Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), 109 Capitol Street, 11 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04330-6846, will address Component A (Strategies 1,5,8,10,12,13) in the State of Maine with this application. Maine CDC aims to reduce health disparities across the State of Maine related to diabetes prevention and care and childhood obesity with emphasis on priority populations, including Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native and low-income individuals living in rural areas of the state. The goal is to expand access to participation in Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) services and the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) for priority populations in priority counties and across the state through improved multi-directional referral systems, use of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in program outreach and delivery and tailoring to meet the needs of all Mainers. This will be achieved by ensuring that evidence-based interventions focused on these health conditions are appropriate and accessible to all populations, through increasing capacity of diabetes professionals (including CHWs) and community-based programs to address the social determinants of health for those engaged in evidence-based programs.
To ensure equitable statewide reach, Maine CDC will leverage its existing networks (Communities of Practices, Stakeholder groups) and diverse partners (i.e., health care organizations, community-based organizations, clinicians, Medicaid, and employers) to serve all populations engaged in diabetes prevention and support services. Maine CDC will use strategies such as modified SDOH screening tools, multidirectional e- referral systems, and connecting participants to community resources (e.g., food bags, transportation vouchers) to increase enrollment and retention in diabetes prevention and care services and to improve outcomes. Maine CDC will also engage Maine’s CHW network to build infrastructure to strengthen the sustainability of CHW involvement in diabetes prevention and care activities.
Maine CDC expects this work to impact the health of Maine people by increasing access to, enrollment in and completion of diabetes prevention and care services by priority populations, thereby improving diabetes outcomes. Maine CDC expects to see increased screening of priority populations and referrals to diabetes prevention and care services. Maine CDC expects to see increased retention and engagement of priority populations in diabetes prevention and care services when resources are identified and provided to support identified SDOH needs. Additionally, where appropriate, tailored curriculum and delivery will have a positive impact on improving retention and engagement. Maine CDC expects to engage more CHWs to deliver diabetes prevention and care services to support priority populations.
Maine CDCs approach will require continued collaboration with clinical and community organizations to better serve all populations across the state who are at risk for or have type 2 diabetes. Maine CDC will leverage payment initiatives (MaineCare Diabetes Prevention Program, MaineCare Primary Care Plus) to build sustainable staffing and delivery models that can help support delivery of diabetes prevention and care services. Maine CDC is confident in its abilities as well as its capacity to achieve meaningful and measurable impact on reducing disease burden and cost through this US CDC state-level investment over the next five years.
