Cardiovascular Health
- Cardiovascular Health Home
- CVH Data and Trends
- CVH Programs & Resources
- Minnesota 2035 Plan
- Minnesota Stroke Program
- About Us
Learn More
Related Topics
Minnesota's Action Plan to Address Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes 2035
Reducing disparities, removing barriers to good health, and increasing quality care
Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes in Minnesota
Cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes have big impacts on Minnesotans and Minnesota’s communities. In Minnesota, not everyone has the same opportunity to be healthy. Due to systemic barriers, many communities are hit harder by these conditions.
Created with the support and input of the communities and organizations most impacted by these diseases, Minnesota's Action Plan to Address Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes 2035 (MN 2035 Plan) is a road map and call to action for communities, health care organizations, community and organizational leaders, and individuals to collaborate to prevent, treat, and manage cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes through 2035.
Review the full document here:
Minnesota's Action Plan to Address Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes 2035 (MN 2035 Plan)(PDF)
Learn more about why the MN 2035 Plan was created:
Goals
Central to the MN 2035 Plan are three overarching goals to better prevent, manage, and treat cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes. Those goals are to:
- Eliminate racial, geographic, and other health inequities that lead to higher rates of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes for certain populations in Minnesota.
- Remove barriers to good health and well-being.
- Increase access to affordable and culturally appropriate prevention strategies and clinical services, disease self-management options for those who have, or are at risk of experiencing, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Background
Cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes—along with associated risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol—have enormous impacts on Minnesotans and Minnesota’s communities. Cardiovascular disease and stroke are the second and fifth leading causes of death in the state. Diabetes is the eighth leading cause of death and is estimated to affect nearly 400,000 Minnesotans.
One of the most troubling facts is how unequal the occurrence of these diseases is across the state’s communities. American Indians; African Americans; Hispanics and Latinos; Somalis, Hmong, and other Asian communities; rural residents; low-income individuals and families; unemployed, uninsured, and underinsured individuals; members of the LGBTQIA+ community; people with physical and/or mental disabilities; new immigrants; and others are more likely to develop these chronic diseases and be negatively impacted by them. Combined, these three conditions are responsible for approximately one in every four deaths in Minnesota annually.
History
The MN 2035 Plan was developed by bringing together advocates, organizations, and networks—including those who directly represent communities most impacted by these chronic diseases—individuals, insurers, businesses, employers, local public health agencies, educators, representatives of American Indian communities, nonprofits, health care providers, governmental entities, and others. Over a two-year period, workgroups provided input and ideas, one-on-one conversations took place, internal and external group listening meetings were held and surveys were conducted. During this same period, existing health data was reviewed. A leadership team composed of members with a broad array of perspectives from the communities most impacted by cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as health care professionals and others, was created to help guide creation of the MN 2035 Plan.
Learn about the public input process for the MN 2035 Plan:
For the first time, the MN 2035 Plan combines diabetes and cardiovascular disease to create a single action plan. By combining these strongly related chronic diseases into a single plan, everyone can have a greater impact on the effort to reduce the occurrence and impacts of both diseases, while also addressing disease-specific issues.
The MN 2035 Plan consists of 10 key outcomes, each of which is accompanied by a series of strategies designed to help achieve those outcomes. Each outcome strategy also includes examples of actions that can be taken to help achieve the strategies. These examples are not meant to be prescriptive but rather as idea and thought starters to help inform action. Many of them mirror ongoing work currently taking place throughout Minnesota, highlighted in the success story videos that are included.
Click these outcomes to learn more.
- Strategy 1-1: Specifically budget time and resources for relationship building.
- Strategy 1-2: Develop relationships around common goals.
- Strategy 1-3: Seek out opportunities to engage and participate in partnership with communities, healthcare networks, and other sectors.
Success Story Spotlight - Partners in Prevention Clinic: Using a public health nursing model to foster conversations about health and wellness and to build a strong nursing workforce. Watch the full story here:
- Strategy 2-1: Recognize and address how biases often operate together, in order to build equitable health and social systems.
- Strategy 2-2: Acknowledge and address historical trauma using culturally responsive and holistic approaches.
- Strategy 2-3: Recognize the important role of social determinants of health (SDOH) and integrate steps to address them in all work.
Success Story Spotlight - Butterfield Hardware Store: To help address challenges to healthy and affordable foods in the rural community of Butterfield, the local hardware store made a business and community decision to carry healthy food in addition to tools. Watch the full story here:
- Strategy 3-1: Create and sustain authentic partnerships and power sharing.
- Strategy 3-2: Engage community participation and leadership from the beginning.
- Strategy 3-3: Recognize that communities have unique insight, therefore they contribute valuable knowledge that should be the basis for any solution.
Success Story Spotlight - Bois Forte Band of Chippewa: The impacts of colonialism and other structural and economic barriers lead to high rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetes within Native American and Indigenous communities. Bois Forte has implemented multifaceted health and wellbeing efforts aimed at improving the health of tribal members and reducing rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Watch the full story here:
- Strategy 4-1: Increase collaboration between clinical and community-based organizations to integrate services to improve people's health and well-being.
- Strategy 4-2: Build or enhance data sharing and coordination systems that respond to community needs for health and social services, prevention, and self-management programs, and supporting activities.
- Strategy 4-3: Increase access to community and clinical resources through improved planning, coordination, and integration of work.
Success Story Spotlight - Native American Community Clinic (NACC): NACC opened its doors in 2003 to address the health disparities within the urban Native American community of the Twin Cities, offering healthcare services that include medical, behavioral health, dental, and substance abuse programs. Notably, NACC supports patients with high blood pressure by offering self-monitoring blood pressure cuffs where patients can monitor their blood pressure on their own, in the comfort of their own home. They participated in creating an instructional video to show patients how it works and what to expect to make them feel more comfortable with the process. Watch the full story here:
- Strategy 5-1: Strengthen and maintain data collection infrastructure for cardiovascular and diabetes-related conditions and outcomes.
- Strategy 5-2: Establish and maintain data collection standards that support equity goals and reporting that inform community and public health data needs.
- Strategy 5-3: Co-develop and engage in assessment, evaluation, and research using participatory and community-driven approaches.
- Strategy 5-4: Strengthen approaches and standards to share and use data.
- Strategy 6-1: Train the workforce to understand and appreciate language and cultural differences and apply cultural humility in practices.
- Strategy 6-2: Cultivate a health care workforce that reflects the community's cultural makeup and understands its needs.
- Strategy 6-3: Expand the types of health care workers to reflect the needs of the community and increase their numbers.
- Strategy 6-4: Provide appropriate compensation to all health and community care workforce employees.
Success Story Spotlight - HealthFinders: HealthFinders helps Faribault, MN community members find primary medical care including chronic disease management, which includes cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Community Health Workers (CHWs) are an integral part of their community health outreach. CHWs meet community members where they're at to provide a compassionate approach to health care. Watch the full story here:
- Strategy 7-1: Expand educational delivery through clinical and community channels by using varied methods, locations, and messengers.
- Strategy 7-2: Co-design education with community, keeping culture, language, and health literacy in mind.
- Strategy 7-3: Coordinate work within and across organizations with community to support learning and delivery of education.
- Strategy 7-4: Reinforce a culture of health.
- Strategy 7-5: Increase understanding about reducing chronic disease risk, improving self-management, and responding to warning signs of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes-related problems.
- Strategy 7-6: Develop and expand education about policy and advocacy work to impact health. Recognize and uplift existing community policy and advocacy work.
Success Story Spotlight - Whitney Senior Center + CAIRO: The Whitney Senior Center, an organization that supports the wellbeing of people 55+ in the greater St. Cloud area, is a recognized National Diabetes Prevention Program provider. They teamed up with the Center for African Immigrants and Refugees Organization (CAIRO), a St. Cloud nonprofit that advocates for equitable social, health, and economic opportunities for African refugees and immigrant children, youth, and families in St. Cloud. A member of each organization teamed up to offer the National Diabetes Prevention Program to a Somali cohort that is held on-site at CAIRO. Watch the full story here:
- Strategy 8-1: Create systems and structures to support community members in developing and leading strategies, solutions, and programs.
- Strategy 8-2: Provide services and/or programs in ways that are responsive to community needs in familiar, trusted settings.
Success Story Spotlight - Rise: People with disabilities face many challenges and inequities to obtaining and maintaining good health, including tailored, accessible opportunities for physical activity, health eating, and well-being. Rise, a nonprofit working in the Twin Cities Metro Area and Central Minnesota, has worked to create opportunities for their clients to engage in physical activity and healthy eating programs that are tailored to their client's needs. They partner with local organizations to help facilitate these opportunities. Watch the full story here:
- Strategy 9-1: Increase access to evidence-based preventive care, disease management, specialty care, and rehabilitation that follows guidelines and protocols for those most at risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes.
- Strategy 9-2: Provide whole-person care inside and outside the clinic by creating opportunities for patients to practice self-management, advocate for themselves, and shape their own care planning.
- Strategy 9-3: Improve and increase patient-provider engagement.
- Strategy 9-4: Use team-based care and provide care coordination that is person-centered.
- Strategy 9-5: Use data to inform screening, prevention, and disease management programs.
Success Story Spotlight - Southside Community Health Services: Southside Community Health Services is a full-service community health center committed to providing exceptional and comprehensive health services in a professional, inclusive, and culturally responsive setting to the South Minneapolis community. The team offers a complete spectrum of holistic care including medical, dental, vision, and behavioral health services. Southside worked hard to turn their internal operation into one that supports employee suggestions, tries new things, and sustains programs. Watch the full story here:
- Strategy 10-1: Increase funding and supports for in-person and telehealth delivery of prevention, disease management, mental health, and other well-being resources.
- Strategy 10-2: Develop and advocate for community and systems-driven policy changes that address SDOH, including safe spaces to be physically active, access to healthy and affordable food, and affordable and dignified housing, as well as the reduction of commercial tobacco and nicotine use.
- Strategy 10-3: Improve funding and reimbursement to increase access to affordable and culturally responsive healthcare and supportive services.
Success Story Spotlight - Hmong American Farmer's Association (HAFA): HAFA is led by farmers and is dedicated to advancing the prosperity of Hmong farmers in Minnesota. HAFA partnered with HealthEast to connect patients to fresh, culturally relevant produce through their Veggie Rx program. This endeavor lends support in all directions-- local Hmong farmers are supported, doctors build stronger relationships with their patients, and most importantly, patients receive access to foods that will help them feel their best. Watch the HAFA: Veggie Rx video created by BlueCross BlueShield Center for Prevention MN.
MN 2035 Plan Communications Toolkit (Word): Find tools to help you learn more about the MN 2035 Plan and help talk about and share the plan more easily. Please use these tools, which include a news release template, mini-story and sample social media posts, to help create awareness about the MN 2035 Plan and what it will do to create better health for Minnesotans.
MN 2035 Plan Leadership Team members*
- Teresa Ambroz, MPH, RDN, LN; Manager, Diabetes and Health Behavior Unit, Minnesota Department of Health
- Courtney Jordan Baechler, MD, MS; Medical Director, Health Equity and Health Promotion, Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation
- Justin Bell, JD; Vice President of Health Strategies, American Heart Association
- Jesse Bethke Gomez, MMA; Exec. Director, Metropolitan Center for Independent Living
- Haitham M Hussein, MD, MSc, FAHA, FAAN; Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Minnesota
- Lori Lee Jackson, RN, CDCES; RN Care Coordinator & Certified Diabetes Educator, Indian Health Board of Minneapolis, Inc.
- Stephen Kopecky, MD; Division of Preventive Cardiology, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic
- Thomas Kottke, MD, MSPH; Medical Director, Well-Being, HealthPartners
- Shelley Madore, Director, Omstead Implementation Office
- Jim Peacock, PhD, MPH; Supervisor, Cardiovascular Health Unit, Minnesota Department of Health
- Kevin Peterson, MD; Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota
- Lauren Pipkin, BS, RN; Community Advancement Strategist, Fairview Range
- Gregg Simonson, PhD; Director, Care Transformation and Training, International Diabetes Center
- Houa Vue-Her, PhD; Sr. Product Manager, Optum Health, Behavioral Health
- Monisha Washington Richard, CHW; Community Health Strategist, Founder—The linC
*Leadership Team members through September 2023
Partner Organizations
- Action for Health Kids
- Allina Health
- American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- American Association of Diabetes Educators
- Anoka County
- The American Heart Association
- ANIKA Foundation
- Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging
- Bemidji Indian Health Service
- Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
- Breakwater Health Network
- Bristol Myers Squib
- Butterfield Hardware Store
- C.A.R.E. Clinic
- Center for African Immigrant Refugees Organization
- Cedar Riverside People's Center
- CentraCare
- CHI St Joseph's Health/Essentia Health
- CHW at Whittier Clinic
- CLUES (Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio)
- DVHHS Public Health
- Empire Smiles
- Esperanza United
- Essentia Health
- ExercisABILITES
- Fairview Health Services, Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Fairview Northland
- Fairview Range
- Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center/Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council
- Haven Int'l
- Health Partners, International Diabetes Center
- HealthEast
- HealthFinders
- HealthPartners Institute, Diabetes and CVD Clinical Research
- HealthPartners, Cardiology, Epidemiology
- Healthy Northland
- Heart Institute
- Hennepin County Public Health
- Hennepin Health (HCMC)
- Hmong American Farmer's Association
- Hmong American Partnership
- Hue-MAN Partnership
- Insight News
- Johns Hopkins University Center for American Indian Health
- Lao Assistance Center of MN
- Lighten Your Load Counseling
- Lotus Health Foundation
- Mayo Clinic, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Internal Med.
- Mayo FAITH!
- Mental Health Resources
- Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging
- Mille Lacs County
- Minneapolis Health Clinic, PLLC
- Minneapolis Health Department
- Minneapolis Heart Institute/Foundation
- Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers
- Minnesota Black Nurses Association
- Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance/Minnesota Stroke Association
- Minnesota Council of Health Plans (Medica/Emergency Medicine)
- Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
- Minnesota Department of Health, Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP)
- Minnesota Department of Human Services, Oral Health
- Native American Community Clinic
- National Business Group on Health
- New American Consortium
- NovoNordisk
- Olmstead Implementation Office (State of MN)
- Partners in Prevention Community Clinic
- People's Center Clinics and Services
- PBU Consulting, LLC
- Pillsbury United Communities
- Rahma Heart Care
- Ramsey County Public Health
- Renville County Hospital
- Renville County SHIP
- Restoration for All Inc.
- Rise
- Rice County SHIP
- Rochester Clinic
- Saint Mary’s University
- Sanford Health
- Scott County Public Health
- SEWA-AIFW
- St. Mary’s Health Clinics
- Stairstep Foundation
- Southside Community Health Services
- Trellis, Juniper Network
- Twin Cities Medical Society
- United Community Action Partnership
- United Hospital, Cardiology
- University of Minnesota, Cardiovascular Division
- University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy
- University of Minnesota, Community Health/Epidemiology
- University of Minnesota, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
- University of Minnesota, Dept. of Neurology
- University of Minnesota, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism
- University of Minnesota, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health
- University of Minnesota Extension Service
- University of Minnesota, MN Resuscitation Consortium Program
- Whitney Senior Center
- Winona County
- YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities
The success story project showcases the innovative and exciting ways Minnesotans are helping Minnesotans reduce heart disease, stroke, and diabetes in their communities. Click this link to visit the MN 2035 Plan YouTube playlist or click on the individual videos below.
- Partners in Prevention Clinic
- Butterfield Hardware Store
- Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
- Native American Community Clinic
- HealthFinders
- Whitney Senior Center + CAIRO
- Rise
- Southside Community Health Services
- Hmong American Farmers Association: Veggie Rx
Is your organization passionate about this work? Got a success story you want to share? We want to hear! Send your stories to health.MN2035Plan@state.mn.us.
We'd like to acknowledge the many people who contributed to developing the MN 2035 Plan. We highlight the following people for their time, knowledge, and wisdom that helped guide the MN 2035 Plan as part of a workgroup.
Primary Prevention Workgroup Members
- Yolonde Adams-Lee, Lighten Your Load Counseling
- Trina Adler, University of Minnesota, Extension
- Sylvia Amos, Stair Step Foundation
- Susan Bishop, Minnesota Department of Health, SHIP Healthy Community Unit
- Sarah Blonigan, Trellis
- Melanie Brennan, Exercisabilities
- LaPrincess Brewer, Mayo Clinic, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine
- Evalyn Carbrey, Minneapolis Health Department
- Jenna Carter, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
- Mark Cullen, Trellis
- Brittney Dahlin, MN Association of Community Health Centers (MNACHC)
- Farhiya Farah, Saint Mary’s University
- Jodi Gertken, CentraCare
- Lisa Harnack, University of Minnesota, Community Health/Epidemiology
- Robin Hedrick, YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities
- Carla Kohler, CLUES (Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio)
- Annie Krapek, Twin Cities Medical Society
- Shelley Madore, Olmstead Implementation Office
- Leah Schueler, Renville County SHIP
- Deb Smith, Bemidji Indian Health Service
- Jonathan Watson, Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers
- Awol Windissa, Pillsbury United Communities
- Chao Yang, Ramsey County Public Health
Disease Management Workgroup Members
- Christy Barich, Minnesota Council of Health Plans (Hennepin Health)
- Linda Bartholomay, Sanford Health, Nutrition Therapy and Diabetes
- Sarah Blonigan, Trellis
- Foua Choua Khang, Health and Wellness, Hmong American Partnership (HAP)
- Kelly Coughlin, People's Center Clinics and Services
- Mark Cullen, Trellis
- Jokho Farah, People's Center Clinics and Services
- Kylee Funk, University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy
- Kristen Godfrey Walters, Hennepin Health, Care Coordination
- Annie Krapek, Twin Cities Medical Society
- Shirlynn LaChapelle, Minnesota Black Nurses Association
- Russell Luepker, University of Minnesota Division of Epidemiology and Community Health
- Shelley Madore, Olmstead Implementation Office
- Linda Maytan, Minnesota Department of Human Services, Oral Health
- Dawn McCarter, Allina Health, Diabetes Education
- Rozalina McCoy, Mayo Clinic, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Internal Med.
- Mark McLaughlin, Mental Health Resources
- Joan Mellor, Allina Health, Emergency Medical Services
- Naheed Murad, Rahma Heart Care
- Jody Nelson, Minnesota Council of Health Plans (Medica/Emergency Medicine)
- Patrick O'Connor, HealthPartners Institute, Diabetes and CVD Clinical Research
- Owar OJulu, United Community Action Partnership
- Teresa Pearson, American Association of Diabetes Educators member
- Aaron Pergolski, Fairview Health Services, Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Kevin Peterson, University of Minnesota, Dept. of Family Medicine and Community Health
- Veronique Roger, Mayo Clinic, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine
- Elizabeth Seaquist, University of Minnesota, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism
- Gregg Simonson, International Diabetes Center, Training Programs
- Patti Urbanski, PBU Consulting, LLC, Diabetes and Nutrition Services
- Noya Woodrich, Minneapolis Health Department
Acute Treatment Workgroup Members
- Courtney Jordan Baechler, Minneapolis Heart Institute
- Justin Bell, American Heart Association, Health Strategies
- Gretchen Benson, Minneapolis Heart Institute
- Sue Duval, University of Minnesota, Cardiovascular Division
- Dustin Hadley, Patient advocate
- Gary Hanovich, Retired Cardiologist
- Kim Harkins, University of Minnesota, MN Resuscitation Consortium Program
- Haitham Hussein, University of Minnesota, Department of Neurology
- Stephen Kopecky, Mayo Clinic Department of Cardiovascular Medicine
- Tom Kottke, HealthPartners, Cardiology, Epidemiology
- Bilal Murad, United Hospital, Cardiology
- Manoj Doss, HealthPartners (Minnesota Department of Health, Physician Fellow)
The MN 2035 Plan was created by bringing together individuals with a wide variety of perspectives, experiences, roles, and knowledge of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes. Its success will depend on all of those same individuals, and others, working together in a collaborative, community-integrated effort. There is room for every Minnesotan to help implement the MN 2035 Plan, from communities across the state, to health care professionals, to business leaders, and even to those with just an interest in heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Its success depends on champions like you working together to help implement the plan’s strategies.
An online community forum has been created to support community conversations around the MN 2035 Plan. Contact health.MN2035Plan@state.mn.us to sign up.
Here’s a sample of what the forum will provide you:
- Stay updated on the MN 2035 Plan.
- Seek out potential funding opportunities.
- Get engaged in helping to implement the MN 2035 Plan.
- Access ongoing strategies and actions that others are doing that can be used as a model to reduce rates and impacts of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes.
- Learn about ongoing success stories.
- Interact with others working to eliminate health disparities.
For more information, contact health.MN2035Plan@state.mn.us.
Subscribe to receive email updates from the diabetes, heart disease, and/or stroke programs and periodic MN 2035 Plan updates.