Unidos Contra la Diabetes is a community partnership dedicated to preventing diabetes. For many years, the members of this partnership have worked diligently to improve the health of children and families in the Rio Grande Valley. Now, we are building on existing efforts and partnerships by coming together as a collective unit to magnify our impact on this important challenge for our community.

We saw a need to take a cross-sector systemic approach to diabetes prevention, and therefore we chose to use an approach called collective impact. Collective impact is the commitment of a group of important actors from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem at scale. This common agenda is intended to summarize the first phase of our collective efforts. It contains a detailed exploration of the diabetes challenge in the Rio Grande Valley and outlines a shared agenda for how we will, together, address this issue.

Our Guiding Principles:
Serve the whole community through a systems oriented approach 

We support not only the individuals at risk for diabetes, but also their families and the communities they live within.  We strive to change the overall system, including policies, practices and cultural norms to create a healthier community.

Take an asset-based approach 

We will recognize and elevate community, family and individual assets to build upon and avoid shaming people for poor health. Community engagement is asset based and family oriented. 

This is everyone’s responsibility 

Diabetes prevention is a shared responsibility of the entire community, including the private sector, governments, schools, families, and individuals at risk for diabetes and includes sustainably improving social determinants of health.  

Think holistically about health 

We will support prevention and integration of behavioral health in diabetes prevention in promoting holistic wellness; mind, body, and spiritual.

Foster health equity people and families 

We commit to foster health equity for individuals and families with the knowledge and cost-effective care and tools they need to take their health into their own hands. 

THE GOAL

The goal of Unidos Contra Diabetes is to reduce the number of new cases of type II diabetes in 5 years, resulting in a 10 percent reduction in the prevalence of diabetes by 2030. We are committed to doing this by integrating primary and behavioral health for people at-risk for diabetes in our community, with a particular emphasis on meeting the needs of low-income and underserved populations.

OUR PARTNERS