Last Updated: December 14, 2022

Author: Diabetes Program, Vermont Department of Health

During Q1 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused many in-person Diabetes Prevention (DPP) workshop cancelations. During Q2 2020, health service areas began to transition to a distance learning format. In Q3 and Q4 2020, workshops continued to be offered online, and HSAs began to send registrants to other HSAs workshops with the goal of filling existing workshops, rather than running many workshops with lower participation. This has continued through all quarters in 2021; in Q4 2021, there were 3 HSAs offering workshops, with 63 Vermonters completing the workshop during that quarter and an average of 13 completers per workshops, versus Q1 2020, when 6 HSAs were offering DPP workshops, 57 Vermonters completed the workshop and there was an average of 8 completers per workshop.

The Vermont Department of Health Heart Disease and Diabetes programs took on management of the MyHealthyVT self-management workshops in fall of 2021from the Vermont Blueprint for Health. During this time of transition, the VDH team has been working with regional coordinators on cross-region collaboration through statewide workshops serving more Vermonters.

Data through Q4 2021 is from the Vermont Blueprint for Health Data Portal.

• Statewide Regional Coordinators from partnering HSAs
• MyHealthyVT Workshop Facilitators
• Vermont Blueprint for Health
• Support and Services at Home (SASH)
• HARK Web Design
• Community Health Improvement (CHI)

On the national front, the CDC has established partnerships with organizations including state health departments to expand the diabetes prevention program throughout the country. The evidence summarized in this link indicates that these programs are more effective than medical therapies in preventing or delaying diabetes. Because of the year-long commitment, it is difficult to accommodate people who are waiting to begin the initial 16-week phase. Vermont Department of Health provides support to the Diabetes Prevention Program via marketing, web services to connect Vermonters with programs, and other infrastructure such as recruitment of Vermonters to be trained as facilitators. Vermont Department of Health's target performance measure is to have at least one Diabetes Prevention Program running in its initial phase (the first 16 weeks) in every health service area during each reporting quarter.

During 2019 VDH staff will:

1. Work with Community Health Improvement to market and educate community, state and medical partners about the diabetes self-management programs.

2. Work with our Communications Coordinator and our marketing contractor to improve and market our self-management class website, http://myhealthyvt.org/.

3. Continue to explore new means of making the Diabetes Prevention Program more accessible, including pursuing a web-based program. The first Diabetes Prevention Program web-based pilot program began in Washington County in May, 2019 and we are in the planning process for a statewide online program.