National Diabetes Prevention Program

Diabetes Prevention Alliance Community Health Workers

Community health workers (CHWs) help identify factors that influence participation and connect participants to needed services. The American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Prevention Alliance (DPA) can help you reach even more people and expand your access to resources.

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If you are a CHW interested in reducing the burden of diabetes in your community, partner with the DPA to access training, tools, and technical assistance tailored to CHW workflows to support community members enrolling in and successfully completing the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) lifestyle change program. In addition, you will screen for reduced access to food, transportation and housing  and linkage-to-care using DPP Express and other resource platforms. 

Opportunities to collaborate with healthcare partners and lifestyle change programs through the DPA network are also available to improve recruitment of priority populations.

The Role of CHWs in Diabetes Prevention

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Introducing DPA
Partnership

Key Benefits

  • Enhanced capacity to drive culturally responsive engagement.
  • Standardized referral processes aligned with the ADA’s Standards of Care in Diabetes.
  • Participation in a multi-state network focused on improving diabetes prevention outcomes.
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Direct Impact

How CHWs Support Participant Success

  • Provide 1:1 support, navigation, and follow-up to help participants overcome roadblocks.
  • Reinforce behavior change goals, promote adherence, and encourage long-term lifestyle changes.
  • Strengthen retention by addressing transportation, scheduling, technology, and readiness challenges.
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Impact

Impact your community.

CHWs already serve as trusted connectors between healthcare and communities. By partnering with the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA’s) Diabetes Prevention Alliance (DPA), you can:

  • Expand access to proven prevention tools
  • Deliver culturally appropriate education to high-risk populations
  • Help prevent diabetes 

Become a recognized leader in diabetes prevention.

DPA partners receive tools and branding that elevate your organization and your professional credibility, including:

  • DPA partner badge to showcase commitment to prevention
  • Visibility as part of a regional multi-sector prevention network
  • Opportunity to strengthen partnerships with healthcare systems and payers

Access free marketing tools, training, and resources.

The DPA provides infrastructure support, including:

  • DPA marketing toolkit
  • Access to DPP Express tools
  • Risk assessment tools (like the ADA’s 60-Second Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test) 

Make connections within the DPA ecosystem.

The DPA builds a sustainable ecosystem by connecting:

  • Healthcare professionals
  • National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) lifestyle change programs
  • Community organizations
  • Payers 

This helps CHW programs:

  • Strengthen referral pathways
  • Improve program enrollment and retention
  • Position programs for reimbursement and long-term sustainability

Engage in professional development.

Participation connects CHWs like you to a large professional network across multiple states. Career advantages include: 

  • Collaboration opportunities with healthcare systems and public health organizations 
  • Professional training and workforce development 
  • Experience delivering a nationally recognized prevention program 
  • Access to free resources through the ADA’s CHW support

Referral Hub

The DPA Referral Hub is a secure, web-based tool that allows approved partners (such as CHWs, healthcare organizations, and community-based organizations) to refer eligible individuals to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recognized National DPP providers within the DPA network.

Using the Referral Hub, partners can:

  • Identify in-person or virtual National DPP programs based on location, language, delivery mode, and participant preference
  • Submit direct referrals to CDC-recognized delivery organizations
  • Track referral status and outcomes in one centralized dashboard
  • Support timely connection between individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes and evidence-based prevention programs
  • Reduce referral roadblocks, streamline coordination, and strengthen collaboration across healthcare, community, and CHW organizations—while maintaining alignment with CDC and ADA standards

Learn more about the Referral Hub.