Montana Diabetes Prevention Program Highlights and Updates
Upcoming Events
Fall Lifestyle Coach Workshop
Join us October 15, 2025, for the Fall Lifestyle Coach Workshop. This workshop is a great opportunity for Montana Lifestyle Coaches to network with other coaches, listen to speakers on various topics, and participate in activities geared around the National DPP. This event will be held at the Delta Hotel in Helena, MT.
Registration is now open! Please register by September 25, 2025, by using this link https://mdphhs.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eX8IHDhVsUvhiKO
Room block can be found using this link
Annual Montana Diabetes Professional Conference
The 28th Annual Montana Diabetes Professional Conference will be held Thursday, October 16th & Friday, October 17th, 2024 at the Delta Hotel in Helena, MT. The MT DPHHS Diabetes Program and the MT Coordinating Body of ADCES will co-host this exciting and informative conference that provides annual state-of-the-art training for healthcare professionals in diabetes prevention, education and clinical care.
For more information, visit our conference website at: https://www.umt.edu/ces/conferences/diabetes/
MDP Annual Award Nominations
As part of the Annual Diabetes Professional Conference, the Montana Diabetes Program recognizes healthcare professionals and organizations across the state who are going above and beyond in their diabetes management and prevention work. These awards will showcase healthcare professionals and/or organizations who are supporting positive change and making an impact to their communities and patients who are at risk for or living with diabetes.
We have several different awards that we will be presenting during the Thursday evening social, one of them is Lifestyle Coach of the Year. Please consider nominating a deserving lifestyle coach for the Lifestyle Coach of the year award. This award recognizes a National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) Lifestyle Coach who has made an impact through their commitment, innovation, and delivery of the National Diabetes Prevention Program across Montana. Past recipients of this award include Liane Vadheim, Holy Rosary Healthcare (2022), Tolly Patten, St. Peter’s Health (2023), and Ida Reighard, St. James Healthcare (2024).
To nominate a healthcare professional or organization complete the 2025 Nomination Form.
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Diabetes Prevention Spotlights
Lifestyle Coach of the Year
 Eileen Rodriguez and Anya Pulis pictured here at LIFTT’s annual Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) celebration on July 26, 2025.
LIFTT’s DPP is one of Montana’s newer programs, just starting their first cohort last fall. So far in that short amount of time they have started four cohorts aimed at people living with disabilities and aging adults. In connection with their DPP they have also offered their participants a variety of extra program/class opportunities geared at physical activity and healthy eating. They have offered Tai Chi and Staying Active & Independent for Life (SAIL). They have also partnered with North 40 fitness to hold a lower back pain workshop. Held a Strength training workshop with Apex Fitness to offer practical tips and simple exercises to help individuals build strength and improve mobility. The LIFTT team also created an accessible community garden, partnered with MSU extension office to provide Cooking and Nutrition Classes and also worked with LIFTT’s breakfast and lunch program to offer delicious, diabetes-friendly meals. All of which was offered at no cost to their DPP participant.
The LIFTT DPP also worked on the Medicaid Beneficiary Enrollment Project with the Montana Diabetes Program, a grant received from National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD). The purpose of the project was to increase enrollment and retention of Medicaid beneficiaries into the National DPP. Some of the priorities for this project was screening for and addressing health-related social needs (HRSNs), and applying field-based practices such as Food is Medicine. During this project LIFTT created targeted marketing toward Medicaid beneficiaries, offered food from their community garden, referred participants in need of transportation assistance to a case worker to help them in applying for Special Transit or bus passes through MET transit. The LIFTT DPP also has a bus stop that is located right outside of their building. One of the bigger projects was grocery store tours. During the grocery store tour participants had opportunities to sample healthy snacks, the coaches highlighted cost-saving deals and practiced with the participants reading nutrition labels. The coaches also provided a visual lesson with a cart filled with processed food items such as chips, dips, and energy drinks versus a healthy cart with fresh and frozen vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products (enough to support four to five balanced meals with accompanying recipes). The participants estimated the processed food cart to be around $60 and the healthy food cart to be around $200 and were very surprised when they found out both were $100. It was a powerful illustration on how strategic meal planning and informed shopping can support healthier eating patterns.
Welcome
This Fall the Montana Diabetes Prevention Program welcomed 6 newly trained Lifestyle Coaches. Left to Right: Andrea Buckingham (Logan Health - Kalispell), Lynn Graham (LIFTT Billings), Bridget Hoopes (Benefis Health System), Annabelle DeCuire (Rural Institute at the University of Montana), Nichole Cockrell (Clark Fork Valley Hospital), and Bev Azure (Fort Peck Community College).
DPP Tips and Resouces
Marketing and Recruitment for the National DPP
The CDC offers an online catalog for the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) marketing and recruitment materials. Whether your organization delivers, covers, partners with, or promotes the National DPP lifestyle change program, these resources are available to help explain the burden and impact of type 2 diabetes and CDC’s evidence-based intervention. Visit the catalog by following the link.
https://nationaldppcsc.cdc.gov/s/topic/0TOt000000001QcGAI/marketing-and-recruitment-for-the-national-dpp
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Helpful Information
The Program Strategy Toolkit provides an overview of the Program Champion Strategy, how to choose an effective Program Champion, how coaches and champions can get quickly up to speed, and the ways organizations can spread the word.
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Diabetes Prevention in the News
Diabetes Prevention Program Reseach on Cost-Effectivness
The cost of diabetes continues to rise, and a 2-year study looked at how National Diabetes Prevention Programs (NDPP) can impact cost effectiveness. This study found that individuals enrolled in the NDPP were associated with a significant reduction in the absolute risk of developing diabetes by 2.8 percentage points over 2 years of follow-up. The average reduction in total direct medical costs was approximately $4,600 over 2 years for each enrollee versus each nonenrollee. Find more on cost-effectiveness outcomes for DPP by visiting the link.
Cost-effectiveness of the National Diabetes Prevention Program: A Real-world, 2-Year Prospective Study | Diabetes Care | American Diabetes Association
Assessing the Fit of Digitally Delivered DPP Among Rural Living Adults
A study examined the fit of the National DPP delivered digitally using Zoom or Facebook to rural living adults at risk for type 2 diabetes. Adults living in rural communities are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes compared to adults living in urban communities. The study found that using existing connections and health motivations to help improve acceptability, while tailoring curriculum, modality, and technology may help improve appropriateness of digital DPP delivery for rural populations. Find more on this study by visiting this link.
JMIR Formative Research - Assessing the Fit of a Digitally Delivered National Diabetes Prevention Program Among Rural Living Adults: Qualitative Study
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Percent of Montana CDC-Recognized Organizations by Recognition Status and Delivery Mode
 
Connected Community
Connected Community provides a communication and collaboration opportunity for the Montana DPP.
Through Connected Community Lifestyle Coaches can find a discussion board, shared files, upcoming events, other resources. Sign up for Connected Community and be added to the Montana Lifestyle Coach Network. For more information visit Home - Association of Montana Public Health Officials
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