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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Bizzell Supports Development of Comprehensive Report Addressing Smoking Cessation Treatment within Cancer Care Settings

Bizzell Supports Development of Comprehensive Report Addressing Smoking Cessation Treatment within Cancer Care Settings

 

July 27, 2022 (New Carrollton, MD) — The Bizzell Group is proud to provide direct support to the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, in the development of Tobacco Control Monograph 23—Treating Smoking in Cancer Patients: An Essential Component of Cancer Care. Released on June 29th, the monograph expands upon prior research from the 2014 and 2020 Surgeon General’s reports to inform clinicians and their patients with cancer about the science and practice of quitting smoking. The monograph also builds on recent findings from the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Moonshot℠ Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (C3I) program. “The monograph provides evidence that clinicians, public health practitioners, researchers, and patients with cancer can use to help influence real-world change in the treatment of patients with cancer who smoke. I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with NCI and subject matter experts to produce a rigorous volume on such an important topic,” said Jenny Twesten, Managing Director of Health Communications & Research at Bizzell, who oversaw the editorial and publication support for the monograph.

Smoking cessation treatment is rarely addressed in cancer care settings, yet the research summarized in the monograph demonstrates that quitting smoking is among the most effective treatment options for improving the likelihood of survival, quality of life, and overall health of people with cancer who smoke. The monograph also provides clinicians with evidence-based strategies and treatment options they can implement to better address smoking with cancer patients.
“Monograph 23 leverages prior academic research to demonstrate that addressing smoking cessation within the cancer treatment protocol yields tremendous benefits. I am greatly appreciative of the rigorous development process led by the Federal staff, Scientific Editorial Committee, peer-review experts, and the Bizzell team” said Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., President and CEO of Bizzell.

To read the full monograph, please visit: cancercontrol.cancer.gov/monograph23

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. Bizzell provides support to the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services through contract number HHSN261201700004I. For more information, visit: The Bizzell Group.

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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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Remember Healthcare Providers During Brain Awareness Week

Support mental wellness for anxious and depressed workers.

KEY POINTS
  • Brain Awareness Week is a reminder to consider the pandemic’s impact on healthcare professionals.
  • COVID-19 has led to a global increase in anxiety and depression, especially among healthcare workers.
  • Stigma still remains, but more individuals are seeking help for mental conditions.

It’s no secret that clinicians and healthcare professionals continue to struggle while providing care for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

Every year, Brain Awareness Week is observed around the world during the third week of March. From the first celebration in 1996, thousands of organizations use this time to…