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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #726 |
| SMART Diabetes/Hypertension Education & Outreach |
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| Requester: |
Steven J. Oliva |
Organization: |
WellFlorida Council, Inc. |
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| Project Title: |
SMART Diabetes/Hypertension Education & Outreach |
Date Submitted |
1/12/2006 9:56:22 AM |
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| Sponsors: |
Smith |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| The project has been submitted by a 501(c)-3 non-profit organization to address the documented need to provide self-management services to low-income, uninsured residents of north central Florida who suffer with diabetes and hypertension.
This project will have the effect of saving many dollars to the state and its residents in the form of a reduction in costly avoidable hospitalizations and treatments that stem from poor management of diabetes and hypertension. The project's focus is to maintain and expand an already demonstrably successful diabetes and hypertension education and outreach program for predominantly working poor, uninsured and underinsured residents. In addition, the program is a potential model for replication throughout the state in other similarly situated communities and populations.
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| Recipient: |
WellFlorida Council, Inc. |
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Contact: |
Steven J. Oliva |
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1015 NW 56th Terrace |
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Contact Phone: |
(352) 313-6500 |
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Gainesville 32605 |
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Contact email: |
soliva@wellflorida.org |
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| Counties: |
Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Levy, Suwannee, Union |
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| Gov't Entity: |
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Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
Yes |
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| Project Description: |
| The project will maintain and expand WellFlorida Council's SMART (Self Managing Rural Awareness Team) program - a diabetes and hypertension and education program that has been operating in specific areas of north central Florida. SMART case managers work individually with clients in their homes and in other community settings, teaching them disease management skills to empower the individual to improve her or his own health profile and to prevent complications and avoidable hospitalizations. Clients are those working poor, uninsured and underinsured who could not otherwise afford these types of services.
The project proposes to enhance services in the counties where SMART services are already provided (Bradford, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Levy, Suwannee, and Union) and expand into Columbia County. The program has provided services to nearly 500 individuals over a 2.5-year period during 2002-2005. We hope to provide services to at least 300 persons annually if the project is funded at the amount requested.
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| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| There will be an increase in the number of low-income, uninsured individuals in north central Florida with diabetes and hypertension that receive disease management training and who develop self-management skills.
In addition, the number of costly avoidable hospitalizations and treatments that stem from poor management of diabetes and hypertension among the low-income, uninsured population will decrease resulting in costs savings to the health care system and clients.
Current needs assessments estimate that there are between from 3,000 to 4,000 low-income, uninsured residents who suffer with diabetes in the eight north central Florida counties that will be served by the program. Currently, SMART has served roughly 500 of these individuals. This project will allow for continued service to these individuals as well as an expansion to additional clients.
Preliminary analysis of outcomes experienced during the programs first three-years (2002-2005) have been promising. Of the program's nearly 500 clients, 46 reported a hospitalization due to diabetes and/or blood pressure related problems prior to enrolling in SMART. Only 2 clients reported hospitalization for diabetes/blood pressure issues 1 year after their last SMART session. Potentially, this reflects 44 avoided hospitalizations among the SMART client population. Based on average length of stay and average charge per day for diabetes/hypertension-related hospitalizations, SMART is one of the contributing factors to avoiding nearly $430,000 in hospitalization charges to folks who are low-income and uninsured and whose charges are likely to be written off as charity care. Situations such as this generate costs that are ultimately passed along to all consumers in the form of higher charges and subsequently higher insurance premiums.
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$177,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$264,000 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Operations |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
Local, Private |
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Cash Amount |
$87,000 |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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No |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
Rural Health Partnershop of North Central Florida Needs Assessment |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Suwannee County/Columbia County Board of County Commissioners |
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Hearing Meeting Date: |
01/05/2006 |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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No |
