Chicago CARES to Prevent Diabetes

The Chicago Collaboration to Advance Reach, Equity and Systems to Prevent Diabetes is a multi-sector effort to expand access to evidence-based diabetes prevention programs and telehealth diabetic retinopathy screening in Chicago community areas that have a disproportionate burden of type 2 diabetes and lack sufficient preventive services. In partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health, and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Chicago CARES is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program.

Learn more about pre-diabetes and Chicago CARES

E-Referral Systems

Implement systems to facilitate bi-directional e-referral between health care systems and CDC-recognized lifestyle change programs

Access

Increase access to CDC-recognized lifestyle change programs to prevent type 2 diabetes

Advanced Training

Improve program quality through a learning collaborative, advanced training and support for lifestyle coaches

Sustainability

Advance Medicaid/payor coverage and build systems and infrastructure to support long-term programming

Teleretinal Diabetic Retinopathy Screening

Expand diabetic retinopathy screening via telehealth through practice transformation and a learning collaborative

Chicago CARES Years 1-4 Impact

National Diabetes Prevention Programs Launched

Lifestyle Coaches Trained

Program Participants

Partnerships

Chicago CARES Partners

CDC-Recognized Lifestyle Change Program Provider Partners:

  • Erie Family Health Centers
  • First Mile Care
  • Inner-City Muslim Action Network
  • Mile Square Health Center
  • Near North Health
  • Sinai Urban Health Institute
  • The Chicago Lighthouse
  • Universidad Popular

Systems Change and Support Partners

  • AgeOptions (explore establishing umbrella hub)
  • Alivio Medical Center (Healthy Chicago Equity Zone project partner) American Medical Association
  • AllianceChicago (bi-directional e-referral and FQHC-based DPP development) 
  • American Medical Association (bi-directional e-referral and provider and health and hospital system engagement)
  • Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (Lifestyle coach training, learning collaborative, and advanced training, subject matter experts)
  • Chicago Department of Public Health
  • Community Advisory Group
  • CommunityHealth (diabetic teleretinopathy learning collaborative)
  • Cook County Health (systems development)
  • First Mile Care (Healthy Chicago Equity Zone project partner)
  • Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation (Healthy Chicago Equity Zone project partner)
  • Howard Brown Health Center (diabetic teleretinopathy learning collaborative)
  • Illinois Department of Public Health
  • Kivvit (communications, branding and message development, website development)
  • National Association of Chronic Disease Directors
  • Northwest Center (Healthy Chicago Equity Zone project partner)
  • Phalanx Family Services (Healthy Chicago Equity Zone project partner)
  • Ron Ackerman and Matt O’Brien from Northwestern University (subject matter experts)
  • Sinai Urban Health Institute (evaluators)
  • Swedish Hospital (Healthy Chicago Equity Zone project partner)
  • Tapestry 360 Health (diabetic teleretinopathy learning collaborative)

Learn More Today!

To learn more about the Chicago CARES to Prevent Diabetes program, contact Janna Simon, Director of the Center for Policy & Partnership Initiatives at 312-786-5365.