Preparing a New Generation of Providers in Canada: The Mental Health + Diabetes Training Program

Diabetes care in Canada is compromised by the lack of resources to adequately address the mental health challenges associated with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. To address this gap Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) Canada and Diabetes Canada developed a bilingual training program, and associated directory listing successful graduates, to educate and empower existing mental health providers to better provide services to those living with diabetes. This study reports on the development and initial outcomes of this virtual training program. Training involved 6 self-learning modules and a 3-hour interactive session to consolidate knowledge. Over a 24-month period, 796 mental health providers (68.5% English-speaking, 31.5% French-speaking) enrolled in the training program. Over half of enrollees (56.3%) have completed the program to date (N=448) and 37% of completers (N=166) were approved for the Directory. The professions enrolled, spanning the country, included social workers (42.1%), psychologists (33.7%), psychotherapists (10.8%), counsellors (7.0%), mental health nurses (5.5%), and psychiatrists (0.6%). Satisfaction with the program was very high and training was considered very practical. The program is available at no cost on an ongoing basis, and follow-up research will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential health-related impact of training mental health providers in working with people with diabetes.