Diabetes Prevention Programs
It is the mission of the Brancati Center to expand access to the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) across Baltimore City and the State of Maryland. If you are an organization that would be interested in working with us to achieve that mission, please contact Megan Brown, Program Director, at brancaticenter@jhmi.edu.
Working Together to Fight Diabetes in Baltimore
A new $43 million initiative is about to change the lives of many Baltimore residents at risk for diabetes. Earlier this month, the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) awarded the Johns Hopkins Health System and the University of Maryland Medical Center funding to create the Baltimore Metropolitan Diabetes Regional Partnership, which will increase access to diabetes prevention services and education through community-based programs. Johns Hopkins will use a portion of the HSCRC grant to expand the Brancati Center’s diabetes prevention program, the first diabetes prevention program in the city achieving full recognition by the Centers for Disease Control. “When the Brancati Center started working with our community partners in East Baltimore in 2015,” says Nisa Maruthur, a physician, researcher and associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins, “we only dreamed that we would one day see diabetes prevention programs across the entire city. With this HSCRC grant, we will get there.”
The success of the Brancati Center’s diabetes prevention program has much to do with their commitment to strong partnerships with local organizations such as churches and recreation centers. By building support and trust within Baltimore City communities, the program continues to show astounding results. Since 2015, 168 people have started this yearlong program, 115 (68%) have completed it with an average of 89% attendance across 33 sessions and 5.6% weight loss. The center also managed to find creative ways to remain connected with participants during the pandemic, providing remote diabetes prevention programs with 94% attendance. With the funding from the HSCRC grant, these services can extend across even more communities in need.
Dr. Marshall F. Prentice, Pastor of Zion Baptist Church, and Pastor William E. Johnson, Jr, Community Chaplain at Johns Hopkins Medicine, emphasize the importance of this program for the Baltimore community: “The faith community has at the core of its mission the call to lead the faithful in the path of holistic health. This means we care about the mind, body and souls of individuals. Having witnessed the damage diabetes can do to the body, mind and spirit, we believe the diabetes prevention program will be an invaluable tool for helping the Baltimore community combat this disease that has historically caused great suffering and loss, including premature deaths. When it comes to diabetes the old saying is true, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’”
A new $43 million initiative is about to change the lives of many Baltimore residents at risk for diabetes. Earlier this month, the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) awarded the Johns Hopkins Health System and the University of Maryland Medical Center funding to create the Baltimore Metropolitan Diabetes Regional Partnership, which will increase access to diabetes prevention services and education through community-based programs. Johns Hopkins will use a portion of the HSCRC grant to expand the Brancati Center’s diabetes prevention program, the first diabetes prevention program in the city achieving full recognition by the Centers for Disease Control. “When the Brancati Center started working with our community partners in East Baltimore in 2015,” says Nisa Maruthur, a physician, researcher and associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins, “we only dreamed that we would one day see diabetes prevention programs across the entire city. With this HSCRC grant, we will get there.”
The success of the Brancati Center’s diabetes prevention program has much to do with their commitment to strong partnerships with local organizations such as churches and recreation centers. By building support and trust within Baltimore City communities, the program continues to show astounding results. Since 2015, 168 people have started this yearlong program, 115 (68%) have completed it with an average of 89% attendance across 33 sessions and 5.6% weight loss. The center also managed to find creative ways to remain connected with participants during the pandemic, providing remote diabetes prevention programs with 94% attendance. With the funding from the HSCRC grant, these services can extend across even more communities in need.
Dr. Marshall F. Prentice, Pastor of Zion Baptist Church, and Pastor William E. Johnson, Jr, Community Chaplain at Johns Hopkins Medicine, emphasize the importance of this program for the Baltimore community: “The faith community has at the core of its mission the call to lead the faithful in the path of holistic health. This means we care about the mind, body and souls of individuals. Having witnessed the damage diabetes can do to the body, mind and spirit, we believe the diabetes prevention program will be an invaluable tool for helping the Baltimore community combat this disease that has historically caused great suffering and loss, including premature deaths. When it comes to diabetes the old saying is true, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’”
Why the Diabetes Prevention Program?
Due to the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes in America and consistent with Dr. Brancati's work, one of our first areas of focus was mobilization of communities and providers to implement a diabetes prevention program. Type 2 diabetes is a devastating disease for our community, but it is preventable. As part of the Centers for Disease Control's National Diabetes Prevention Program, the Brancati Center has partnered with our community to provide a 12-month lifestyle change program that is proven to prevent type 2 diabetes. The program has rigorous requirements which include attendance at the program's sessions for 12 months, self-monitoring of physical activity, and 5% weight loss.
In partnering with community-based organizations to deliver these programs, we have found that we can increase access and participation, provide skills training for our community coaches, develop community-based approaches to healthier living, and reduce diabetes risk. More than 160 people have enrolled in the year long in-person program; have attended more than 80% of sessions; and have lost an average of 5.6% of their initial weight.
Due to the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes in America and consistent with Dr. Brancati's work, one of our first areas of focus was mobilization of communities and providers to implement a diabetes prevention program. Type 2 diabetes is a devastating disease for our community, but it is preventable. As part of the Centers for Disease Control's National Diabetes Prevention Program, the Brancati Center has partnered with our community to provide a 12-month lifestyle change program that is proven to prevent type 2 diabetes. The program has rigorous requirements which include attendance at the program's sessions for 12 months, self-monitoring of physical activity, and 5% weight loss.
In partnering with community-based organizations to deliver these programs, we have found that we can increase access and participation, provide skills training for our community coaches, develop community-based approaches to healthier living, and reduce diabetes risk. More than 160 people have enrolled in the year long in-person program; have attended more than 80% of sessions; and have lost an average of 5.6% of their initial weight.
Zion Baptist Church
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Memorial Baptist Church
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Are you interested in participating in one of our Diabetes Prevention Programs? Please call us 410-614-6441!
Current Locations: Zion Baptist Church Johns Hopkins Hospital (for JHH Employees) Spring 2021 Location: Israel Baptist Church Memorial Baptist Church |
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