Enhancing school programs through community collaboration

The Indiana Diabetes School Care Act was the result of an impressive lobby by advocates for appropriate care of school aged children and their families living with Diabetes Types I & II. As a result of this, the Indiana Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) partnered with the Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Public Health to establish a guidebook for implementation in schools and community settings. The development of what would become Diabetes: A Hands on Classroom Guide to Educators & Schools involved partnership and collaboration with a number of stakeholders involved in the original advocacy effort with special focus provided to children and their families. In the development of the guide, it became evident through anecdotal evaluation that the guide would provide all students regardless of their individual health status with the cognitive tools and self-confidence to advocate for their individual needs both in and outside the classroom setting, while providing those students living with diabetes the same assets to address personal health issues. The project also enabled crucial collaboration between academia and the community that it ultimately serves. The outcome is a guide that provides an informative and concise tool for educators in the care and education of students living with diabetes with implications for all students.