How combining community, policy and data expertise led to important policy changes in Illinois

Sometimes, a small spark can ignite a powerful movement. That’s exactly what happened when the Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) received just under $5,000 from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R). What started as a modest project turned into a major policy win: securing Medicaid coverage for the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) and Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) for people at risk of diabetes in Illinois.

Diabetes is a growing public health crisis, especially for communities facing barriers to care. Almost 11% of Illinoisians have diabetes, and the proportion is higher among those over the age of 65 and those who have lower incomes. The National DPP is a proven program that helps people with prediabetes to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes. But for many low-income residents in Illinois, the cost of participating in the National DPP program was a barrier.

Each year, CHR&R offers small project funds to groups of public health leaders and organizations in states that are working together to improve health. In 2015, IPHI used this funding opportunity to explore evidence-based and community-based programs, including discussions on how to fund the National DPP in Illinois. IPHI leveraged its strengths to bring together diverse partners to align efforts and drive systems change. They convened partners from across sectors, including state-level public health agencies, health care companies, policy leaders and community organizations. IPHI also worked closely with other state health agencies to understand what was needed to make Medicaid coverage a reality. They hosted conversations, gathered data, and built a “roadmap” for expanded Medicaid coverage.

By combining data, community voices, and policy expertise, IPHI helped shape a compelling argument for Medicaid coverage. As the Illinois Department of Public Health released its diabetes action plan and the state Medicaid agency was looking to advance prevention-oriented services, the collaboratively designed roadmap was strategically leveraged to change policy to support both state agencies’ goals. Additionally, funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supported the implementation of expanding access to the National DPP lifestyle change program.

Thanks in part to this collaborative effort, in 2022 Illinois became one of the first states to secure Medicaid coverage for the National DPP. This change opened the door for thousands of residents to access a life-changing program — without worrying about the cost.

IPHI’s story models how small investments—when used to facilitate collaboration and use of data—can lead to big change. CHR&R’s funding to help state public health organizations led to more investment by other funders, then by the CDC, and ultimately to a sustainable Medicaid funding mechanism. A study shows that people participating in the National DPP were 33% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over a decade, than participants in a placebo group. IPHI helped unlock millions of Medicaid funding and improved access to preventive care for people across Illinois.