Diabetes Coalitions & Community Groups
In the fall of 1999, the South Carolina Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP) and the Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina (DSC) formed a partnership to develop local diabetes coalitions across the state in order to increase awareness of the prevention and self-management of diabetes.
A coalition is a diverse group of individuals and organizations that work together to reach a common goal, in this case, diabetes prevention and management. Over the years, the DPCP has expanded their reach from only collaborating with diabetes coalitions to now collaborating with community groups to include faith based entities and non-profit organizations.
Several coalitions and community groups have been established over the years with some of them becoming inactive; however, there are currently 17 active groups across the state. The DPCP provides them with technical assistance through training and skills building activities to further improve their community capacity and outcomes.
Community group members have formed a deep commitment to attending the local chapter meetings along with participating in the local efforts to address diabetes in their communities.
The goals of the diabetes community groups are to:
- Provide a forum for local communities to discuss diabetes-related activities that are locally driven and controlled.
- Share resources and information with the expectation that all such efforts will support the implementation of the Statewide Diabetes Strategic Plan.
- Help create awareness of diabetes and its related issues at the community level.
- Increase communication and coordination among existing organizations and institutions to reduce unnecessary duplication of diabetes related projects.
- Obtain collaboration between organizations.
- Help solicit corporate support for community projects.
Diabetes Mini-grants
The purpose of the South Carolina Diabetes Prevention and Control mini-grants is to support communities working on local solutions to eliminate diabetes health disparities.
The long-term goals for the mini-grants are to help build the capacity of the affected community and create self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that will continue to decrease health disparities and improve quality of life for those at risk for or with diabetes. Mini-grant projects must address one of the following SC DPCP goal areas:
- To prevent complications, disabilities, and burden associated with diabetes.
- Eliminate diabetes-related health disparities.
The projects should support evidence-based activities and promote social, environmental, policy and systems approaches at the state and community levels.
Evidence based activities are considered evidence-based if research reports show that the program produces the expected positive results or outcomes. Community partners should identify and engage representation from populations most affected by health disparities/inequities in the planning, development, and implementation of program interventions; and should build partnerships with groups/organizations that can provide information and insight on the best methods for reaching disparate and high risk populations concerning health issues.
The community groups funded for FY 10-11 are:
- Charleston Diabetes Coalition (Region 7)
- Ephesus Seventh Day Adventist Church Health Ministry (Region 3)
- Georgetown County Diabetes CORE Group (Region 6)
- St. John Baptist Church Wellness Ministry (Region 3)
- Williamsburg County Diabetes Education & Control/Bethesda Community Outreach, Inc. (Region 6)
Community group activities planned for this grant cycle include implementing Diabetes 101 Curriculum Training, nutrition/physical activity programs, development of community gardens, implementation of NDEP’s Control Your Diabetes, For Life Campaign to include usage of NDEP developed materials, Health Ministry Training using the Soulfully Fit Curriculum, implementation of the Choose to Live Curriculum, NDEP’S Power to Prevent Curriculum, WISEWOMAN program, healthy cooking demonstrations, developing or updating a diabetes community resource directory, "Ask the Doctor" community sessions, hosting community diabetes conferences, and developing exercise and nutrition programs within local churches. During the Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina (DSC) Annual Fall Symposium each of the funded community groups are required to display a poster depicting their accomplishments by participating in the scientific poster session. The top three posters receive a monetary reward from DSC. In addition, each funded community group will submit one success story related to their accomplishment from the current grant cycle.
Click here for the 2011-12 mini-grant documents (pdf).
For additional information contact:
(803) 545-4473