Training Opportunities

Certified Diabetes Education

  An opportunity awaits you to become a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE). The Certification Examination for Diabetes Educators is offered by the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE). It is solely designed and intended only for health care professionals who have primary roles as diabetes educators. Presently, in the USVI, we have two CDEs, Ms. Desiree James who serves at the Veteran’s Affairs and Ms. Margo Wesley who serves at Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center.
 One of the Virgin Islands Diabetes Prevention and Control Program’s (VIDPCP) goals is to increase the number of persons trained as certified diabetes educators in the USVI. Some examples of health professions that are considered are dieticians, nurse, health educators, pharmacists and physical therapists.
 We encourage more health professionals to become CDEs. If you are interested and need more information log on to the National Certification Board for CDE's website at www.ncbde.org

Diabetes Today Curriculum

Staff of the Bureau if Health Education, VIDPCP are trained in training community groups and organizations in implementing the Diabetes Today Curriculum. Diabetes Today is a training program that looks at diabetes from a public health perspective. The goal of the training is to create community-based diabetes initiatives to help people deal with diabetes. The philosophy of this curriculum is that people can take charge of diabetes at the community level. Rather than relying on expensive medical treatment after the complications of diabetes have already developed, community members — people with diabetes and their families, health professionals, and other concerned individuals — can work together to prevent and control diabetes. By emphasizing public health and community organizing and mobilizing, this curriculum focuses on the strengths of communities and their ability to work creatively to deal with the problems caused by diabetes. More details can be found at the CDC web site at http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/projects/d_today.htm . If your church or community group is interested in implementing Diabetes Today, please call us at 340.713.8224 or e-mail info@usvidiabetes.org.