Physical Address:
Texas Department of State Health Services
1100 West 49th Street
Austin, Texas 78756-3199
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is applying for Component A. DSHS has the capability to serve all populations and communities within the state of Texas.
Diabetes remains one of the leading causes of preventable death in Texas that overwhelmingly affects medically underserved populations. Despite national and state level efforts and progress toward the prevention of diabetes, it continues to have high rates of prevalence across the state. In 2021, age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes was 11.1 percent for Texas, placing Texas as the 11th highest diabetes prevalence among the states. Adjusted estimates were highest among Black and Hispanic Texans at 13.0 percent and 14.5 percent, respectively. Diabetes is especially prevalent in Black, Hispanic, rural populations, and populations with less than a high school education.
The DSHS Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP) has helped Texans prevent and manage diabetes and its complications for decades and will continue dedicating its capacity, resources, and expertise to the reduction of risk factors, the improvement of self-care practices and quality of care, and early detection of related complications. The DPCP staff members have experience working with various adult and adolescent populations experiencing prediabetes, diabetes, and obesity. Staff will work with partners to apply their knowledge and address any challenges and barriers towards program implementation. Additionally, DSHS plans to build internal capacity and collaborate with partner organizations statewide to implement evidence-based, family-centered childhood obesity interventions as a type 2 diabetes risk reduction strategy. This will be achieved through trainings focused on implementing the programs and building related referral services.
Through this funding opportunity, the DSHS aims to: (1) increase the number of individuals enrolled and participating in diabetes prevention and management services by reducing barriers to access such as time constraints and travel via a virtual DPP platform provided to partners; (2) increase the number of evidence-based, family-centered childhood obesity prevention programs and the number of children, other family members, and participants from underserved areas or historically socially disadvantaged populations enrolled; (3) expand referral systems to address social determinants of health; (4) include and expand the use of community health workers (CHWs) in diabetes-related care structures; and (5) ensure that diabetes prevention and management classes across the state that incorporate CHWs are available and accessible to priority populations. The DPCP will achieve these aims through partnerships with organizations such as university health systems, community-based organizations, free to low-cost clinics for underinsured and uninsured populations, federally qualified health centers, and local health departments in the regions of Texas with a high prevalence of diabetes.
Coordinated efforts to increase diabetes resources across the state will be made to reduce the number of preventable deaths, amputations, and hospitalizations as well as decrease the proportion of people with diabetes with an A1C greater than nine percent. The coordinated efforts will also serve to increase the overall population’s health regarding diabetes through improved self-monitoring, family involvement of diabetes management, increased physical activity, improved eating habits focusing on fresh produce and diabetes friendly foods that result in life-long habits. Further adapting programs to successfully help medically underserved populations access and engage in evidence-based care and services will also result in larger numbers of individuals completing CDC-recognized lifestyle change programs and DSMES programs.
