MinuteClinic joins coalition dedicated to raising diabetes awareness in Chicago's South Side

CHICAGO — MinuteClinic, which is owned by CVS Caremark, announced on Monday that it has joined a coalition of organizations dedicated to raising diabetes awareness among families on Chicago's South Side.



The coalition is working with Perspectives Charter School Calumet Campus to educate, screen, diagnose and, if needed, provide follow-up care to any student diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes.



Members of the coalition are MinuteClinic; University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System, Chicago Medical Center; Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation; Jay Cutler Foundation; Chicago Diabetes Project; and Access Community Health Network.



"The epidemic of obesity in America affects 17% of all children and adolescents, and more than 215,000 youth under 20 have already been diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes," stated Tobias Barker, VP medical operations at MinuteClinic. "Through this program, MinuteClinic and other coalition members can help a group of children on Chicago's South Side whose diabetes might otherwise go undiagnosed or untreated until serious health complications result."



MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics are located inside 35 CVS/pharmacy stores in Chicagoland (Illinois and Northwest Indiana).



The idea for the screening program was conceived when the Jay Cutler Foundation and CVS Caremark approached Greater-Auburn Gresham Development about conducting a childhood diabetes awareness campaign. GADC, which works to foster and promote revitalization of low-to-moderate income Chicago neighborhoods, sees the campaign as a natural extension of its ongoing community health fairs, also sponsored by CVS Caremark. This pilot program facilitated by GADC will serve as a model for the Cutler Foundation's expansion of diabetes testing to other Chicago neighborhoods.



Students diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes will receive a free follow-up visit at Access Community Health Network and also may select to receive care from a University of Illinois Hospital specialist.



Students from other schools in Chicagoland can visit one of Access Community Health Network's 60 Chicagoland health centers to receive a diabetes screening. Students must meet Access' enrollment requirements, which include parental consent for most services.

Interested in this topic? Sign up for our weekly Collaborative Care e-newsletter.