BROOKINGS — SDSU Extension has selected Huron Regional Medical Center to receive a $15,000 grant and partner on a pilot project for diabetes prevention and education through Better Choices, Better Health-South Dakota.

SDSU Extension awarded the pass-through grant funds through a South Dakota Department of Health grant project, which utilizes community health workers to lead the Better Choices, Better Health-SD Diabetes Self-Management program.

“This project will help to further the impact that Huron Regional Medical Center has made in serving a seven-county radius comprised of a diverse population from around the world, including Hispanic immigrants, through their Community Health Worker program,” said Megan Jacobson, SDSU Extension chronic disease management field specialist.

Teresa Haatvedt, health care career and outreach director at Huron Regional Medical Center, oversees three community health workers and the community liaison program at the hospital. She said the diabetes education program comes at an opportune time and builds on the four people already trained as leaders for the Better Choices, Better Health-SD Chronic Disease Self-Management program.

“We’ve identified diabetes as a high-ranking priority for our area, so this cross-training will serve our community well,” she said.

The community liaison program strives to build relationships and connect patients to local services. Huron Regional Medical Center community liaisons represent and have specific connections to different groups in Huron.

Sau-Mei Ramos, a community liaison for the hospital, recently facilitated a Better Choices, Better Health-SD workshop series for Chronic Disease Self-Management entirely in Spanish, which is a first for the community.

Registered nurse Norma Torres will be trained to facilitate the diabetes courses in Spanish, expanding access to diabetes prevention and education. Torres will join Huron Regional Medical Center community liaisons and Dennise Brock, a registered nurse at the hospital, as a Better Choices, Better Health-SD lay leader.

Brock has served as a facilitator for the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program workshop since 2014 and is looking forward to seeing the program grow.

“There is immense value in getting individuals together to learn and support each other in navigating these health challenges to learn and practice healthy habits,” Brock said.

When staff training is completed, community members interested in attending the diabetes self-management program will be able to enroll in the free program, which is comprised of a 6-week-long series of workshops.

Huron Regional Medical Center will also collect data and work with providers to champion patient referrals into the DSMP.

“Once cross-trained in the Diabetes Self-Management Program, these community health workers will be the some of the first BCBH-SD lay leaders to facilitate the program in Spanish in South Dakota,” Jacobson said. “Their important work will be captured to develop a program model that can be used by other rural communities in South Dakota.”

For more information, contact the Huron Regional Medical Center community liaisons at 605-353-6516.

BCBH-SD also offers ongoing leader training, providing support for communities across the state to offer these vital workshops. To learn more about Better Choices, Better Health-SD, visit the SDSU Extension Better Choices, Better Health-SD page or email sdsu.betterchoicesbetterhealth@sdstate.edu.