COVID-19 and the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP):
**Guidance for CDC-Recognized Organizations on Alternative Program Delivery Options**
Dear Program Coordinator,
We understand the health and safety of your staff and program participants is paramount and realize that concerns about COVID-19 may result in the suspension of some in-person class sessions. As such, we are offering the following guidance to assist you in making decisions about alternative delivery options and data submission to CDC.
- We encourage organizations to use virtual make-up sessions whenever possible. You may offer as many virtual make-up sessions as necessary, regardless of your usual delivery mode. When you submit data, please make sure to use the coding SESSTYPE=’MU’ and enter the appropriate code for DMODE for that session (2=online, 3=distance learning).
- If virtual make-up sessions are not feasible, you may pause offering classes. If this results in an organization not having any data for the six-month submission, please use the attached blank template (Excel spreadsheet) to ensure continuation of the recognition process. The template should be uploaded in place of your data submission during the month your submission is due.
- We will hold organizations harmless during any pauses (i.e., we will allow organizations to continue to maintain their current recognition status, regardless of whether they are able to make full or partial data submissions).
- When you resume classes, you may want to consider whether it makes sense to pick up where you left off, or to restart the program from week 1. This may depend on the length of the lapse. If starting over, please contact the Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program (DPRP) data team at DPRPData@cdc.gov for guidance on how to adjust data recording.
- We are working with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to determine how a pause may impact Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) participants. In the interim, MDPP suppliers should submit questions to the CMS MDPP Inquiry Portal at https://cmsorg.force.com/mdpp/.
We acknowledge that this is a rapidly evolving situation. If you have any questions regarding the National DPP, please visit the National DPP Customer Service Center at https://nationaldppcsc.cdc.gov. In addition, please continue to visit CDC’s COVID-19 website for the latest information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
Diabetes is a growing national health problem. Over 34 million Americans have diabetes, representing 10.5% of the US population. An additional 88 million Americans have prediabetes, a risk factor for developing diabetes in the future. It is estimated that one-third of adults over 18 years of age have prediabetes, 70% of whom will eventually go on to develop diabetes according to an American Diabetes Association expert panel.
Diabetes results in significant morbidity with its associated human and financial costs. It is the 7th leading cause of death in the US, and people with diabetes are at increased risk of vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and amputation of toes, feet, or legs. Vulnerable populations with less access to social, environmental, informational and healthcare resources bear a disproportionate portion of this burden.
To change the trajectory of diabetes prevalence in the United States, diabetes risk screening and early intervention prior to onset of diabetes is essential. Prediabetes can be detected through simple screening tests. An evidence-based lifestyle change program, the Diabetes Prevention Program, reduces the risk for developing type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes by an average of 58% in those with weight loss of 5 – 7% of body weight. The Diabetes Prevention Program was adapted for translation into communities as the National Diabetes Prevention Program. Despite outreach efforts to provide increased programming, many areas do not have access to the National DPP and many at-risk groups are underrepresented in these programs. The Cooperative Extension System (CES) has the potential to meet this need through its vast reach and mission to bring knowledge and skills to communities to improve health and well-being.