Presented by Diabetes Tasmania and fully funded by the Tasmanian Government's Department of Health and Human Services, Diabetes Assist is free for all participants and is designed to assist people no matter where they live in Tasmania.

In 2008 the Tasmania Department of Health and Human Services funded Diabetes Tasmania to implement a telephone based educational and self management service, based on The COACH Program® to improve health outcomes and reduce lifestyle risk factors for people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or with significant biomedical risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes.

They were also funded to provide group community based nutrition services across Tasmania for people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and others in the community who would benefit from these services.

An estimated 40,000 people are affected by diabetes in Tasmania. In addition 65,000 Tasmanian’s have impaired glucose tolerance or pre diabetes. This is amongst the highest number described internationally.

Diabetes Tasmania is a social enterprise organisation whose key focus is to improve the health outcomes of people with diabetes and to improve the quality of life for people with diabetes and their families and carers.

The COACH Program® and the community nutrition services have been running since January 2009 and Diabetes Tasmania has a number of coaches currently involved in the program. All are either fully qualified Dietitians or Diabetes Educators who have undertaken The COACH Program® training.

By July 2010 Diabetes Tasmania had assisted over 200 Tasmanian to understand their diabetes management better and work towards achieving their risk factor targets. Healthy shopping tours and groups education sessions have also been running successfully state-wide each month.

For more information regarding Diabetes Assist contact Diabetes Tasmania on 1300 745 153.