A new partnership will disseminate information about controlling diabetes, New Jersey's sixth-most deadly disease.

Diabetes
Ivelin Radkov, ThinkStock
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Melissa Acree is the training manager for the NJ 211 Partnership and the Diabetes Initiative. NJ 211 is a phone "catch-all" for state residents who need help with different problems.

"We service the whole state of New Jersey, via phone or through our website, where people can call us when they do not know where to turn for help with simple things like food and clothing, shelter, or health concerns, health insurance," Acree said. "And we will look in our database, and according to where they live, we will provide community resources that are close by where they can get the help that they need."

Now, they are partnering with the state Health Department to steer callers toward diabetes info.  Type 2 diabetes continues to grow in New Jersey, and it is a real concern.

"We have learned that the prevention is such an important part of the solution to this whole problem. So we are thrilled to partner with the Department of Health to get the word out about awareness, and that there are prevention programs and management programs for this."

NJ 211 will provide callers with diabetes management and prevention help.

"We volunteer the information up front. People can reverse their health situation with the right type of intervention," Acree says.

There are close to 100 diabetes management and prevention programs participating in the state.

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