US HHS Awards $27 Million for Disease Self-Management Programs for  US Seniors

State aging units and area agencies on aging will be playing a more active role in supporting disease self-management with the US Health & Human Services (HHS) Department’s award of $27 million for the Communities Putting Prevention to Work Chronic Disease Self-Management (CDSM) Program. CDSM is an evidence-based community program that helps people gain self-confidence in their ability to control chronic disease-related symptoms and manage the impact of health problems on daily lives. The grants will allow 45 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia to provide CDSM programs to older adults with chronic diseases. The grants were provided to state units on aging, health departments and state Medicaid agencies—in partnership with regional Area Agencies on Aging. The CDSM program features small-group workshops over six weeks, meeting once a week for about two hours. The groups are led by two lay leaders with chronic conditions. The meetings are highly interactive and focus on building skills, sharing experiences and support. Area Agencies on Aging, including SeniorsPlus of Maine, are supporting better senior chronic disease management and self-care through Chronic Care Professional (CCP) staff accreditation.

Featured in HealthSciences Institute’s Chronic Care Professional (CCP) program, the CDSM program has proven effective for improving senior health status and health care outcomes in randomized, controlled trials. The CDSM program is strongly focused on building participant self-efficacy—which has consistently been linked with improved self-management for a number of chronic diseases that impact older adults. HealthSciences Institute has worked closely with a number of state and provincial government agencies that have implemented the CDSM program. According to Dr. Blake Andersen, President and CEO of HealthSciences Institute, “We like the program because it is person-centered and evidence-based. The program is one component of community-based chronic care improvement and is well-aligned with the Chronic Care Model.”

The CDSM program has been implemented jointly with the CCP learning series and certification program in states including Wisconsin, Minnesota and the province of Alberta in Canada. “We’ve found that the CDSM program is most likely to be adopted and sustained when implemented in partnership with aging services and health care provider communities. Not only do we want physicians referring people to the program, we want them to deliver evidence-based medical care and assist patients with adherence, lifestyle change, and disease self-care challenges. It is also critical that CDSM programs target the seniors who are at higher risk of loss of independence and avoidable hospitalization. The CDSM program will often attract the healthier seniors who are comfortable in group settings. Special steps must be taken to engage and assist higher risk seniors in order for the program to demonstrate a positive return on investment,” added Dr. Andersen.

Area Agencies on Aging, including SeniorsPlus of Maine, are supporting better senior chronic disease management and self-care through Chronic Care Professional (CCP) staff accreditation. Learn more.

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