Board Member Dr. Eric Armbrecht delivered brief presentation at the Kansas City Diabetes Summit on October 8.  The event, sponsored by Novo Nordisk, drew approximately 100 people from health plans, health systems, community organizations, public health agencies, etc. attended.  The presentation provided a brief overview of the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition’s history, accomplishments and current challenges…. and an invitation to Kansas City leadership to work in partnership across I-70 to improve diabetes care statewide through coalition-based strategies.   (Note: There is no organization with a mission similar to the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition in Kansas City).

We received this notice from the ADA’s national advocacy arm about a house bill for diabetes research and prevention funding… and thought our members might be interested:

I have good news to report about diabetes research and prevention funding. While Congress is largely focused on health care reform, a bipartisan bill (HR 3668) was introduced in the U.S. House two weeks ago that will continue two important programs to help stop and better manage diabetes.

The Special Diabetes Programs (SDP) provide funding for the “Special Statutory Funding Program for Type 1 Diabetes Research” at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the “Special Diabetes Program for Indians” at the Indian Health Service (IHS). The Special Diabetes Programs provides researchers the chance they need to carry out long-term research that can have an impact on thousands of lives. It also allows continued improvements in diabetes prevention and care in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, which could ultimately benefit all people with diabetes. Last year, with the support from our Diabetes Advocates, Congress voted to extend the Special Diabetes Programs through September 2011.

The current bill would continue the programs through 2016 and increase funding for both programs to $200 million (up from $150 million each year). The bill was introduced by the co-chairs of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Mike Castle (R-DE), and the co-chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus, Representatives Dale Kildee (D-MI) and Tom Cole (R-CA).

We expect more action on this issue to occur early next year, and the American Diabetes Association will keep you informed as this moves through Congress.

Sincerely,

President, Medicine & Science
American Diabetes Association
R. Paul Robertson, MD

St. Louis Community/University Health Research Partnerships (CUHRP) is a program designed to provide a vehicle through which to focus research efforts on health care problems of importance to the community with the goal of improving health outcomes and reducing health disparities. The $1.5 million in funds provided by Washington University, Saint Louis University and BJC HealthCare will support the development of research partnerships between community-based organizations in St. Louis City and County and faculty members at Washington University and Saint Louis University.

This program will award up to $100,000 per project to proposals that partner a community-based organization with an academic researcher to investigate, analyze and publicly report findings on an existing health concern within the St. Louis community. Award determinations will be made by panel comprised of community and university representatives who will determine scientific quality and potential for positive impact on health outcomes and disparities, and fit with the interests of the St. Louis Community.

A second year of funding, up to an additional $100,000, may be available for selected projects that demonstrate a successful model of collaboration throughout project implementation and develop a framework to produce important findings. Funding decisions for the second year will be based on the review of a written progress report submitted toward the end of the first year of funding.

All individuals interested in applying for a 2009-2010 Community/University Health Research Partnership grant are encouraged to register contact information and research interests by clicking here.

Letters of Intent (LOI) are due by Friday, January 8. Partnerships with approved LOI will be invited to submit full proposals.

For more information, contact Angela Fleming (St. Louis Regional Health Commission), afleming@stlrhc.org or 314.446.6456 x1011.

On August 5, 2009, Eric Armbrecht, PhD and Joan McGinnis, MSN, CDE delivered the presentation Diabetes@Work: Employer-sponsored Education Services that Deliver Results to approximately 200 attendees at the annual meeting of the American Association of Diabetes Educators.  The 1.5 hour session shared the experience of the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition in developing and delivering diabetes self-management education programs at the worksite since 2004.  Since this program was established, 12 cohorts at 9 employers have completed the program.  Click here to view the presentation handout.

St. Louis Professionals for Healthcare Quality invites you to the upcoming quarterly business meeting which will feature the “The Looming Diabetes Crisis in St. Louis: What it is now and what it will become by 2025″ by Dr William Rowley, MD. Dr. Rowley is a Senior Futurist, Institute for Alternative Futures and Retired Navy Admiral and Former Medical Director of the Bethesda Military Hospital

Date:
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
6:00 P.M. – Registration
6:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. – Program & Dinner

Location: St. Louis Marriott West, 660 Maryville Centre Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141

Please RSVP by September 30th. Please provide Name, Title, Organization, Phone & Email to Beau Richmond, SPHQ Secretary/President-Elect, via email at bar7413@bjc.org

For SPHQ members – free to attend.
If not a SPHQ Member: $35 for 2009 SPHQ Membership.

Speaker support provided by Novo Nordisk

The St. Louis Diabetes Coalition tweets.  You can follow the Coalition on Twitter now (@stldiabetes).  Click here.

Coalition member Mrs. Judy Bentley BSN, NP, President/CEO of Community-Health-in-Partnership Services (CHIPS), has been named to the Smufit-Stone Entrepreneurial Alumni Hall of Fame at Saint Louis University for being a Social Entrepreneur.  In the Jesuit tradition of “women and men for others,” this alumni award recognizes those who have contributed to society through entrepreneurial leadership and service to the community.  Mrs. Bentley’s leadership at CHIPS has been instrumental in developing and implementing a number of diabetes care programs for the un and under-insured … including the Diabetes Network of St. Louis which is an active program for the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition.  The installation luncheon will take place on Sat, September 26 at Saint Louis University John Cook School of Business.  For more information, click here.

FREE EDUCATION PROGRAM and LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP
WELCOMES COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH DIABETES
 
Diabetes Leadership Institute Event is Scheduled
for Saturday August 22, 2009 in Forest Park
 
Adults with diabetes are invited to a hands-on program about taking control of their health… and helping others to do the same.  The 3-hr event will take place on Saturday, August 22, 2009, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM at the Forest Park Golf Course Clubhouse (Norman Probstein Center).  The program is free of charge and includes lunch.  Space is limited to approximately 40 so participants have opportunities to ask questions and receive personalized information. Reservations are required. Call Coco at 314-747-9533 today to make your reservation.  
 
Led by diabetes experts, the Diabetes Leadership Institute uses a small group session format to address diet, exercise, medications, how to talk with your health care provider, and ways to help others in the community living with diabetes.  Diabetes Leadership Institute presenter and assistant professor at Saint Louis University, Dr. Eric Armbrecht says, “The magic of the event seems to occur in the dialogue among participants and the invitation we give them to help others living with diabetes too.” 

“People with diabetes are not alone and they are one of the best resources to help others with diabetes as they can provide support and credible information,” says Dr. Garry Tobin, medical director of the Washington University Diabetes Center at Barnes Jewish Hospital. 
 
Presenters for the Saturday event include:
Joan McGinnis, RN, CDE (Director of Education, St. Louis Diabetes Coalition),
Denise Strehlow, RD, MPH, MSW (Manager of Health Improvement Services, Visiting Nurses Association),
Eric Armbrecht, PhD (Assistant Professor of Medicine and Health Management & Policy, Saint Louis University Center for Outcomes Research), and
Garry Tobin, MD (Medical Director, Washington University Diabetes Center at Barnes Jewish Hospital and Associate Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology).
 
The Diabetes Leadership Institutewas created in 2008 by the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition to help build leadership skills and opportunities for people with diabetes to help themselves and others living with the disease.  The program is part of a broader goal for the St. Louis Coalition to reduce health disparities associated with diabetes. 
 
The event on Saturday, August 22, 2009 will be the third Diabetes Leadership Institute hosted by the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition in 2009.
 
To register or receive additional information, please contact:
 
Coco Bopp, MEd, CHES
314-747-9533
CBOPP@dom.wustl.edu

The Coalition just set an enrollment record for the Diabetes@Work program that is getting started for the City of St. Louis employees.  29 have registered.  This is at capacity… if not a little over.  Joan McGinnis is leading the onsite program which begins in a few weeks.

Last weekend the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition hosted the Diabetes Leadership Institute at the Forest Park Golf Course Clubhouse. The sold-out Saturday event was attended by 34 participants from across the St. Louis area.  A little bit of advertising in two local newspapers went a long way… and some promotional assistance by the City of St. Louis Human Resources Dept brought in 6 City employees.  Side note: The City of St. Louis has been a long-time support of the Coalition’s Diabetes@ Work program.  The participants enjoyed a hands-on learning program about taking control of diabetes… and helping others do the same too. Garry Tobin, MD, Joan McGinnis, MSN, CDE, Denise Strehlow, RD, MPH, MSW and Eric S Armbrecht, PhD led the group sessions. The program was a huge success with the help of Tish Singer who assured all the details were in order. Special thanks go out to Roche Accu-check who provided many meters for the glcuose monitoring demonstration. Comments, questions and interactions among participants clearly showed how valuable programs like the Diabetes Leadership Institute are in the community. Plans are underway for the 4 more Diabetes Leadership Institute programs in 2009.  The Coalition is looking for a few sponsors… at very reasonable rates. Hint, hint.