There is a tremendous burden diabetes places on the Seneca Nation's community. In 2012 the diabetes incidence rate within the SNHS was 20.4 percent. The SNHS has shown improvement with a current rate of 15.2 percent in Health System users. In the Seneca Nation communities receiving SDPI funds, the program has increased significantly the availability of diabetes prevention and treatment services. These increased services translated into remarkable improvements in diabetes care.
Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) has consistently benefited our communities by providing staffing and programs that educate and teach the community how to prevent, live, and improve outcomes with diabetes and its related issues. The SDPI Team, along with the medical units of the Seneca Nation Health System (SNHS) work to reach patients on a daily basis. We offer one on one education, case management, nutrition counseling, a support group, exercise programs, healthy foods promotion such as "veggie bucks", community awareness activities and collaborate with other programs such as the community centers, early childhood learning centers, and senior service centers.
In the Seneca Nation, SDPI programs are making a real difference. The SDPI Program is housed within the Lionel R. John Health Center (Allegany Territory) and the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation Health Center (Cattaraugus Territory) and allows for registered nurses and certified diabetes educators to case manage our patients with diabetes.
SDPI is saving lives, transforming the community and the way diabetes is treated, and saving our healthcare system dollars as well. The Seneca Nation relies on support of SDPI. The difference our SDPI program is making for the communities who are dealing with the burdens of diabetes is incredible. We open the SDPI program to the entire user population because all patients are at a high risk for developing diabetes by being of Native American descent and/or family history. Making the SDPI program non-exclusive allows for the SDPI staff to reach the most people and have the largest impact. Our population is growing and in order to continue to provide our services at or above the current level continued and increased resources are essential.