Cardiovascular and Diabetes Coalition of Indiana – About Us

Cardiovascular and Diabetes Coalition of Indiana – About Us2023-04-05T12:54:09-04:00

Our Vision

We envision a healthier Indiana, free of preventable cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and stroke.

Our Mission

The Cardiovascular & Diabetes Coalition of Indiana is an alliance of partners and volunteers from across the state who are committed to reducing cardiovascular related diseases, diabetes and stroke in Indiana through:

  • Education: Remain a location for information sharing on the latest prevention and management research and practices
  • Collaboration: Act as a central hub for connecting our communities to programs as well as community resources through coordinating efforts within communities and connecting Indiana communities to one another
  • Awareness: Make quality epidemiological data accessible as to inform the direction of policy change or community level programming
  • Advocacy: Educate and empower our communities to take action in policy changes that would improve the health of our State
  • Access to Care: Provide healthcare providers, community organizations and local coalitions with evidence-based practices.

Our Story

Established in 2004, the Diabetes Advisory Council at the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) worked to create a comprehensive statewide plan in order to reduce the burden of disease. In September of 2011, transitional meetings began to take place to turn the Diabetes Advisory Council into the Cardiovascular and Diabetes Coalition of Indiana (CADI), which expanded its scope to include heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. In January 2012, the council and coalition coordination meeting took place, followed by members of the coalition receiving their first email from CADI on April 12th, 2012. CADI helped to develop the Better Together Plan (BTP), which addressed all three chronic diseases together in 2015, and this plan was launched in 2016. The three main goals of the BTP were:

  • All Hoosiers are living risk free of risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
  • Individuals with increased risk levels for disease do not develop heart disease, stroke, or diabetes.
  • Individuals with heart disease, stroke, or diabetes experience improved quality of life.

After developing the BTP and establishing its goals, BTP went on the road to be presented in 4 counties around Indiana in 2017. The four counties included South Bend, Gary, Fort Wayne, and Evansville.

The Cardiovascular and Diabetes Coalition of Indiana is part of the Connections IN Health project and housed within the Indiana Clinical Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI), located on the Indiana University Purdue University (IUPUI) campus. CADI is proud to reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and stroke around the state through education, collaboration, awareness, advocacy, and access to care.

Meeting documents and minutes for the Cardiovascular and Diabetes Coalition of Indiana can be found here.

Lead of the Cardiovascular and Diabetes Coalition of Indiana

Aliya AminAliya Amin, MPH, earned her Master’s in Public Health from Indiana University in 2009 after receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan. She began her career working for the State of Indiana on Medicaid policy and quality measures in the Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning before serving as Executive Director of Muslim Alliance of Indiana. As director of a statewide nonprofit organization with a focus on advocacy, education and engagement for underrepresented communities, she spoke in public forums and led efforts in community organization and coalition building. As Coalition Lead of the Cardiovascular and Diabetes Coalition of Indiana, a Connections IN Health initiative at Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute within the Indiana University School of Medicine, she brings together her passion for public health and community led efforts to improve the health of all Hoosiers by reducing risk factors for chronic disease and aspiring towards health justice. Aliya is a wife, mother of three and continues to give back to community through serving on a handful of local boards.

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