Easing the Mental Toll of HIV and AIDS

Easing the Mental Toll of HIV and AIDS

Epidemics and pandemics. HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. National and global issues affecting people around the world and highlighting health inequities that impact access to health and mental health care. During the physical and mental health stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions are also living with the ongoing effects of HIV/AIDS. “Since the global epidemic began, an estimated 79.3 million people have been infected with the HIV virus and 36.3 million people have died of HIV-related illnesses,” said Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., President/CEO of The Bizzell Group.

Individuals living with HIV/AIDS often experience discrimination, stigma, persecution, isolation, and exclusion, which can lead to depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and other negative mental health effects. There is proven benefit from mental health groups, HIV/AIDS support groups, talk therapy, physical exercise, and meditation.

Several effective vaccines were developed within the first year of the emergence of COVID-19, yet forty years after it was first identified there is still no vaccine for HIV/AIDS. Although there are still healthcare inequities, through the efforts from UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), several U.S. government agencies (including U.S. Department of State) millions have received people-centered physical and mental health HIV services in over 55 countries. HIV/AIDS remains a public health and mental health crisis. While there is significant research, education, training, and technical assistance taking place, there is much more to do in the U.S. and around the world. Everyone needs to contribute to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Read more: Easing the Mental Toll of HIV-AIDS

Bizzell Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary and Gives Back to Orphanage in Africa

Bizzell Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary and Gives Back to Orphanage in Africa

 

December 14, 2021 (New Carrollton, MD) – The Bizzell Group (Bizzell), an award-winning strategy, technology, and consulting firm, was featured in local media in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for its global health and humanitarian focus and contributions to the Leve Moi Orphanage, an organization founded to serve children orphaned by natural disasters like the May 2021 Mount Nyiragongo volcano eruption, on-going political conflict and tension, and health epidemics including HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19.

Bizzell donated 30 bunk beds, 60 mattresses, and dozens of mosquito nets to Leve Moi Orphanage. The donations, locally sourced from DRC businesses, will help the orphanage continue to serve the ongoing needs of the children in Goma, as they do not receive State funding and rely on the goodwill of donors like Bizzell to deliver essential services such as free education and meals. Leve Moi Orphanage serves nearly 500 children each day from the surrounding community and houses dozens of children overnight. During the trip to DRC, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, President/CEO, and members from Bizzell’s Global leadership team, Yomi Jones, Vice President of Finance & Global Operations, and Rose Amolo, Director of Global Programs, traveled over 2000 miles from Kinshasa to Goma to visit the Leve Moi Orphanage. The children of Leve Moi welcomed, embraced, and thanked the Bizzell team through song and dance during the visit.

Learn more about this story as covered by local media in Goma: https://youtu.be/yNriMkva9CQ

                                                   

Bizzell continued its 10 Year Anniversary celebration with its global staff in Kinshasa, honoring Bizzell’s DRC staff for their dedication to the firm’s global mission and international success. Dr. Bizzell addressed attendees at the celebration, noting Bizzell’s continued growth and global commitment, including expanding an initial two-person team into a global operation with representation in six countries around the world. In addition to Bizzell team members, other guests in attendance included staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Special Assistant to the President of DRC, Dr. Benjamin Bola, and other implementing partners and private sector representatives from Equity Bank and Vodacom.

Bizzell’s 10 Year Anniversary in DRC, combined with its philanthropic efforts continue to highlight and emphasize the firm’s focus on global expansion, addressing issues that improve the overall quality of life for people in low, emerging, and middle-income countries. DRC is the largest office in the Bizzell Global portfolio, with 13 staff implementing and supporting various global health protection activities including laboratory strengthening, health workforce development, early detection, treatment, and disease surveillance for Ebola, COVID-19, other epidemics and vaccine preventable diseases including Measles, Polio, Meningitis, Cholera, Monkey Pox.

About Bizzell

Established in 2010, Bizzell is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) strategy, consulting, and technology firm with a passion to improve lives and accelerate change. Bizzell develops innovative solutions to some of the most critical issues of our time, including the opioid, Ebola, and COVID-19 epidemics. Under the leadership and vision of founder, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, the company has grown into a thriving firm headquartered in New Carrollton, Maryland with staff and offices in various regions around the world including California, Colorado, Georgia, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

3 Xanax Addiction Signs to Lookout For

3 Xanax Addiction Signs to Lookout For

Nearly 52 million Americans 18 and older are living with a mental illness and/or substance use disorder.  In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports of people suffering from panic disorders and anxiety are increasing. A common medication for treating panic disorders and anxiety is a prescription drug called Xanax. While Xanax can help relieve anxiety and panic symptoms, it is highly addictive. It is important that individuals taking Xanax become aware of the signs of an addiction to Xanax, which can include withdrawing from relationships and preoccupation with your Xanax use.  As individuals become preoccupied with maintaining a steady supply of Xanax, financial troubles and concerning behaviors may increase. In a recent WebMD Connect to Care article on signs of Xanax addiction, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, CEO of The Bizzell Group and a substance abuse expert, highlighted some additional telltale signs: “Maintaining a supply of the drug on hand, mixing with alcohol or other drugs, and developing dangerous behaviors to obtain the prescription, including stealing or getting it from the streets.”

Recognizing the signs of an addiction is an important step towards getting help to treat an addiction—for yourself or others you love.

READ MORE: 3 Xanax Addiction Signs to Lookout For

Bizzell Wins Three MUSE Creative Awards for Public Health Projects

September 30, 2021 (New Carrollton, MD) – The Bizzell Group (Bizzell), one of the fastest growing companies in America according to Inc. Magazine and Washington Business Journal, has won three MUSE Creative Awards, including one Gold and two Silver awards. Bizzell was recognized for integrated marketing content, websites, and publications designed to support the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to tackle critical public health issues including the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, Bizzell received the Gold MUSE Creative Award for the BeSafeRx Relaunch, a national campaign sponsored by the FDA to educate consumers and healthcare providers about the potential dangers of buying prescription medicine online.

Bizzell received a Silver MUSE Creative Award for the CMS-CDC Fundamentals of COVID-19 Prevention for Nursing Home Management website—an on-demand nursing home training series designed to help address the infection prevention challenges impacting long-term care facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bizzell also received a Silver award for the CMS Toolkit on State Action to Mitigate COVID-19 Prevalence—a publication of curated content designed to facilitate and share best practices to manage the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes.

Bizzell’s clients drive real world change and Bizzell staff accelerate it. According to Anton C. Bizzell, M.D., Founder and CEO of Bizzell, “during this COVID-19 pandemic, our clients need creativity and innovation. The Bizzell team delivered and disseminated solutions to help the public access critical information on prescriptions drugs and supported health care providers with enhanced quality improvement tools and resources during unprecedented times.”

The MUSE Awards is a series of international competitions hosted by the International Awards Associate (IAA), catering to professionals from various industries in hopes of promoting excellence in their respective fields. “There is a saying that ‘there is nothing new under the sun’,” said Kenjo Ong, CEO of IAA. “It couldn’t be any further from the truth – there is always something fresh and exciting from the competitors every year.”

IAA ensures impartiality and strict assessment criteria by setting up a jury made up of industry professionals who exhibit high standards of excellence. In turn, the jury would select a new wave of excellent individuals or organizations, who would likely set new benchmarks in their fields.

About The MUSE Creative Awards

The MUSE Creative Awards is part of the MUSE Awards Program, which was created by the IAA in 2015. IAA’s inception was based on a mission to honor, promote and encourage creativity by providing a new standard of excellence for evaluation media design production and distribution. IAA’s mission has largely shaped MCA’s goal.

At its core, MUSE Creative Awards international competition inspires creative professionals to strive for to greater heights. With their concepts, ideas or designs, these creatives light a fire in each other, thus becoming a muse.

Website: MUSE Creative Awards / MUSE Design Awards

Facebook: MUSE Awards

Twitter: MUSE Awards

Instagram: MUSE 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 designs innovative solutions to help build healthy, secure, and sustainable communities around the world. Bizzell’s expert staff and consultants support health, scientific, education, environmental, research, and information technology projects that advance national priorities. Learn more about how Bizzell develops data-driven, research-informed, innovative solutions at: www.thebizzellgroup.com