Many Ingredients, One Sublime Dish: The Recipe for the Passage of Illinois HB5412 Into Law.

This article contextualizes the need for Illinois House Bill 5412 (HB5412), which calls for the establishment of a state board to create recommendations for the community health worker (CHW) field in Illinois, including a scope of practice, core competencies, training and certification standards, and sustainable funding and reimbursement mechanisms. Multisectorial partnerships and their outputs, coupled with frontline CHW interventions, created a synergistic climate conducive to the passing of this historic CHW legislation. This article provides a timeline and recipe for legislative success as described through processes and activities collaboratively undertaken, concentrating on a 5-year period (2009-2014).

Community-based Diabetes Education for Latinos: The Diabetes Empowerment Education Program.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to conduct a diabetes education program delivered by community health workers (CHWs) in community settings and to evaluate its effectiveness in improving glycemic control and self-management skills in Hispanics/Latinos with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Trained CHWs recruited Hispanic/Latino community residents with self-reported type 2 diabetes, implemented intervention in nonclinical locations, and collected data on diabetes knowledge, self-care behaviors, self-efficacy, depression, A1C, weight, and blood pressure. Classes applied participatory techniques and were delivered in 2-hour group sessions over 10 weeks. Two focus groups collected qualitative postintervention data. RESULTS: Seventy participants enrolled, and 47 completed pretest and posttest data. Improvements were significant for A1C (P = .001) and systolic blood pressure (P = .006). Other positive outcomes were diabetes knowledge, physical activity, spacing carbohydrates, following a healthy eating plan, and eating fruits and vegetables. Improved behaviors also included foot care, glucose self-monitoring, and medication adherence. Depressive symptoms showed a positive trend in intent-to-treat analysis (P = .07), but self-efficacy did not change significantly (P = .142). Qualitative information reported an increase in participants' perceived competence in self-care and a positive influence of CHWs in participants' compliance with the program. CONCLUSIONS: A diabetes self-management education program for Hispanics/Latinos led by CHWs can be implemented in community settings and may effectively improve behavioral skills and glycemic control.

Reducing diabetes health disparities through community-based participatory action research: the Chicago Southeast Diabetes Community Action Coalition.

To address disproportionately high rates of diabetes morbidity and mortality in some of Chicago's medically underserved minority neighborhoods, a group of community residents, medical and social service providers, and a local university founded the Chicago Southeast Diabetes Community Action Coalition, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention REACH 2010 Initiative. A community-based participatory action research model guided coalition activities from conceptualization through implementation. Capacity building activities included training on: diabetes, coalition building, research methods, and action planning. Other activities sought to increase coalition members' understanding of the social causes and potential solutions for health disparities related to diabetes. Trained coalition members conducted epidemiologic analyses, focus groups, a telephone survey, and a community inventory. All coalition members participated in decisions. The participatory process led to increased awareness of the complexities of diabetes in the community and to a state of readiness for social action. Data documented disparities in diabetes. The participatory action research approach (a) encouraged key stakeholders outside of the health care sector to participate (e.g., business sector, church groups); (b) permitted an examination of the sociopolitical context affecting the health of the community; (c) provided an opportunity to focus on preventing the onset of diabetes and its complications; (d) increased understanding of the importance of community research in catalyzing social action aimed at community and systems change and change among change agents.