Policy Development: Management of Type II Diabetes in Adolescents
As mentioned in the basic policy development, the burden of type II diabetes in California has risen to alarming rates. In response, the state government has instituted several policies and initiatives to prevent and treat new onset/recently diagnosed type II diabetes.

The first of these policies is the provision of type II diabetes information to the public. Pursuant to the State of California Education Code Section 49452.7, local education agencies are required to provide type II diabetes information to parents and guardians of incoming seventh-grade students since 2010 (California Department of Education, 2020). The information, provided in the form of factsheets, is developed in collaboration with multiple agencies and describes among other things, the causes and risk factors of Type II diabetes, available screening tests, and prevention techniques. Unfortunately, the provision of information to seventh-graders leaves out a huge size of the at-risk population in the state, particularly those living in poverty.

In addition, the state has developed the Diabetes Prevention Program, an evidence-based lifestyle change program designed to assist Medi-cal beneficiaries diagnosed with pre-diabetes to prevent or delay the onset of type II diabetes (DHCS, 2020). The DPP works by providing information on how to achieve weight-loss to participants through trained peer coaches who use a CDC-approved curriculum (DHCS, 2020). Participants who achieve and maintain a minimum weight loss of 5 percent from the first session are eligible to receive ongoing maintenance after 12-month core services period (DHCS, 2020). This is geared at helping them continue healthy lifestyle behaviors. The DPP has been shown to be highly effective, with clinical trials indicating that it reduces the incidence of diabetes by 58 percent...…(Hilliard et al., 2015). Further, they could use their influence to lobby government officials and organizations for policy changes that improve access for diabetes patients, such as expanding Medicaid coverage (Hilliard et al., 2015). At the local level, these interest groups could organize awareness campaigns to educate the masses on risk factors and prevention strategies, conduct fundraising drives, and organize supportive programs such as educational events, local sporting activities, and free screening (Hilliard et al., 2015). One strategy is to develop college courses for aspiring healthcare professionals to obtain in-depth simulation experiences and education related to diabetes (Hilliard et al., 2015). This would be crucial in preparing these future healthcare providers to meet the needs of diabetic patients.

In summary, addressing the rising incidence requires the collaborative effort of different stakeholders - from the government, the general public, healthcare professionals, and relevant interest…