Diabetes Today is a training program that looks at diabetes from a public health perspective. The goal of the training is to create community-based diabetes initiatives to help people deal with diabetes. The philosophy of this curriculum is that people can take charge of diabetes at the community level. Rather than relying on expensive medical treatment after the complications of diabetes have already developed, community members — people with diabetes and their families, health professionals, and other concerned individuals — can work together to prevent and control diabetes. By emphasizing public health and community organizing, this curriculum focuses on the strengths of communities and their ability to work creatively to deal with the problems caused by diabetes.

This training developed from a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Diabetes Advisory Board for a course to help health care professionals assure the development of effective community-based programs. The training provides skill-building instruction to participants who in turn will teach others to lead communities through a planning process. The training is designed to empower communities to develop appropriate interventions that will prevent or reduce diabetes complications and improve diabetes care.

CDC has established working relationships with two organizations for the purpose of providing Diabetes Today training, which will be available for all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and in six United States-affiliated jurisdictions in the Pacific. Training sessions will also be offered in Spanish and all course materials will be culturally appropriate. This training program has been designed to enable communities to develop and implement effective diabetes control activities that, over time, will significantly reduce the personal and financial cost of diabetes to individuals, families, communities, states, and the nation.

For more information, call toll-free 1-800-CDC-INFO
1-888-232-6348 TTY ; E-mail cdcinfo@cdc.gov .

Historical
Page last modified: December 12, 2005
Content Source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Diabetes Translation

CDC Home | Search | Health Topics A-Z

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