Grant Will Fund Diabetes Program in Tulare County
The Oakland-based California HealthCare Foundation has awarded a $300,000 grant to Family HealthCare Network to fund a diabetes care program in Tulare County, the Fresno Bee reports. The grant will go toward coordinating education, outreach and care for patients at FHCN, the Kaweah Delta Health Care District and the Visalia office of the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency.
FHCN plans to use the additional funding to modify traditional diabetes care "to a more holistic approach," the Bee reports. For example, the program will include promotoras, people with diabetes who serve as health educators for others.
Javier Carillo, director of community outreach at KDHCD, said a curriculum for the promotoras was being developed. He said promotoras will undergo three to four months of intensive training, including skills in self-management of diabetes, parenting, mood management, nutrition and safety.
Promotoras for newly diagnosed patients will make a home visit and coordinate care and education for the patient. KDHCD has used grant money to hire two new promotoras. Officials for KDHCD said they will expand services throughout the county and to FHCN patients.
Carillo said KDHCD already had several promotoras funded through an earlier grant.
Janet Paine, director of integrated services for FHCN, said she hopes expanded services will begin in August (Ellas, Fresno Bee, 6/24).