Image of the state of Rhode Island The Rhode Island Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP) has received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since 1979. Activities supported by the Rhode Island DPCP include the following:

Coordinating the Rhode Island Diabetes Advisory Council. The Council, whose 24 members have diverse professional, community, and business backgrounds, has had many successes. The Council played a key role in successfully passing legislation on reimbursement for diabetes supplies and services, including diabetes education and nutrition counseling. The Council's key affiliations and projects are
- Diabetes Resource Center (DRC) - The Minority Subcommittee established the DRC for people with diabetes living in inner city areas. The DRC serves short-term and long-term needs of people with diabetes who cannot afford diabetes-related health care, medications, or culturally appropriate diabetes education.
- Diabetes Outpatient Education (DOE) Board and DOE Educators - The DOE Board coordinates and certifies state diabetes education programs and educators including nurses, dieticians, and pharmacists (currently 172 DOE educators serving all populations in Rhode Island). Diabetes education classes are offered in 35 locations throughout the state with 267 patients per educator.
- Public Education Committee - This committee created a statewide initiative called "My Diabetes Record," which is geared to better self-management of diabetes and the national Healthy People 2010 objectives (eye care, foot care, A1C, lipids, flu and pneumonia vaccinations). All third-party insurers and the Peer Review Organization, Rhode Island Quality Partners, use this standard tool throughout the state. The fifth edition of the Third-Party Reimbursement & Resource Guide has been completed.
- Diabetes and Elderly Subcommittee - This subcommittee works to reduce the burden of diabetes by assessing barriers to care and developing initiatives to address the national objectives. One is the Rhode Island Cooperative Eye Care Project, which identifies patients who have had no eye exam in the last 16 months and helps with access issues like transportation. Products include Diabetes Resources in Rhode Island for people with diabetes and the Medical Transportation Resource Guide.
- Policy Subcommittee - This subcommittee focuses on Medicare, appropriation of funding, and the state-wide "Eureka" Initiative, which is for safe depositing of lancets and needles.
- Diabetes and Children Subcommittee - This subcommittee addresses diabetes issues and policies, including type 2 diabetes among children, and flu and pneumonia recommendations. A current collaboration with school nurse teachers addresses diabetes care policies and diabetes education of school nurse teachers, school staff, and students.
Diabetes Multicultural Coalition (DMC) - The DMC continues work on the "Diabetes Today" model expanding it to the Diabetes Information and Education Referral Specialist (DIERS); this program works with multicultural communities in the state. The DMC also works with the DPCP to reach the national objectives, and in making other DPCP campaigns culturally and linguistically appropriate for the state's communities. Target audiences for this group include Hispanic, Southeast Asian (Hmong, Vietnamese, Laotian), black, African American, Portuguese, Russian, and senior populations.
Teamworks (formerly Diabetes Education Assessment Referral Screening or DEARS) - Teamworks is a comprehensive diabetes education program presented by the DPCP and the peer review organization, Rhode Island Quality Partners. Teamworks has a team of certified diabetes outpatient educators who work with physician practices by providing diabetes education and emphasizing the national diabetes standards of care. Teamworks targets people with diabetes aged 18 years and older.
Diabetes Community Health Improvement Project (Diabetes CHIP) - The DPCP, the Primary Care Association, and Neighborhood Health Plan (a managed care organization), support the state's community health centers by providing technical support for the DEMS database, resources, and promote and sustain activities of the Health Disparities Collaboratives.

Contact information

Diabetes Prevention and Control Program Coordinator
Rhode Island Department of Health
Disease Control and Prevention
3 Capitol Hill, Room 409
Providence, RI 02908
Phone 401-222-3442
Fax 401-222-4415

Additional Information

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Rhode Island Department of Health Diabetes Prevention and Control Program

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This page last reviewed January 31, 2005.

United States Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Diabetes Translation