PROVIDENCE – The Diabetes Resource Center at St. Joseph Health Services of RI has been awarded a $25,000 grant to assist in the integration of mental health services and medical services for uninsured, high-risk adults who are living with diabetes.
The award comes from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island’s BlueAngel Community Health Grant program. The grant will support a pilot project aimed at developing ways to ensure access to integrated care for uninsured diabetic patients. Mental health services such as specialized cognitive behavioral treatment, psychiatric evaluation and clinical support will be provided to diabetic patients who are unable to manage their diabetes due to the challenges of mental illness. Funds will also be used to provide additional training for St. Joseph Hospital adult primary care physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of depression and other common mental health conditions.
“We are pleased to receive this support from Blue Cross,” said John Fogarty, acting president of St. Joseph Health Services. “Our intent is to use these funds to develop a new model of care for the diabetic patient, who often suffers from accompanying mental illness”
Now in its 17th year of operation, the SJHS Diabetes Resource Center is the only program of its kind in Rhode Island. Operating from the Center for Health and Human Services at St. Joseph Hospital for Specialty Care in South Providence, the center provides specialized, bi-lingual diabetes education and medical case management services for high risk diabetic patients seen at the Adult Primary Care, Walk-in and Women’s Health clinics at the hospital, as well as for referred patients from area organizations. The DRC is a participating member of the Rhode Island Department of Health Diabetes Prevention and Control Program and the Chronic Care Collaborative. The DRC utilizes the Chronic Care Model to guide the delivery of high quality clinical care.
