Suicide Prevention Awareness: “Creating hope through action.”

Suicide Prevention Awareness: “Creating hope through action.”

September is National Suicide Prevention Month and September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021), suicide is the 10th leading cause of death and the 2nd leading cause of death in youth and young adults between the ages of 10-34 in the United States.These are startling statistics and highlight the importance of knowing the facts about suicide and suicide prevention. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions and false assumptions about suicide. To help those in crisis, everyone should take the time to learn the facts about suicide.

In this Psychology Today article, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, CEO of The Bizzell Group, debunks some of the common false assumptions about suicide, identifies the triggers for suicide, and shares actions you can take and things you can say if someone is considering suicide.

READ MORE: Suicide Prevention Awareness: “Creating hope through action”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Facts About Suicide. Retrieved October 13, 2021, from: https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/

Bizzell Sponsors the Veteran’s Appreciation Luncheon and Outreach Event

Bizzell Sponsors the Veteran’s Appreciation Luncheon and Outreach Event

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, as well as Veterans.

ESGR was started by the U.S. 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 7, in Atlanta, GA, in collaboration with the 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 a 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 health and welfare of individuals.

Bizzell also supports the military through our U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contract, which focuses on suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention 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, Bizzell assists the DoD with the development and implementation of a suicide prevention, outreach, and communication plan for Service members, their families, and DoD civilians.

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.