Illinois Diabetes Prevention and Control Program

Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that poses a significant health problem. Nearly 30.3 million people in the United States (9.4% of the population) have diabetes. About one-third of these people do not know they have diabetes. Each year, 1.5 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed. In Illinois, approximately 1.3 million adults (12.5% of the population) have diabetes, but roughly 341,000 of those don’t know they have the disease . It is estimated that 84 million Americans have prediabetes, of which 3.6 million live in Illinois. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death nationally and in Illinois.

Individuals with diabetes are at an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, dental disease, and lower extremity amputations (not related to injuries). Diabetes and its complications occur among all age, racial, and ethnic groups.

As of July 1, 2010, the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, which had been part of the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) since 1997, was transferred to IDPH.

With the return of the diabetes program, IDPH has been working to improve the health of people at risk for or affected by diabetes.

Starting October 1, 2018, the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program began work on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 1815 grant and focused on:

• Improving access to and participation in American Diabetes Association (ADA) recognized and American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) accredited Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support programs (DSME/S) in underserved areas.
• Increasing pharmacists' engagement in medication management for DSME for people with diabetes.
  
• Collaborating with payers and relevant public and private sector organizations within the state to expand the availability of the National Diabetes Prevention Program as a covered benefit for Medicaid beneficiaries, state/public employees, and private sector organizations.
  
• Implementing strategies to increase enrollment in CDC-recognized lifestyle change programs.
  
• Developing a statewide infrastructure to promote long-term sustainability/reimbursement for community health workers.
  

In December 2016, IDPH began development of a Diabetes Action Plan to cover the period of 2018 through 2020. The process was funded by a grant from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and facilitated by the consulting firm Leading Healthy Futures. The project brought together diverse stakeholders from Illinois' private and public sectors. IDPH, Leading Healthy Futures, and the stakeholders, engaged in developing goals, objectives, and strategies. From this, a ‘3-5-7’ strategic framework was established. Implementation of the Diabetes Action Plan began in February 2018 and serves as a guide for stakeholders to support and sustain evidence-based lifestyle change programs for preventing and managing Type 2 diabetes. The plan calls for increasing knowledge and awareness; establishing mechanisms for referral, recruitment, and retention; using innovative delivery and care models; enhancing the quality of care; and driving policy and funding efforts.