Project Abstract: Diabetes HIPE (Healing Inequities through Partner Excellence)
Diabetes HIPE is a statewide, collaborative project led by the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM), aligned with COMPONENT B of the CDC-RFA-DP-23-0020 funding opportunity. This project will reach Michigan residents in rural settings in the Upper Peninsula/Northern Michigan area (Chippewa [pop. 36,816], Kalkaska [pop. 17,979], Luce [pop. 5,309], Mackinac [pop.10,906], Mecosta [pop. 40,031] and Wexford Counites [pop. 33,901]) and in the West Michigan area (Muskegon [pop. 176,511], Oceana [pop. 26,815], and Newaygo [50,296] Counties), as well as the urban settings of Saginaw [pop. 189,591] and Wayne Counties [pop. 1,774,816] in Southeast Michigan, with a total population of 2,362,941. This broad mix of partners, residents and geographic locations provides a rich, diverse context for the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) to proliferate. Together these partnerships will work to reduce health inequities and strengthen prevention efforts and assets in key underserved Michigan populations: Black/African Americans, Hispanic and Latino residents, and individuals who are Medicaid and/or Medicare eligible or a beneficiary thereof. The population of highest priority will be those with disproportionate risk of chronic diseases and those who experience racial/ethnic or socioeconomic disparities, including inadequate access to care, elderly, and/or low income. Each setting selected is comprised of populations with a high prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes. Compounded by health and governmental institutions created and developed through systemic racism, remote geography, and/or personal ability to provide for basic needs, residents in these areas also lack access to many of the services needed to prevent or manage their chronic conditions. The project plan builds on strong, existing relationships with key stakeholders in the selected communities. These partners have demonstrated experience in reaching the priority populations in their geographic areas and include both
subject matter experts and service providers. All project partners will focus on prevention of diabetes among high-risk individuals through the proliferation of the DPP in their service area, while working collaboratively to tailor outreach messaging and build customized, structural support to contribute to the success of the DPP participants.
This project also builds on the work of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and NKFM over the last five years by finalizing the Michigan Medicaid DPP benefit and collectively working with Michigan Medicaid plans to tailor messaging and outreach to their beneficiaries to increase participation in the DPP. NKFM and MDHHS will also work with health centers and health plans to increase the rates of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) screenings, and to better manage these complications and connect individuals with CKD or DR to self-management supports. In addition, NFKM will partner with the YMCAs in Michigan to expand the use evidence-based childhood obesity interventions. The expected outcomes of this project include: an increased number of organizations adapting and tailoring their approach to implementing the DPP, with more residents in more diverse areas in Michigan participating in the lifestyle change intervention; increased screening for CKD and DR by health care organizations; and, reducing the incidence of obesity in children through family engagement and empowerment. With nearly 10 years' experience providing the DPP to the most vulnerable populations and tailoring/delivering SDOH intervention strategies, coupled with NKFM’s demonstrated statewide leadership for CKD intervention plans, NKFM is uniquely positioned to convene other statewide experts in diabetes prevention, health plan coverage and intervention delivery to reduce risk factors for diabetes among the priority populations.