Reducing the Burden of Diabetes: The National Diabetes Education Program

The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) is a joint initiative sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health and the Division of Diabetes Translation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program will develop a partnership of public and private organizations and implement educational activities to help reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes and its complications. Participating public and private organizations include the Indian Health Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the American Diabetes Association, the American College of Physicians, the American Dietetic Association, and the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Key program activities will include (1) ongoing public awareness and education (2) and identification and dissemination of existing educational tools and resources for patients and their families, health care providers, and payers and purchasers of health care. The NDEP will also sponsor the development and dissemination of new educational tools and resources, including science-based guidelines, efforts to improve quality and access to diabetes care, and program evaluation.