In Attendance:  April Vestal, Jennifer Allen, Barbara Bodnar, Chuck Conner, Kathryn Greenlief, Imogene Foster, Dick Meckstroth, Jim Nemitz, Patti Crawford, Ralph Utzman

Presentation – Barbara Bodnar:  Ms Bodnar, Diabetes Educator, West Virginia University gave a presentation on the Diabetes Resource Manual which is now being developed with cooperation from the WVRHEP sites.  Each site will have a manual in their LRC for student use.  The first phase will include students having the ability to access resources in communities they serve.  This will take time and work but will benefit the community greatly.

The National Diabetes Education program:  A Diabetes Community Partnership Guide was distributed to everyone to review.  17 copies will be distributed to all RHEP sites.  This NIH guide is very extensive and has preparation and evaluation components and examples for all disciplines in how to raise community awareness about diabetes.  It encourages access to health care screenings, and taps into minority and aging.  Ms. Bodnar is requesting that sites that use the manual fill out the evaluation form on page 92 of the manual and send her a copy.  The projects that are completed can then be put into the resource manual for other students to look at and refer to.  It is envisioned that these booklets will be part of the resource manual.

Six diabetes mini-grants have been awarded.  Summers County received one as well as the Eastern Panhandle.  The mini-grants will increase over time.  Projects that deal with traditional methods of diabetes education and awareness have not worked and now we are looking for some new ideas to tap into.

Faculty Development Survey 2000 – Results of the WVRHEP Field Faculty Survey were distributed for review and comment from the committee.  The question was raised as to the location for this year’s conference and why it was chosen.  Only 29% of respondents to the survey indicated they would be able to attend and no one marked Snowshoe as a good location.   April explained that the location had been chosen prior to having the survey results and that Snowshoe had offered great rates on the conference rooms and the faculty development committee has a very small budget.  There was also consideration that Snowshoe would be a good place to bring the family and this is going to be encouraged in order to see more participation.  The date of the conference conflicts with a WVU game.  April explained that the schedules were not completed for football prior to choosing the date.  It was felt this would not be too much of a conflict.  Dr. Meckstroth said that WVU will be looking at a tailgate possibility with faculty from campus community to do an event.  Other comments included the fact that community outreach has always been an issue and this does not reflect anything not already known.  There was some surprise by the number of people without students who filled out the survey and how few faculty lead IDS.  How can you be RHEP and have no students?  The site coordinator cannot be responsible for the number of students at sites.  Would it be possible for preceptors who are used a lot to teach preceptors who are not used as often to show them their techniques?  April urged members to look over the survey and send additional comments to her via email.

Committee Description:  Policy 96-02 – The committee structure has been changed and we need to reconstruct the purpose and description of the committee.  Jennifer Allen and Ralph Utzman agreed to work on a draft description for the next meeting.

Patti Crawford commented that there has been research into internet access in communities at Country Roads and some other sites.  Research has indicated that rural clinics are using internet and email.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.