Diabetes Healthy Heart Project Toolkit

Communication is the foundation of a strong team and it has been shown that successful teams are ones that communicate well. Another important component is hiring qualified personnel who understand the community and the Tribe(s) they serve.

In a strong team, program leadership:

• Ensures development of the synergy needed for teams to be productive
• Fosters and supports cooperation, innovation, diversity, and accountability
• Clearly defines and assigns roles and responsibilities according to staff skills, interests, and talents
• Encourages staff to be flexible in roles and duties
• Provides guidance for the team to work together effectively while modeling the collaborative teamwork and communication expected of team members
• Sets professional conduct and communication standards consistent with the mission and vision of the team and the organization
• Sets rules and expectations of the team
• Empowers team members to meet or exceed their performance goals
• Gives regular feedback to staff
• Celebrates successes

In a strong team, team members:

• Have respect for each other
• Have shared values
• Have a common goal and vision
• Understand each other's strengths and weaknesses
• Understand each other's roles
• Communicate clearly and openly
• Encourage diversity
• Enjoy working together
• Find solutions for issues as they arise

• Assess employee competencies and arrange for additional training as needed.
  • Examples of training areas include:
    • How to work with patients to set goals and action plans, assess patient confidence, and provide feedback and follow-up (i.e., motivational interviewing)
    • Treatment and management of cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes (e.g., nutrition, physical activity, medication, self-management support)
    • How to document using electronic health record systems
• Support staff training to strengthen skills and competencies.
  • Take advantage of numerous education resources available at low or no cost.
    • IHS Division of Diabetes Online CME/CE Education
    • IHS RPMS Online Training
    • Urban Indian Health Institute
    • American Diabetes Association (ADA) Continuing Education Opportunities
    • National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators Training
• Partner with clinic staff who may be able to provide training services to your program (e.g., dietitian, pharmacist).

• Integrate the HH program
  • Seek support from leaders at your organization, including the Executive Director, Health Director, Medical Director, and Providers.
  • Develop policies and procedures that can be adopted in your health system.
  • Partner with the SDPI Community-Directed Diabetes Program, if available, and other health promotion and disease prevention programs at your organization to share resources.
• Seek local support
  • Showcase your program and program success at community and Tribal meetings.
  • Establish a coalition with community members and health professionals that focuses on heart health or CVD risk reduction.
  • Engage Tribal leadership to serve as champions for the program to help with program visibility and sustainability.
• Develop partnerships
  • Local Universities – Invite students enrolled in public health, nursing, or pharmacy schools to assist with program activities (e.g., screenings, recruitment events) or to participate in program internships.
  • Community and Service Organizations – Co-sponsor events with groups to maximize and leverage resources.
  • Local Recreation Centers – Work with fitness facilities to develop and implement fitness training programs for participants. Weekly sessions help keep participants engaged and working toward goals.
  • National Organizations – Partner with recognized national organizations to receive materials and updates on their national campaigns (e.g., American Heart Association)
  • Media Outlets – Work with media outlets and social media channels to publicize your program's success stories. The more widely known the program is, the greater the chance for partnerships.

Sustainability is best achieved through program development that includes:

• A long-term focus
• Ongoing program evaluation
• Policies that are followed consistently
• Reliable data
• Interest and support from Tribal leadership and the local community

Develop a sustainability action plan:

• Integrate sustainability planning at the beginning of your program.
• Conduct an assessment of your program's capacity.
• Keep sustainability planning ongoing and interactive.
• Create a solid base for program funding and support by considering the following:
  • Financial support from local Tribe(s)
  • Grants from other sources (e.g., foundations, government, private funding)
  • Billing for services, when possible
  • Volunteers, donations, in-kind
  • Fundraising

Resources to assist in assessment and planning:

• Community Toolbox – This public health toolbox provides numerous resources for sustainability planning and additional tools and tips for those working on building healthier communities.
• Program Sustainability Assessment Tool – This tool is designed to measure program capacity for sustainability by evaluating political support, funding stability, partnerships, organizational capacity, program evaluation, program adaptation, communications, and strategic plans.