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Categories News Tags Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), Behavioral Health, BHARC, Mental Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Dr. David Sleet, Senior Associate at Bizzell Co-authors Article on Alcohol Harms in Young Adults in The Lancet

A new analysis from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, Seattle, suggests that for young adults aged 15-39, there are no health benefits to drinking alcohol, only harms. The harms they are most likely to experience are injuries.

The study, published in The Lancet July 16, 2022, (doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00847-9), used data from the Global Burden of Diseases, a project based at the University of Washington in Seattle that tracks health trends worldwide and produces comprehensive data on the causes of illness and death in the world.

Both males and females under age 40 risked health loss from alcohol use, even when consuming small amounts of alcohol. But for those older than 40, consuming small amounts of alcohol (such as 1-2 glasses of wine daily) can provide some health benefits, yet health risks vary by age and region.

David Sleet, Ph.D., one of the co-authors of the article and a Senior Associate for Injury Prevention at The Bizzell Group (Bizzell), noted that “We need stronger interventions tailored towards younger individuals to reduce the substantial global health loss, particularly from injuries, attributable to alcohol use.”

The study’s authors call for alcohol consumption guidelines to be revised to emphasize that health risks of alcohol use differ by age, stressing that the level of alcohol consumption recommended by many existing guidelines is too high for young people. They also call for policies targeting males under age 40, who are most likely to use alcohol harmfully.

The study was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“I would like to congratulate Dr. Sleet and the other contributing authors on the publication of the report in The Lancet. As alcohol sales have soared during the pandemic, the long-term health risks of heavy drinking including brain and liver damage, heart disease, digestive disease, and mental health disorders have increased. I urge all Americans to fight the deadly epidemic of alcohol use and abuse, particularly among adolescents and young adults” said Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., President & CEO of Bizzell.

To date, the publication has received national media attention, with USA Today, and The Guardian covering the report.

To read the reviews, please see below:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/07/15/alcohol-health-risks-under-40/10067144002/
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jul/14/alcohol-is-never-good-for-people-under-40-global-study-finds

About BHARC
The Behavioral Health Advancement Resource Center (BHARC) is an authoritative source for behavioral health information, insights, technical assistance, training, and innovative tools. BHARC is a mechanism to share evidence-based behavioral health interventions and best practices. The BHARC Advisory Council consists of experts in substance use, mental health, clinical trials, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare standards and quality.

About Bizzell
Established in 2010, Bizzell is U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) HUBZone certified strategy, consulting, and technology firm with a mission to improve lives and accelerate change. Bizzell develops innovative solutions to some of the most critical issues of our time such as health care services equity, global health, workforce innovation and other urgent needs facing the world. Under the leadership of founder, Anton C. Bizzell, MD, the company has grown into a thriving firm headquartered in New Carrollton, Maryland with staff and offices in various regions around the country including California, Colorado, and Georgia, and globally in Africa, Asia, and Central America. Learn more about how we develop data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions to complex-real-world challenges: www.thebizzellgroup.com.

ARTICLE REFERENCE:
GBD 2020 Alcohol Collaborators. Population-level risks of alcohol consumption by amount, geography, age, sex, and year: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2020.

Lancet   2022 Jul 16;400(10347):185-235. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00847-9. PMID: 35843246 PMCID: PMC9289789

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Categories Mental Health, News, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Substance Use Disorder Tags Behavioral Health, News, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Bizzell Awarded Four SAMHSA IDIQ Domains

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Bizzell Group Contact
Chad Brown DM, Chief Administrative Officer
301-459-0100 | cbrown@thebizzellgroup.com

The Bizzell Group (Bizzell), a global strategy, consulting, and technology firm, is excited to continue its successful partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Bizzell has been awarded four domains as a prime contractor on SAMHSA’s Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract through 2027. The IDIQs help SAMHSA achieve its goal of reducing the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

Through this award, Bizzell is eligible to compete for new contracts under the following domains:

  • Domain I: Feasibility, Pilot, and Evaluation Projects
  • Domain II: Statistical Projects
  • Domain V: Technical Assistance and Training Projects
  • Domain VI: Planning, Implementation, and Report Support Projects (8a and HUBZone)

Since Bizzell’s inception, the firm has worked with SAMHSA and other agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services to accelerate behavioral health advancements and improve services and resources for communities within the United States and across the globe. Bizzell has a full range of capabilities that can support SAMHSA’s mission, and includes program and project management, data analytics, evaluation and learning, and technical assistance and training.

Bizzell has conducted a wide range of feasibility studies, evaluation projects, and didactic learning seminars to strengthen health system interventions and training, foster data-informed decisions, and improve program outcomes and impact. Specifically, we’ve partnered with SAMHSA to provide direct technical assistance and support services to opioid treatment programs nationwide. Additionally, we’ve delivered in-person and web-based provider trainings in the areas of prevention treatment and recovery, substance use disorder and maternal and infant health, effective uses of medication assisted treatment, and improving cultural competence in substance abuse treatment.

“As a company, Bizzell is passionate about developing innovative solutions that lead to positive health outcomes,” says Anton Bizzell, M.D., President and CEO of Bizzell. “We are energized to support SAMSHA’s critical work to advance the nation’s behavioral health—especially now as more people struggle with mental health and substance use concerns and the demand for effective and accessible behavioral health services is growing.”

About Bizzell

About Bizzell Established in 2010, Bizzell is U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) HUBZone certified strategy, consulting, and technology firm with a mission to improve lives and accelerate change. Bizzell develops innovative solutions to some of the most critical issues of our time such as health care services equity, global health, workforce innovation and other urgent needs facing the world. Under the leadership and vision of founder, Anton C. Bizzell, MD, the company has grown into a thriving firm headquartered in New Carrollton, Maryland with staff and offices in various regions around the country including California, Colorado, and Georgia, and globally in Africa, Asia, and Central America. Learn more about how we develop data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions to complex-real-world challenges: www.thebizzellgroup.com.

Categories BHARC, Insights Tags Behavioral Health, BHARC, Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), News, Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Utilizing Behavioral Therapy to Address Stimulant Use Disorder

Utilizing Behavioral Therapy to Address Stimulant Use Disorder

The Bizzell Group, in partnership with The University of Vermont’s Center on Rural Addiction has produced an interactive educational video for clinicians and practitioners highlighting Contingency Management options for addressing stimulant use disorders.

With rural stimulant overdoses now higher than in urban counties (6.7 vs 4.8 per 100,000.)[1], a renewed focus on combating addiction within these remote communities has taken on a new sense of urgency. “This video adds an important, well studied tool for addressing stimulant use disorder,” said Dr. Todd Mandell of The Bizzell Group who specializes in substance use and mental health and who was the lead producer of the educational video.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018, 40% of all overdose deaths were attributed to stimulate use. Until recently there have not been medical treatment alternatives for practitioners treating patients with stimulant use disorder which makes the use of Contingency Management even more urgent.

The video highlights the history of the development of Contingency Management and stresses the key components of a successful program.

To view the educational video please visit: http://uvmcm.modernepic.net

[1] Hedegaard H, Spencer MR. Urban–rural differences in drug overdose death rates, 1999–2019. NCHS Data Brief, no 403. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2021. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:102891

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Categories BHARC Tags Behavioral Health, BHARC, Health, Information Technology, Mental Health, News, Telehealth, Thought Leadership

Learning to Walk: Telehealth’s Development Signals Improved Behavioral Health Care Access

Learning to Walk: Telehealth’s Development Signals Improved Behavioral Health Care Access

June 15th, 2022 (Lanham, MD) More adults and youth are struggling with their mental health and well-being as the pandemic continues. Nearly four in ten American adults experienced anxiety or depression symptoms during the pandemic, compared to one in ten pre-pandemic (Panchal et al. 2021). Similarly, depression and anxiety among youth have nearly doubled since the pandemic and are particularly impacting youth from historically underserved populations (Office of the Surgeon General, 2021; Racine et al, 2021). Yet, access to mental health services and treatment has not kept pace with

the increased need and demand for services. In 2021, nearly 25 percent of adults did not receive treatment for mental illnesses (Mental Health America, 2021).

Telehealth is a growing sector of service delivery that is poised to address some of the gaps and barriers to mental health care. The June 2022 Behavioral Health Spotlight, published by the Behavioral Health Advancement Resource Center (BHARC), discusses tele-behavioral health’s significant expansion during the pandemic, its benefits, and important considerations for its utilization moving forward. “It is still early, but tele-behavioral health shows great promise in reducing stigma that some associate with mental health and substance disorder treatment and providing accessible mental health care capacity in hard to serve areas of the U.S.,” said William Scarbrough, BHARC Advisor and Vice President, Health Solutions at The Bizzell Group (Bizzell). “Additional rigorous evaluation is needed to address concerns regarding quality of care, privacy, and third-party data and information sharing.” BHARC is funded by Bizzell.

The BHARC Behavioral Health Spotlight is a thought leadership series highlighting various behavioral health topics that impact communities across the United States and abroad. “Telehealth’s Potential for Expanding Behavioral Healthcare Access” was written by Nancy Bateman, MSW, a Senior Public Health Advisor for Behavioral Health Services at Bizzell. It provides a current snapshot of tele-behavioral health, drawing from recent literature.

About BHARC 
The Behavioral Health Advancement Resource Center (BHARC) is an authoritative source for behavioral health information, insights, technical assistance, training, and innovative tools. BHARC is a mechanism to share evidence-based behavioral health interventions and best practices. The BHARC Advisory Council consists of experts in substance use, mental health, clinical trials, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare standards and quality.

About Bizzell 
The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is a strategy, consulting, and technology firm that designs innovative solutions to help build healthy, secure, and sustainable communities in our nation and around the world. Bizzell leverages the combined experience of our diverse subject matter experts to develop data-driven, research-informed answers to the world’s most complex challenges—ensuring our clients achieve their vision and goals. For more information, visit: The Bizzell Group.

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