PARTNERS ON THE PATH — to Better Health

Submission Date: December 2013

State/Territory Submitted on the Behalf of: Michigan

States/Territories Involved: Michigan

Domain Addressed:

Community-Clinical Linkages

Public Health Issue:

• Programs such as Stanford University’s Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP), a series of peer-led workshops, are an evidence-based way to improve health outcomes and reduce disability for people with many different chronic conditions, including diabetes.
• This proven program helps people manage and improve their own health and communicate better with their health care provider, while reducing health care costs.
• Widespread provision of workshops to many state residents can maximize the proven program benefits.

Program Action:

• Michigan Partners on the PATH (MI PATH) is a network of organizations that coordinates and implements CDSMP (known as PATH in Michigan) across the state. The Michigan Department of Community Health diabetes and arthritis programs and the Office of Services to the Aging partnered to build a system of more than 60 participating organizations for coordinating, implementing, and expanding the reach of CDSMP in Michigan.
• MI PATH implements the Stanford CDSMP model without modification and maintains the fidelity of the program by pairing experienced leaders with new leaders, providing a New Leader Manual, holding refresher trainings, convening annual meetings and providing technical assistance. Master trainers are also encouraged to conduct fidelity checks on newly trained leaders.

Impact/Accomplishments:

• Michigan’s implementation of CDSMP workshops with fidelity (meaning true to the original design) indicates that health outcomes are improved for participants.
• Michigan delivered 1,085 workshops to 11,162 people with chronic conditions over six years.
• Almost all participants (96%) continue to use techniques learned in workshop and would recommend the workshop to family and friends

Program Areas:

Public Health Practice

State Contact Information:

MI
Karen McCloskey
Michigan Department of Community Health
517-335-1236
mccloskeyk@michigan.gov

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