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.

 

Supporting National Office of Job Corps

The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is thrilled to have successfully supported the work of the Department of Labor’s National Office of Job Corps (NOJC). Through a set of strategic initiatives, Bizzell provided support to Job Corps by identifying and implementing web-based tools to support students’ academic growth beginning in the pre-enrollment phase and continuing while on-center.

Job Corps is the largest and most comprehensive residential education and job training program for at-risk youth, with vocational offerings in over 100 different trades in 11 major industries. The goal is to provide students with an opportunity to gain the experience and knowledge they need to begin a career or advance to higher education.

Bizzell assisted with Job Corps’ objectives by introducing new tools to be used in assessing the academic capabilities of students first entering the program, and ensuring that each student is set on a career path that is tailored to his or her knowledge and specific needs. In all aspects of the project, Bizzell worked in close coordination with NOJC, as well as other National Office support contractors, to reach project objectives and manage outcomes.

“The Bizzell team’s dedication and commitment to the success of the project was exhibited in the attention to detail and continual forward-thinking to not only get to implementation as required, but also to get to the ‘value add.'” -Curtis Massey, Workforce Development Specialist, Department of Labor.

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.

Bizzell Partners with NCMA to Support Quest Communities Veterans Project

On April 21st, at the Crystal Lake Golf and Country Club, The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) placed 1st at the 3rd Annual National Contract Management Association (NCMA) Atlanta Golf Invitational. The golf tournament is the largest NCMA event hosted in Atlanta.

Bizzell’s Atlanta based Senior Associate, Lisa Black, serves as the Community Outreach Chair of the NCMA, Atlanta Region. As a growing business committed to deepening our impact, our community outreach work with NCMA aims to support and assist underserved communities in the Atlanta Metropolitan area.

Bizzell partnered with NCMA on this event by sponsoring one hole and providing volunteer support for the event. A portion of this year’s event proceeds will be donated to Quest Communities, Quest Vets Project — which has provided housing assistance to more than 4,000 displaced and or homeless veterans.

Bizzell is excited to have placed 1st in the tournament; but most thrilled to have a sustained partnership with NCMA to support military veterans and other underserved communities in the Atlanta metro. In the coming months, The Bizzell Group will again partner with NCMA to support the Mary Hall Freedom House – a residential treatment center for substance abuse which serves women and children.