Diabetes Self-Management Training provides and equips you with the skills and resources needed to help you confidently navigate life with diabetes. Training sessions are provided in a group setting or individually in certain circumstances. Sessions are tailored to the specific needs of the group with the ability for break-out sessions to get the personalized care you need. This is a benefit that is covered by most insurers and is intended to help you make informed decisions about your care, promote self-care behaviors, enhance problem solving skills, and participate in active collaboration with your health care team.

Who is the training for?

  • Individuals with Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational Diabetes

What does the training address?

  • What is diabetes and how does the body function differently while living with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes?
  • Coping skills
  • Nutrition
  • Movement
  • Medications and medication management
  • Reducing risk of acute and chronic conditions
  • Problem Solving

When can someone be referred to Diabetes Self-Management Training:

  • At diagnosis
  • Yearly
  • When not meeting treatment goals
  • When complicating factors develop that affect self-management
  • When transitions in life and care occur

What is needed?

  • A referral from your physician is required.
 

How long is the training?

  • Individuals get a once in a lifetime benefit of 10 hours of initial training covering all the above content areas to be completed within the same year they were referred. After, individuals can receive up to 2 hours of additional training per year or during other critical times that can affect diabetes management on the topic of need as designated by their provider.

Diabetes Self-Management Training has been shown to:

  • Improve Hemoglobin A1C
  • Reduce the onset or progression of diabetes complications, including hypoglycemia
  • Decrease Diabetes-related stress
  • Improve lifestyle behaviors
  • Decrease ER visits, hospital admission and readmissions
  • Improve quality of life.

Resource: https://professional.diabetes.org/education-recognition-program