Evaluation of the Project ALTO and Pacoima diabetes collaborative: A community collaborative 3-year partnership program

In 2005 Project ALTO-(PA) a project of Mission Community Hospital was funded to educate and screen low-income, uninsured Latinos at high risk for diabetes, referring those with no other access to care to MEND (Meet Each Need with Dignity), and a local free-clinic. Also in 2005 Valley Care-Community-Consortium's (a 501-c-3 non-profit) Chronic Disease Committee was working on a grant proposal to address the growing epidemic of diabetes and obesity in the Latino population. Throughout 2005, the newly formed VCCC Pacoima Diabetes Collaborative and PA worked to create a program that would enhance PA. In 2006 The California Endowment funded the collaborative culturally sensitive project, which includes community health forums, walking groups, education sessions, group model clinics, web-based resource directory and needs assessment.

PA is staffed with bilingual community health-workers that provide glucose screenings at local community events. The PDC is staffed with a bilingual community-coordinator that conducts free walking groups and physical activity sessions at local school parent centers, churches, and parks within walking distance of residents' homes. A bilingual physician works with PDC to establish a group model approach to increasing access to care in local clinics that provides greater health literacy; allowing for more time with a physician and various health professionals to address the cultural issues facing Latinos residing in Southern-California.

The external evaluators of this project will present their findings through the three formal evaluation measures utilized in this project. Program results and future implications will also be presented and discussed.