The public is invited to the 21st Annual Diabetes Wellness Expo on June 20, 2023 at Delaware Technical Community College’s Terry Campus in Dover, Delaware. The free event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Del-One Conference Center, located at 100 Campus Drive. Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long will speak at noon.

The Expo is hosted by the Delaware Diabetes Coalition (DDC) and sponsored by the Division of Public Health’s (DPH) Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention and Control Program (DHDPC) and the Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention Program. Bronze sponsors are AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware, Anodyne Pain & Wellness Solutions, Beebe Healthcare, Delaware First Health and Tidal Health.

More than 95,000 Delaware adults reported in 2021 that they had been diagnosed with diabetes, according to the Delaware Behavioral Risk Factor Survey. The survey also shows that 84,800 additional Delaware adults reported being diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Progression to type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by losing weight, engaging in at least 150 minutes of physical activity weekly and improving one’s diet.

People with diabetes, pre-diabetes, caregivers, employers and health professionals are encouraged to attend the Diabetes Wellness Expo to learn how to prevent complications of the chronic disease, such as kidney failure, adult blindness, lower limb amputations, heart disease and stroke.

More than 30 exhibitors and educational seminars will provide information about diabetes management, nutrition, exercise, medication adherence, hearing and mental health.  Diabetes and blood pressure screenings, hearing screenings, stress assessment and COVID-19 testing and vaccinations are offered at no cost. Health screenings are provided by DPH’s Kent County Mobile Unit, Beebe Healthcare Delaware State University, Mast Audiology Services and PACE Your LIFE.

A complimentary lunch is included for registered attendees. To register or become a vendor for the Diabetes Wellness Expo, visit https://www.dediabetescoaliton.org/wellness-expo/.  Vendors must register by June 9. Attendees can register up to the day of the event. For more information, contact DDC at director@dediabetescoalition.org or 302-519-6767.

To learn more about diabetes management and prevention programs and resources, visit https://www.healthydelaware.org/Individuals/Diabetes#effects or call DHDPC at 302-744-1020.

DOVER, DE (MAY 9, 2022) – The Delaware Division of Public Health’s (DPH) Diabetes & Heart Disease Prevention & Control Program (DHDPC) and the Delaware Diabetes Coalition are co-sponsoring the 20^th Annual Diabetes Wellness Expo on May 10, 2022, at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington, Delaware. The event is free to the public and will be held in the Kent Open Air Barn from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m..

More than 96,800 Delaware adults reported in 2020 that they had been diagnosed with diabetes, according to Delaware Behavioral Risk Factor Survey.  The survey also shows 75,100 additional Delaware adults reported being diagnosed with pre-diabetes.  Progression to type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by losing weight, engaging in at least 150 minutes of physical activity weekly, and improving one’s diet.  

People with diabetes, pre-diabetes, caregivers, employers, and health professionals are encouraged to attend the Diabetes Wellness Expo to learn how to prevent complications of the chronic disease, such as kidney failure, adult blindness, lower-limb amputations, heart disease, and stroke.  

About the Annual Diabetes Wellness Expo 

More than 50 exhibitors and educational seminars will provide information about diabetes management, nutrition, exercise, medication adherence, foot care, and depression.  Diabetes and blood pressure screenings, cooking demonstrations, dental and eye exams, and COVID-19 vaccinations are offered at no cost.  Complimentary $10 lunch vouchers for onsite food trucks will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional co-sponsors include DPH’s Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention Program, Bayhealth, Simon Eye Associates, and AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware.  

To register or become a vendor for the Diabetes Wellness Expo, visit https://www.dediabetescoalition.org/wellness-expo/.  For more information about the Diabetes Wellness Expo, send questions to director@dediabetescoalition.org or call the Delaware Diabetes Coalition at 302-388-9728. 

To learn more about diabetes management and prevention programs and resources, visit https://www.healthydelaware.org/Individuals/Diabetes#knowing or call DPH’s Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention and Control Program at 302-744-1020. 

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Anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind or speech disabled can contact DPH by dialing 711 first using specialized devices (i.e., TTY, TeleBraille, voice devices). The 711 service is free and to learn more about how it works, please visit delawarerelay.com. 

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

DOVER, DE (June 28, 2021) – Increasing in-person and online access to diabetes programs and establishing a diabetes registry are key recommendations in The Impact of Diabetes in Delaware, 2021 report, delivered to the Delaware General Assembly Monday June 28.

The biennial report was produced by Delaware’s Department of Health and Social Service’s Division of Public Health (DPH) and Division of Medicaid & Medical Assistance (DMMA), and the Department of Human Resources’ Statewide Benefits Office (SBO).

DPH, DMMA, and SBO make eight recommendations to reduce Delaware’s diabetes burden and improve health outcomes among adults with, or who are at-risk for, the disease:

1. Promote healthy lifestyles through stakeholder collaboration.

2. Continue to educate State of Delaware employees and retirees, especially those at highest risk for diabetes and its related complications, about the signs and symptoms of diabetes and available prevention and management programs/resources, and to continue to highlight the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) and Medicare Prevention Program as covered benefits.

3. Promote clinical-community linkages to increase the percentage of Delawareans with diabetes who comply with diabetes recommendations.

4. Leverage electronic health record capabilities and other technologies to improve medication adherence among people with diabetes.

5. Develop a statewide Delaware Diabetes Registry to monitor diabetes management and reduce disparities in health outcomes among Delawareans with diabetes.

6. Increase in-person and online access to, and participation in, the nationally- recognized and evidence-based National Diabetes Prevention Program for adults at high-risk for diabetes.

7. Increase in-person and online access to, and participation in, Diabetes Self-Management Education for adults with diabetes.

8. Create and implement a comprehensive Diabetes Training Module for Community Health Workers, Nurse Navigators, lay leaders, and health coaches to standardize prediabetes and diabetes support efforts in Delaware.

In Delaware, more than 98,700 adults are diagnosed with diabetes each year. While there is no cure for the chronic disease, diabetes is treatable with healthy lifestyle behaviors and a medication regimen to control blood glucose levels.  Untreated diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, amputation, end-stage kidney disease, blindness, and death.  Those at greater risk of developing the disease are older adults, people of color, and those with lower education and household incomes.

Like other states, diabetes prevalence is increasing in Delaware. Of the Delaware adults surveyed through the 2019 Delaware Behavior Risk Factor Survey (BRFS), 12.8% reported that they had been diagnosed with diabetes, a prevalence greater than the U.S. (11%) and Delaware’s 2018 BRFS result (11.9%). It is estimated that as many as 25,000 adults may be living with undiagnosed diabetes. Twelve percent of Delaware adults who said they were diagnosed with prediabetes have a chance to prevent diabetes by adapting their diet, increasing their physical activity, and losing weight.  More than two-thirds of Delaware adults risk developing diabetes because they are obese or overweight.

On average, medical expenditures for a person with diabetes are 2.3 times higher than for a person without diabetes.  Prediabetes and diabetes cost the State of Delaware $1.1 billion each year, reflecting $818 million in direct medical expenses and $293 million in indirect costs.  In Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20), Delaware Medicaid managed care organizations directly reimbursed providers nearly $40.7 million in diabetes-related care, a 9% increase over the previous fiscal year.  In FY20, an additional two million dollars was paid directly to providers via fee-for-service claims for diabetes-related care among Delaware Medicaid clients.  Among active state employees, early retirees, and Medicare retirees covered by the Group Health Insurance Plan, the total allowed amount for diabetes increased 32%, rising from $57.5 million to $75.9 million between Fiscal Year 2017 and FY20.

Prevention, early diagnosis, and effective self-management can avert and reduce costly outcomes.  The “Delaware Diabetes Plan” embedded in the report calls for coordinating efforts with multiple stakeholders around four pillars: awareness, clinical collaborations, self-management, and support.

For a free copy of The Impact of Diabetes in Delaware, 2021 report, visit https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/dpc/files/diabetesburdenreport2021.pdf or call DPH’s Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention and Control Program at 302-744-1020.  To access diabetes and heart disease assistance and resources, visit https://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/dpc/diabetes.html.  For BRFS prevalence tables, visit https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/dpc/brfsurveys.html.  To read the law that mandates the report, visit 16 Del. Code, §140A.

DOVER – The public, particularly people living with diabetes, are encouraged to attend the free Diabetes Wellness Expo on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, at the Dover Downs Conference Center, located at 1131 N. DuPont Highway in Dover. The Delaware Diabetes Coalition (DDC), the Division of Public Health (DPH), and other partners will showcase speakers and more than 50 exhibitors and screeners from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The 18th annual event brings together health care facilities, diabetes-related organizations, and businesses to promote self-management and healthier lifestyles for people with diabetes and pre-diabetes. The Diabetes Wellness Expo will feature educational presentations on preventing type 2 diabetes, medication adherence, depression, innovative and evolving advancements in technology and design, foot care, and the benefits of healthy eating and exercise. Blood sugar, blood pressure, eye exams, other screenings, and free flu shots are available. A complimentary box lunch including a gourmet sandwich, fruit, and beverage will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The Bureau of Oral Health and Dental Services will also be offering dental screenings on site at the expo to anyone attending the event, both adults and children, along with referrals and dental health education as it relates specifically to the diabetic patient.

Sponsors include DPH’s Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention and Control Program, Bayhealth, Beebe Healthcare, ChristianaCare, and Valeritas.

More than 91,000 Delawareans have diabetes and an additional 78,000 people have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, adult blindness, lower-limb amputations, heart disease and stroke in the United States. The disease requires extensive medical monitoring and costly, lifelong treatment. However, healthier lifestyle choices, self-management techniques and taking medications as prescribed can manage and prevent health impacts, allowing many to enjoy a higher quality of life.

Overweight and obesity are major contributing factors for developing diabetes. According to the 2018 Delaware Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (BRFS), 21.9% of Delaware adults who report being obese have been diagnosed with diabetes, compared with 5% of adults who report normal weights. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report released in 2017, more than 100 million adults are now living with diabetes or prediabetes in the United States. Of those, 84.1 million have pre-diabetes. People with pre-diabetes are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, but they can significantly reduce that risk by increasing physical activity and eating a healthier diet.

Delawareans can do a better job of following diabetes recommendations. According to the 2018 BRFS:

• 59 percent say they check their blood glucose (sugar) levels one or more times per day. The recommended frequency is three times a day for most adults with diabetes.
• 30.2 percent see their doctor four or more times a year. An additional 35 percent say they see their doctor two or three times a year.
• 91.4 percent say they have been checked by a doctor for Hemoglobin A1-C one or more times in the past year.
• 76 percent of people with diabetes had an eye exam in which their pupils were dilated during the past year.
• 16.8 percent of people with diabetes said they have been told by a doctor that diabetes has affected their eyes, or they have retinopathy.
• 76.1 percent said a health professional had checked their feet for sores or irritations one or more times in the past year.
• Half (49.2 percent) of all adults diagnosed with diabetes say they have taken a course or class in how to manage diabetes.

For more information about the Diabetes Wellness Expo, visit https://www.dediabetescoalition.org/ or call the DDC at 302-519-6767.
For more information about how to manage and prevent diabetes, visit http://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/dpc/diabetes.html. For programs and resources, or call the DPH’s Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention and Control Program at 302-744-1020.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

NEW CASTLE (Aug. 1, 2019) – As a way to improve the health of Delawareans who are covered by Medicaid, while potentially reducing overall health care spending, the Department of Health and Social Services’ two Medicaid managed care organizations are making the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program available to their members who meet eligibility criteria.

The program is available at no cost to adult members of DHSS’ Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance two managed care organizations (MCOs) – Highmark Health Options and AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware – who meet the program’s eligibility criteria. To participate, MCO members must be 18 or older, overweight with a body mass index (BMI) over 25 and be diagnosed with prediabetes or have a previous diagnosis of prediabetes. YMCA of Delaware membership is not required.

“Unfortunately, obesity and diabetes are twin epidemics in our state,” said DHSS Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker, a practicing family physician. “I thank Highmark and AmeriHealth Caritas for making the YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program available at no cost to Medicaid MCO clients who meet the eligibility criteria. This is an important step forward in reducing the impact of obesity and diabetes, while helping us to build a healthier Delaware.”

Across the state, about two-thirds of Delaware adults are at an unhealthy weight, either overweight or obese. In 2017, 11.3 percent of Delaware residents age 18 and older reported they had been diagnosed with diabetes and an additional 12.2 percent reported being told they have pre-diabetes.

“Highmark Health Options is proud to partner with DHSS and the YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program as we work together to reduce obesity and chronic disease,” said Todd Graham, President and CEO for Highmark Health Options. “We look forward to this partnership that will lead to a healthier lifestyle for our members while supporting the My Healthy Weight pledge.”

“We are very pleased to be a part of the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, alongside the Department of Health and Social Services, Highmark Health Options, and our valued community partner, the YMCA of Delaware, to help reduce the life-threatening chronic conditions caused by diabetes,” said Emmilyn Lawson, CEO of AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware. “Through this complimentary community-based program, we hope to nurture healthy citizens and healthier communities by increasing access to the support and services that Delawareans need to achieve their wellness goals.”

The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program is a yearlong, evidence-based health behavior change program consisting of 25 one-hour group sessions. A trained lifestyle coach helps participants learn skills and strategies to eat healthier, increase physical activity, lose weight, overcome stress, stay motivated and more. The goals of the program are to reduce participants’ body weight by 7 percent and increase physical activity by 150 minutes per week.

“We have offered the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program about 10 years, we’ve seen tremendous results, and will now be able to reach even more people in need,” said Tricia Jefferson, RD, LDN, Director of Program Development and Partnerships for the YMCA of Delaware. “Partnering with both Managed Care Organizations to serve our Medicaid-eligible participants will not only help us further prevent diabetes in a population that is at great risk, but it will help shape the future of how prevention programs are delivered and paid for across the nation.”

“We are grateful to Highmark, AmeriHealth Caritas, and the YMCA for their partnership in offering an evidence-based program to address obesity and related chronic disease for eligible Medicaid enrollees,” said Steve Groff, Director of DHSS’ Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance. “DHSS was one of nine founding members of My Healthy Weight, a national collective initiative offering obesity prevention and treatment. The Diabetes Prevention Program will fulfill our pledge to provide access to community-based programs.”

To learn more about your eligibility for the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, contact your managed care organization.

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The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of life of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.