The second Wednesday of every month there’s a place where you are welcome to talk about diabetes, ask questions of diabetes educators and give your ideas, thoughts and support to anyone who is impacted by diabetes. The likeminded individuals will gather at several locations around Rutland County.
“Diabetes support hasn’t been offered in Rutland County in several years,” said Michele Redmond, RN, BSN, CDCES, Community Health Diabetes Prevention and Management Specialist. “It’s a service that is missing and I’m happy and proud to be part of this new collaborative program offering diabetes support.”
Meetings at three locations, three different times, the second Wednesday of every month
Community Health and Rutland Regional Medical Center’s Diabetes & Endocrinology Center have joined together to organize the monthly program in three different locations at three different times:
- 1-2pm at the RRMC Diabetes & Endocrinology Center
- 4-5pm at Brandon Town Hall
- 5-6pm at Community Heath Castleton
“Anyone can attend whenever or wherever they want. Whatever fits their schedule,” Redmond said. “For those diagnosed with diabetes, coming to classes or support groups regularly helps with accountability and helps you to stay on track.”
Diabetes impacts every age group
Redmond expects that those attending the support groups will include patients who are having difficulty managing different aspects of their diabetes. “They might be looking for input from people who are going through the same thing and wondering how they have managed it. Before Covid we had started classes here and we had a pretty good turnout. Many were people who had been through the diabetes education program and now were seen only once a year for an education refresher. These patients take advantage of support groups.”
Diabetes impacts every age group so at the support group you might see parents of kids who are diagnosed with diabetes or children or caregivers of elderly parents looking for guidance, suggestions or helpful ideas. Support groups can bridge the gap between education visits for patients, family members, parents and caregivers.
Support group facilitators will be keeping track of the topics addressed and needs expressed each week to help develop possible topics for lectures, presentations and speakers at future meetings.
Diabetes Educators and Care Coordinators
“We are doing prediabetes classes and training care coordinators and new educators,” said Claudia Courcelle, Community Health Director of Care Management. “It’s a collaborative effort with the hospital so we feel it’s nice for the community to have different organizations involved in the support group.”
The support group meetings are organized and led by Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (CDCES).
- Sessions at the Diabetes & Endocrinology Center at RRMC will be led by center Director Donna Hunt, RD, CDCES, and Community Health Diabetes Educator Maria Bilinski, RN, CCM, CDCES.
- Robin Myers, DNP, FNP-C, CDCES, at Community Health Brandon office will lead the Brandon Town Hall sessions.
- Redmond and Courcelle facilitate sessions at Community Health Castleton.
Diabetes Community Care Coordinators work with providers and the clinical teams at Community Health locations to identify resources and programs like the support groups to diabetes patients.
- Kate McManus, Community Health Worker, Castleton
- Jena Kringle, LPN, Shorewell
- Colleen Bates, MA, Mettowee
Is diabetes a problem in Rutland County?
In Rutland County, 13% of the population has a diagnosis of diabetes. In Vermont, 8.8% of the population is diagnosed with diabetes and an additional 33.6% have a diagnosis of prediabetes.
This year, the Community Health Diabetes Education Program is also focused on prediabetes, identifying patients who are at risk of developing diabetes.
Based on 2023 American Diabetes Association’s Standards of Care criteria, patients who are at risk from transitioning from prediabetes to Type 2 are identified and invited to three prediabetes education classes to be held September 20 and October 4 and 18 from 4-5pm at Community Health Castleton or in the classroom at Community Health Allen Pond. “The prediabetes education classes are an opportunity to teach about prediabetes and talk about the findings of the Diabetes Prevention Program. It also gives patients an opportunity to learn about the lifestyle modifications that can reduce the risk of transitioning to Type 2 diabetes by 58%,” Redmond said.
The classes will include an overview of prediabetes and information about nutrition and physical activity. It will also include information about the year-long Diabetes Prevention Program offered by MyHealthyVermont.org.
Early identification of prediabetes, intervention and ongoing education are preventive measures Community Health providers take to help patients avoid or delay onset of a diagnosis of diabetes.
Community Health patients who are interested in learning more about the Diabetes Education Program can call their Community Health office or contact their provider through the Patient Portal. If you already have a diagnosis of diabetes or prediabetes, ask about being referred to see one of our educators.
Community Health is Vermont’s largest FQHC (Federally Qualified Health Center), a network of primary care, pediatric, behavioral health, dental and pharmacy services with offices in Rutland, Brandon, Castleton, West Pawlet and Shoreham. Community Dental offices are located in Rutland and Shoreham; Community Health Pediatrics is in Rutland; and Behavioral Health services are available at all of our locations. Community Health Express Care centers, open 7 days a week, are located at the Rutland and Castleton Community Health Centers.
Learn more about career opportunities, hours and Community Health locations on our website, chcrr.org. To reach Community Health’s Patient Access Center call 802-779-9169.
