INDEPENDENCE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Evi-Base announced today that it has entered into a partnership with the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) to bring its proven-effective diabetes education program to residents throughout many of CMHA’s housing units over the next six months.
Over the past two years, Evi-Base has led the way in diabetes self-management education in underserved areas throughout Cuyahoga County. During that time Evi-Base’s programs have touched more than 3,500 local residents through its work with both the Cleveland Office of Minority Health (part of Cleveland Department of Public Health) as well as nearly 100 privately owned affordable housing units. The agreement with CMHA marks its first such program with government-owned housing.
“Evi-Base has been a wonderful partner in reducing health disparities and leading the charge of diabetes education in underserved areas throughout Cuyahoga County,” said Frances Mills, director of the Cleveland Office of Minority Health. “And I can attest to their effectiveness firsthand having gone through the program myself over the past year. Their program works, and I am healthier and stronger thanks to Evi-Base.”
Through the agreement with CMHA, those who suffer from diabetes will be encouraged to enroll in a six-week self-management program where they learn about eating healthy; dealing with high and low blood sugars; managing stress, pain and fatigue; and developing a fitness program that fits their lifestyle. This peer-to-peer interaction has been shown to make a positive impact on a participant’s health behaviors, healthcare utilization and health status.
“Peer coaching and peer support adds the much-needed missing elements to how we have historically treated diabetes and can thus make a significant impact on an individual’s health and outlook on life,” said Stacey Rokoff, chief program officer at Evi-Base. “Our program with CMHA is designed to help individuals realize that they cannot rely solely on doctors and hospitals for answers but must take personal accountability and make essential behavior changes in order to improve their own health.”
Established in 1933 as the first chartered public housing authority in the country, CMHA owns and manages property and administers rent subsidy programs that provide eligible low-income individuals and families quality, safe, affordable housing. As one of the 10 largest housing authorities in the country, its mission is to create safe, quality, affordable housing opportunities and improve the quality of life for the communities it serves.
Rokoff says that Evi-Base hopes to roll out similar programs with other housing authorities in surrounding communities in response to the rising number of Americans afflicted with diabetes, which now tops 30 million. “A tremendous void was created when the Diabetes Partnership of Greater Cleveland dissolved in 2017; and we believe, as did they, that Evi-Base offers the right programs at the right time to fill that void and help improve community health in a meaningful way.”
About Evi-Base
Evi-Base provides evidence-based programs and solutions for chronic disease self-management and prevention. Quickly becoming one of the nation’s preeminent companies in its field, Evi-Base works with hospitals, health plans, health systems and ACOs to help patients and members better understand how to live with their disease, thus providing improved quality of life for the individual and lower healthcare costs for everyone. To date more than 3,500 individuals affected by diabetes and other chronic diseases have had their lives positively impacted by completing the Evi-Base programs, which are driven by the core belief of “People first. Integrity always.” evi-base.com
