Partnership Makes Free Self-Management Education Available
Submission Date: December 2010
State/Territory Submitted on the Behalf of: New York
States/Territories Involved: New York
Domain Addressed:Community-Clinical Linkages
Public Health Issue:- The northern New York region including St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Lewis counties has the highest rate of diabetes in the state.
- Diabetes self-management education is crucial to diabetes treatment because it is effective in improving blood sugar control.
- This important education often is not readily available in communities, especially for people without a way to pay for it.
- In St. Lawrence County alone, almost forty percent of the population earns less than $25,000 a year and thirteen percent report having no health insurance.
- The Community Diabetes Regional Outreach Partnership is a coalition of upstate New York counties committed to raising awareness and educating the community about diabetes risk and prevention.
- Claxton Hepburn Medical Center, a member of the Partnership, held a free Community Diabetes Education Day. Funds from the New York State Department of Health Diabetes Prevention and Control Program and a grant from the pharmaceutical company Novo-Nordisk to the hospital’s diabetes management program covered costs.
- The curriculum was developed by a team of providers using the American Diabetes Association Standards for Diabetes Self Management Education group classes.
- The program reached over thirty people with diabetes and some spouses.
- Participants say they feel better able to manage their diabetes since participating in the program making it more likely they’ll take steps to control their diabetes.
- The program reached people who otherwise may not have been able to benefit – about a fourth of the participants lacked sufficient health insurance.
- As one participant says, “this was the most informative session I have ever experienced.”
- A number of participants continue to attend monthly sessions providing support for the important steps they are taking to control their diabetes.
Diabetes
State Contact Information:
New York
Nicole Garnsey
Community Diabetes Regional Outreach Partnership
(315) 783-6810
kngarnsey@yahoo.com