A Strategic Approach to Advancing Health Equity for Priority Populations with or at Risk for Diabetes, Component A - Project Abstract Summary PROBLEM: Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in Connecticut (CT) in 2021 with over 50% of the diabetes deaths occurring among residents under the age of 75 years old. An estimated 10.8% of CT adults, or 312,000 adults, have been told they have diabetes. In CT, pre-diabetes, diabetes, disproportionately affect people of lower socio-economic status including Black and Hispanics. PROJECT OUTCOMES: With CDC RFA DP-23-0020 Component A funding, the CT Department of Public Health (DPH), located in Hartford, Connecticut, proposes expanding established 1815 grant activities that reach vulnerable populations. CTDPH’s systematic, public health approach leverages community and state partners to identify and mitigate barriers by working collaboratively to create enduring, sustainable solutions that foster access and engagement with services to increase access to effective evidence-based programs and reduce diabetes rates among CT’s priority populations. PROJECT STRATEGIES / ACTIVITIES: CTDPH has selected these six strategies: 1) Strengthen self-care practices by improving access, appropriateness, and feasibility of diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) services for priority populations; 5) Increase enrollment and retention of priority populations in the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention and the MDPP by improving access, appropriateness, and feasibility of the programs; 6) Expand availability of the National DPP lifestyle intervention as a covered health benefit for Medicaid beneficiaries and/or employees and covered dependents at high risk for type 2 diabetes; 8) Implement, spread, and sustain evidence-based, family-centered childhood obesity interventions; 12) Improve the sustainability of CHWs by building or strengthening a supportive infrastructure to expand their involvement in evidence-based diabetes prevention and management programs and services; 13) Improve the capacity of the diabetes workforce to address factors related to the SDOH that impact health outcomes for priority populations with and at risk for diabetes. Activities are designed to have a statewide impact, including early identification, screening, referrals, and tracking of patient outcomes, with efforts to address social determinants of health (SDOH) utilizing the Community Health Worker (CHW) model. Targeted approached will be within Hartford and New Haven County; designated by the CDC as high-burden counties. Through CT’s required competitive procurement processes, CTDPH will select two health care organizations (HCOs) or federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) that serve high burden community in these counties, and one technical assistance (TA) vendor. A mobile Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) app will be implemented and promoted with providers to foster statewide access and enrollment. CTDPH will conduct yearly 'Learning Collaboratives’ for CT’s Community Health Workers and diabetes workforce featuring speakers from chronic disease and community partners to address SDOH. COORDINATION: CTDPH, will continue work with CT’s Office of Health Strategy (OHS) and the Community Health Workers (CHW) Association of CT to foster promotion and infrastructure efforts. Grant evaluation will be coordinated with UConn Health, the CTDPH 1305 and 1815 evaluator. The 1815 Advisory Panel (AP) will be expanded. Building on the success of the 1815 grant, along with DPH leadership support, and strong network of internal and external partnerships, the 23-0020 proposed activities put CT in an excellent position for effective and sustainable outcomes.
