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IHS Awards $138 Million for Diabetes Prevention and Treatment for American Indians and Alaska Natives
The Indian Health Service, through its Special Diabetes Program for Indians, recently awarded funding awards totaling approximately $138 million to prevent and treat diabetes in American Indian and Alaska Natives. Grant funds will go to Tribes, Tribal organizations, Urban Indian organizations and IHS facilities. The Special Diabetes Program for Indians Community-Directed grants programs has awarded a total of 301 programs for FY 2016.
"Diabetes is one of the most serious and devastating health problems in the United States, especially for American Indian and Alaska Native people, who suffer from among the highest rates of diabetes in the country," said IHS Principal Deputy Director Mary Smith. "The Indian Health Service is proud to provide this critical funding for diabetes prevention, increased access to treatment, and to improve overall health in our Native communities."
A list of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians awardees is available at: http://www.ihs.gov/MedicalPrograms/Diabetes/HomeDocs/Resources/FactSheets/SDPI_FY2016_CD_GrantPrograms.pdf.
The Special Diabetes Program for Indians has successfully implemented innovative interventions in American Indian and Alaska Native communities across the nation to address the epidemic of diabetes. Guided by both the scientific literature and community-driven priorities, the Special Diabetes Program for Indians has helped the grantees, Tribal leaders and IHS collectively build one of the most strategic and comprehensive diabetes treatment and prevention programs in the United States.
Based on local needs and priorities, the Special Diabetes Program for Indians grant programs have increased access to diabetes services and helped improve key outcomes measured for American Indians and Alaska Natives with diabetes. Examples of outcomes that have occurred since the start of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians include decreased average blood sugar levels, declines in average "bad" cholesterol levels and maintenance of average blood pressure at national targets.
IHS, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives.
For more information on the Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention visit http://www.diabetes.ihs.gov.
