Partners in Care Foundation’s Diabetes Support Program has been named an accredited diabetes education program by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), a National Accredited Organization certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The accreditation will provide increased access to high quality diabetes education services for people living in Los Angeles County.
Diabetes education is a collaborative process through which people with, or at risk for, diabetes gain the knowledge and skills needed to modify behavior and successfully self-manage the disease and its related conditions. Program participants are encouraged to identify behavior changes that they’d like to make, and establish a clinical outcome they’d like to improve – a lower hemoglobin A1c test result, for example.
“Over the course of seven weeks, participants build action plans that support their overarching health goals,” explains Karol Matson, Director, Health Self-Management Services at Partners. “The program provides group diabetes education, plus one-on-one support from the program instructors, as needed. At the end of the program the goal is for each participant to have an on-going plan for self-management, a clear understanding of what they need to do to manage their condition, and knowledge of where they can find additional support.”
The program, which is Medicare reimbursable, was piloted through the Northeast Valley Health Corporation to establish its effectiveness. “AADE’s accreditation assures that the program meets the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. Programs that meet these criteria are considered high quality and have been shown to improve the health status of individuals who embrace the education,” commented Leslie E. Kolb, RN, BSN, MBA, Accreditation Director for the Diabetes Education Accreditation Program. “Partners in Care Foundation’s Diabetes Support Program is exactly the type of program we envisioned when we set up our accreditation in 2009.”
Read the story of the Sunrise Villas diabetes self-management workshop here.
For more information on hosting or leading health self-management workshops please contact Karol Matson, Director, Health Self-Management Services, kmatson@picf.org / 818 837 3775 x 114
