.

ABOUT THE BIZZELL GROUP

Established in 2010, The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) certified strategy, consulting, and technology firm that specializes in  communications, conference management, cybersecurity, data analytics, information technology, global development, project management, technical assistance, training, and more. Bizzell’s expert staff and consultants work on health, scientific, education, environmental, research, and information technology projects that advance national priorities. Under the leadership and vision of founder, Anton C. Bizzell, MD, the company has grown from a staff of two in one small office, to a thriving firm with four offices in Lanham, MD, Rockville, MD, Atlanta, GA and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with ongoing projects around the world. Learn more about how we develop data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions to complex real-world challenges: www.thebizzellgroup.com.

ABOUT HERMES CREATIVE AWARDS

Hermes Creative Awards honors the messengers and creators of the information revolution. Armed with their imaginations and computers, Hermes winners bring their ideas to life through traditional and digital platforms.

Each year, competition judges evaluate the creative industry’s best publications, branding collateral, websites, videos, and advertising, marketing and communication programs. https://hermesawards.com/

Categories Corporate, Mental Health, News, Suicide Prevention Tags Communications & Outreach, Contracts, Department of Defense (DoD), Health, Maryland State Chair of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Program (ESGR), Military, Quest Community Development Organization (QCDO)

Bizzell Supports Our Military

On November 30, 2017, Dr. Anton Bizzell, CEO and President of The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) and senior Bizzell staff met with Jean Hulet, the Maryland State Chair of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Program (ESGR), to sign a Statement of Support with ESGR.  By signing ESGR’s Statement of Support, Bizzell solidifies its deep commitment as an advocate and supportive employer for our National Guard and Reserve employees. Bizzell is proud to support our military by providing employment and employment opportunities for those who serve in the National Guard and Reserves and Veterans.

ESGR was started by the Department of Defense in the early 1970s to foster cooperation and understanding between employers and Service members. ESGR has more than 3,600 trained volunteers in communities throughout the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  ESGR educates employers about the Reserve component of the military, assists with resolving conflicts that arise from an employee’s Reserve status and commitments, and recognizes employers with policies that support and encourage participation in the Reserves.

Bizzell sponsored a community outreach Veterans’ appreciation luncheon and toiletry donation event on Friday, November 7th in Atlanta GA, in collaboration with National Contract Management Association (NCMA) Atlanta Chapter. The recipient organization, Quest Community Development Organization (QCDO), promotes a best in class, diverse housing model that encourages collaboration and positive community change. QCDO is committed to enhancing and inspiring personal, professional, and team growth through unique experiences, continued education, and strong work ethic.

QCDO provides housing programs and supportive services that are targeted toward the chronically homeless population of men, women and Veterans with a history of mental illness and/or substance addiction directly affecting the human health and welfare of individuals.

Bizzell also supports the military through our Department of Defense (DoD) contract, which focuses on suicide prevention, intervention, and posvention efforts for Service members and their families. We believe that it is our sacred duty to ensure the health and well-being of our brave Service members. We must provide proper care for those who sacrifice so much for the freedom we enjoy. Through the contract, assist the DoD with the development and implementation of a suicide prevention, outreach, and communication plan for Service members, their families, and DoD Civilians.

 

Categories Bizzell, Insights, Mental Health, Suicide Prevention Tags American Association of Suicidology, Behavioral Health, Health, Mental Health, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Special Populations, Thought Leadership, Youth

Black Youth and Suicide

Suicide rates among black youth have never been higher than they are now. A 2016 CNN report indicates that the suicide rate among young black boys, ages 5 to 11, has nearly doubled within the past two decades. The increase was large enough to raise the “deaths due to suicide” rate among all black children from 1.36 to 2.54 per million. Hanging and suffocation are the most common suicide methods in black boys, accounting for 78% of all suicide deaths. Shooting is the second most common method of suicide and accounts for more than 17% of the cases.

Causes of the increase remain unknown, but the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that black youth are more likely to be exposed to violence and trauma than other children, and those stressors have been linked to suicidal behavior. Black youth are also less likely to receive services for mental health issues, such as depression and suicidal tendencies, than other youth. NAMI also reports that the shame and stigma associated with mental health issues within the black community may be a reason for the lack of treatment.

Undoing the stigmatization of mental health care is an ongoing challenge in the black community. Addressing mental health stigma and ensuring appropriate, proper care for black boys who are suicidal or exhibiting warning signs is crucial in the reduction of suicide rates. Some health care professionals have begun to reframe conversations about mental health to remove clinical labels and contour conversations to reflect positive themes within communities of color. Jessmina Archbold, a social worker and mental health advocate in New York, suggests that it is imperative to educate white mental health care professionals about how to engage communities of color. She has coined her reframed approach as a “strength-building process” as opposed to treating an “illness.”

Adults who deal with children, including parents and teachers, must be trained to recognize the warning signs of suicide and know how to intervene properly. All threats and talk of suicide by children and youth should be taken seriously.

According to the American Association of Suicidology, the following behaviors or symptoms may signal a suicidal crisis in a young person:

  • Feelings of hopelessness
  • Anxiety, agitation, trouble sleeping or sleeping all of the time
  • Expressions of having no reason for living or no sense of purpose in life
  • Feelings of being trapped, like there’s no way out
  • Increased alcohol and/or drug use
  • Withdrawal from friends, family and community
  • Rage, uncontrolled anger, expressions of wanting or seeking revenge
  • Reckless behavior or more risky activities, seemingly without thinking
  • Dramatic mood changes
  • Giving away prized possessions

More research is needed to explain the factors involved in the increased rates of suicide among young black boys. Adults are encouraged to talk to young children about mental health, emotions, and suicide. Research has dispelled the idea that asking children directly about suicide will trigger suicidal thinking or behavior.

Categories Insights, Mental Health, Suicide Prevention Tags Behavioral Health, Communications & Outreach, Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Health, Mental Health, Military, Special Populations, Suicide Prevention, Thought Leadership

Bizzell Group: Addressing Suicide Prevention

The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing and assisting in substantive public discourse around suicide and suicide prevention. Through various contracts, Bizzell works with organizations, Federal clients, non-profits and partners to make an impact with the hope of reducing suicide rates across the country. Some of Bizzell’s work in the area of suicide prevention includes: American Indian and Alaskan Native suicide, military suicide and Arctic region suicide.

The American Indian/Alaskan Native communities have strikingly higher rates of suicides than the overall population in the U.S. The Indian Health Service identifies suicides as the second leading cause of death among AI/AN youth (5 and 24 years old). These AI/AN adolescents are also at greater risk for suicide contagion and suicide clusters, which can be particularly devastating for the often close-knit and rural AI/AN communities. Bizzell examined the research on suicide clusters and contagion in general and within AI/AN communities.

In addition to researching rates of suicide among American Indian/Alaskan Native populations, Bizzell has supported suicide prevention efforts among Veteran and Service member populations. According to a recent study by the Department of Veterans Affairs, roughly 20 veterans a day nationwide commit suicide. Researchers concluded that veterans are at a 21 percent higher risk for suicide than civilian populations. In 2014, the latest year available, more than 7,400 veterans took their own lives, accounting for 18 percent of all suicides in America. Veterans make up less than 9 percent of the U.S. population. Military suicide also has a significant impact on the family members left behind. The University of Southern California found “that military connected adolescents have a higher rate of suicidal thoughts than their civilian counterparts, and other studies indicate that military spouses— particularly those serving as caregivers to support their wounded veterans—are more at risk to suffer mental health problems.” The untold costs of military service on family members is difficult to measure. The National Military Family Association, a nonprofit that serves a quarter of a million military
relatives, reported “hearing about an increasing number of stories about family members killing themselves.”

Bizzell recognizes that high suicide rates are not limited to American Indian/Alaskan Native populations or military communities; suicide rates in the Arctic are among the highest in the world. Historically, indigenous people in circumpolar regions had very low rates of death by suicide. However, there is currently no other region that suicide has had such a strong impact and social burden on than in indigenous populations—specifically those in circumpolar regions. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that suicide accounts for roughly 800,000 deaths per year worldwide—although rates differ within countries according to geography,gender, ethnicity and cultural variables. Greenland and the arctic regions of the United States, Canada and Russia have considerably higher suicide rates than the non-Arctic Regions, and where data is available by ethnicity (Alaska, Canada and Russia), the increased risk of suicide in indigenous communities is evident. Bizzell is assisting RISING SUN, an initiative under the U.S. chairmanship of the Arctic Council that is designated to identify a toolkit of common outcomes to be used in evaluating suicide prevention efforts to assess the key correlates associated with suicide prevention intervention across Arctic states. The goal is to generate shared knowledge that will aid health workers in better serving circumpolar communities, and help policymakers measure progress, evaluate interventions, and identify regional and cultural challenges to implementation.

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