NC Minority Diabetes Prevention Program Overview
Prediabetes is a condition where people have higher-than-normal blood glucose levels (mg/dl), but their mg/dl is not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. As of 2023, 2,765,0000 North Carolinians have prediabetes, with one-third belonging to a racial or ethnic minority group.
Without making lifestyle changes, many people with prediabetes are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes within five years. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin, causing glucose (sugar) to build up in the bloodstream. Once diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, an individual’s risk factor increases for many diseases and complications, such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, nerve damage in the eyes, arms, and legs, kidney disease, and as newer research suggests, dementia.
In 2016, the North Carolina General Assembly provided funding to NCDHHS for the establishment and administration of an evidence-based diabetes prevention program. These programs are designed to help people with prediabetes take charge of their health and well-being. These evidence-based programs run for 12 months and can help people with prediabetes or those at a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 58%
The NC Minority Diabetes Prevention Program (NC MDPP) aims to create and implement a statewide framework that will reduce diabetes prevalence in communities of color. The program consists of three key components:
- Community Screenings and Targeted Marketing Campaigns: Region-specific prediabetes screening events and culturally appropriate marketing campaigns.
- 12-month NC MDPP lifestyle Class Series: NC MDPP Lifestyle Coaches deliver a curriculum developed through the CDC in English and Spanish.
- Community Conversations: Community-centered dialogue that builds awareness and support around health issues within the targeted communities. These conversations identify and address health disparities related to diabetes prevention and awareness.
NC MDPP Regional Collaborative Partners work to engage, screen, and provide CDC curricula to communities of color in their respective regions.
NC Minority Diabetes Prevention Program Regions
There are 10 regional areas with Minority Diabetes Prevention Program contact leads for each region.
Click on or choose the county to visit the regional MDPP program.
| Region | Contact | Counties Served |
|---|---|---|
| Region 1 (light blue on map) | Agustin Britt 828-349-2456 Agustin@mountainwise.org | Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and Transylvania |
| Region 2 (Olive on map) | Buncombe County Laura Richardson 828-575-2922 Lrichardson@ymcawnc.org | Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Henderson, McDowell, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford and Yancey Counties |
| Region 3 (Blue on map) | Kasey Wilkie 336-703-3219 Wilkiekl@forsyth.cc | Alleghany, Ashe, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes and Yadkin Counties |
| Region 4 (Purple on map) | Cabarrus County Casey Brown 704-920-1304 Casey.brown@CabarrusHealth.org | Alexander, Cabarrus, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly and Union Counties |
| Region 5 (Gray on map) | Emanuel Barerra 336-639-4284 Emanuel.barrera@alamance-nc.com | Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, Guilford, Orange, Person, Randolph and Rockingham Counties |
| Region 6 (Light green on map) | Samantha Allen 910-715-6271 SEAllen@firsthealth.org | Anson, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond and Scotland Counties |
| Region 7 (Light olive on map) | Granville-Vance Frankie Sanchez 252-492-7915 Fsanchez@gvph.org | Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Vance, Wake and Warren Counties |
| Region 8 (Light orange on map) | No regional contact. | Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, Robeson and Sampson Counties |
| Region 9 (Light purple on map) | Martin, Tyrell, and Washington Miranda Keel 252-793-1663 Miranda.keel@mtwdh.org | Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington Counties |
| Region 10 (Green on map) | Pitt County
| Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Pamlico, Pitt, Wayne and Wilson Counties |
NC Minority Diabetes Prevention Chatbot Program
NCDHHS' Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities is using a Chatbot, created by Wholistics Health, to support diabetes prevention and management for people in North Carolina. The AI-powered chatbot educates users via SMS with micro-doses of evidence-based content addressing diet, exercise, sleep, mental health and social determinants of health. Find out more about the program and sign up on the Wholistics Health website (Spanish).
NC Minority Diabetes Prevention Virtual Assistant
You can use the chatbots below in English and Spanish. Ask the virtual assistant questions like:
- Where is the nearest walking trail?
- What is a diabetes friendly lunch recipe?
Testimonials
Some testimonials of people who have used the program include:
- Wonderful words of encouragement. Thank you!
- Great tip that I can certainly try.
- I practice these tips everyday! Great advice!
- I found all the information this tool has provided very useful, especially to gain more knowledge in my minority diabetes prevention program classes. – Lifestyle Coach
Reported that they were eating and drinking healthier foods, had increased their weekly exercise, and improved their mood.
Would recommend this program to others.
Found that the tips were very useful.
Reported that they were sleeping better.