NACDD is one of 10 organizations awarded a five-year cooperative agreement from CDC (DP17-1705) to scale the National DPP in underserved areas. NACDD is focused on implementing strategies across four states with an emphasis on priority populations, such as persons with disabilities, Medicare beneficiaries, and the general public who have prediabetes. The plan includes setting up new CDC-recognized lifestyle change programs and supporting them with marketing, retention, referrals, and reimbursement strategies.

In the first year of the project, NACDD conducted site visits in Alaska, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania. Achievements include:

• At least nine, new CDC-recognized organizations applied for recognition status, with close to 30 lifestyle change coaches being trained.
• Two virtual models are being offered, one of which is telephonic. The telephonic coaches are reaching participants in areas of Alaska where internet is unreliable and in-person classes may be many miles away.
• Each of the states has a unique approach to marketing and raising awareness befitting their residents, and many employed tactics like radio or newspaper ads, door to door flyers, and marketing at local events such as farmers markets, health fairs, and music festivals.
• All states identified health system partners and began the process of training physicians to screen, test, and refer, with at least one health system beginning the process of building reminders into their electronic medical record.

NACDD provided onsite technical assistance for each of the states and met with many prospective partners in the health system and payer/employer area. In the project’s second year, a specific focus on Medicare beneficiaries and preparing sites to become MDPP suppliers is planned. For more information, contact Ali Jaglowski.