Black History Month

Black History Month

Black History month is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans that are so deeply woven into the history of the United States. African American leaders in mental health, government, civil right, the arts, entertainment and sports have influenced generations of Black Americans and taken unprecedented risks to initiate change. Yet, it is important to acknowledge the continued, rampant systemic racism and inequities in wealth, education, criminal justice, and mental health and health care and the impact on the lives of Black Americans.

 

Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, CEO of the Bizzell Group, touches on his own encounters with racism as a Black American physician in this Psychology Today article. He challenges the corporate world to take action to reverse the trauma that Black Americans experience by hiring more Black Americans, offering physical and mental health care resources, and providing supportive work environments that are free of microaggressions.

 

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State of Mental Health, Part 2: Where we’re headed in 2021

In a recent Psychology Today article, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell shares how COVID-19 affected everyone’s mental health in 2020 and what the predictions and preparations are for 2021. Dr. Bizzell believes that mental health will gain a foothold in the overall healthcare conversation and will be recognized as a global health problem. We must couple hope with action to tackle the mental health effects of the pandemic, Dr. Bizzell writes. With so many around the world touched by COVID, the topic of mental health will finally begin to lose its stigma, he believes.

READ MORE: Psychology Today

The State of Mental Health, Part 1: What happened in 2020

In Psychology Today, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell discusses how mental health was impacted throughout 2020 because of COVID-19. Once COVID-19 took hold worldwide early last year, its mental health effects quickly began to emerge. There were strong emotional reactions to the virus, particularly fear, uncertainty, and grief. Shutdowns affected societies everywhere; families and friends were separated; and individuals spent weeks or months alone. While hope is on the horizon with the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, Dr. Bizzell writes, the pandemic and its fallout are far from over. It is more important than ever to examine the impact of the virus on mental health in 2020 and what lessons we can apply to improve mental wellness in 2021 and beyond.

READ MORE: Psychology Today,

December 2020 BHARC Insights – “Policing: De-Escalating Mental Health Crisis” is Now Available Online

December 2020 BHARC Insights – “Policing: De-Escalating Mental Health Crisis” is Now Available Online

December 7, 2020 (Lanham, MD) – In recent months and years, national news and social media have documented multiple instances of police officers using excessive force or fatally injuring civilians, including individuals with mental health problems. Published by the Behavioral Health Advancement Resource Center (BHARC), this inaugural December 2020 Behavioral Health Spotlight offers insights and commentary to Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Programs.

CIT Programs teach police officers how to respond to a person experiencing mental health crisis and de-escalating the situation. It is designed to be a community-based partnership with law enforcement, mental health professionals, peer support specialists, mental health advocates, and positive community supports. “This article illustrates that CIT community partnerships can be a positive component of a response to mental health crises—ultimately saving lives and strengthening law enforcement relations within communities,” said Anton C. Bizzell, MD, BHARC advisor and CEO of The Bizzell Group (Bizzell). 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. “Policing: De-escalating Mental Health Crises” was written by Mim Landry, a BHARC Advisory Council Substance Use and Mental Health Expert. The article describes the CIT goals and core elements and includes a review and commentary of recent literature as an evidenced-based framework in helping individuals who experience behavioral health crisis.

DOWNLOAD THE ARTICLE HERE.

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, The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) certified strategy, consulting, and technology firm that specializes in program management, administrative support, communications and outreach, conference management and logistical support, health services and research, technical assistance, and training and development. 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 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: BizzellUS.