Salud y Vida 2.0: Enhancing Integrated Behavioral Health for Diabetics in the Rio Grande Valley

The Viviendo Saludable pláticas (or talks) connected Salud y Vida participants living with diabetes together. These talks served as a forum for Salud y Vida participants to share their knowledge and experiences, including some that many health workers, friends, or family do not have. Viviendo Saludable helped participants develop better strategies for managing their diabetes in their daily life. The Viviendo Saludable pláticas complement and enhance the other services by helping participants create a network of emotional, social, and practical support needed to manage diabetes and stay healthy over the long term. Classes met once a week for one hour at locations central to participants' homes.

In a Behavioral Health consult, a participant meets with a counselor for one or more thorough meetings to talk about things that influence their health and well-being. A participant receiving a Behavioral Health consult receives support and is empowered with health coping skills that will allow for improved medication adherence and motivation to control their diabetes.

Medication Therapy Management helps participants and their doctors make sure that their medications are working to improve their health. In a Medication Therapy Management (MTM) consult, a pharmacist gives participants a comprehensive review of all their medications and speaks with them about 1) how well their medications are working, 2) whether their medications have side effects, 3) if there might be interactions between the drugs their taking, 4) whether costs can be lowered and 5) other problems participants are having. The participant will get a written summary of this discussion, including an action plan that recommends what can be done to make the best use of their medications.

The Happy Kitchen is a program where people come together to learn skills and self-sufficiency in preparing healthy, economical meals, laugh, cook, and enjoy food together. The cooking and nutrition program is an interactive 6-week series of classes, where the essential skills for healthy eating is taught and emphasis is placed on the selection and preparation of fresh, seasonal foods that are nutritious, economical, and delicious. Classes meet once a week for 1 ½ hours to cook, discuss, and learn together. All participants leave each class with recipes and groceries to practice new cooking skills.

MEND is a diet and exercise education program that helps families support their kids, ages 6-13, to reach a healthy weight. The program teaches adults and their children how to maintain energy and confidence throughout the day while learning how to cook healthy meals. Each program lasts 10 weeks and classes are 2 times per week. An adult must attend with the child.