This training series explores the incorporation of Community Health Workers (CHWs), care managers, diabetes educators, behavioral health professionals, and endocrinologists in advancing team-based diabetes care for pediatric, maternal, and geriatric populations. Participants will gain the knowledge and tools to enhance communication, coordination, and outcomes in diabetes management across various care settings.
Program
Session 1: Optimizing the Use of Diabetes Educators
2/12/2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM
Session 2: The Endocrinologist: An Essential Team Member
2/26/2026| 1:00–2:30 PM
Session 3: Using Community Health Workers and Care Managers
3/10/2026| 1:00–2:30 PM
Session 4: Integrating Behavioral Health Providers Into Diabetes Care
3/24/2026| 1:00–2:30 PM
The AAFP has reviewed this Strategies for Preventive Health and Chronic Disease in Maternal, Pediatric, Geriatric, and Adult Care training and deemed it acceptable for AAFP credit. The term of approval is for one year. Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Each live session is approved for 1.25 AAFP Elective credits. Elective credits are available for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, and medical assistants. Attendance at the entire live training and the submission of a post-training evaluation are required to receive credit.
Presenters
Christina Clayton, MS, BSN, RN
Director, Clinical Services, Renaye James Healthcare Advisors
Christina has over 13 years of experience as a nurse leader in community, hospital, health insurance, and regulatory settings. She held positions in nursing leadership, nursing management, case management, payer quality programs, program management, regulatory compliance, and nursing education.
As a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) nurse consultant, Christina provided accreditation oversight to Medicare’s acute care programs. She was the Diabetes Self-Management Training and Home Infusion Therapy accreditation Program Leads. She provided clinical support for Rural Health and Federally Qualified Health Center programs.
For Johns Hopkins Healthcare, LLC, Christina aligned measurable program goals with the organization’s mission and used quality improvement strategies. As a Program Manager, she collaborated with external stakeholders to improve health outcomes and decrease high utilization of members within the Complex Case Management and Disease Management Program.
Christina has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Coppin State University (Baltimore, Maryland) and a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from Morgan State University (Baltimore, Maryland).
Laura J. Benner, MBA, MSN, RN, ACM-RN
Director, Case Management, John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Laura Benner is the Director of Case Management at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, where she leads a team of nurse case managers and care management assistants as well as leading a newly developed resource center. Laura is an annual guest lecturer at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, where she discusses the impact of healthcare finance and participates in curriculum development for internal residency programs related to geriatric changes and care transitions. She has served as previous president of the Eastern Pennsylvania American Case Management Association Chapter, was a previous member of the National Board for Case Management, and was a founding board member of the Dementia Friendly Community of Lehigh Valley, PA. Laura has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing as well as a Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Nursing.
Laura J. Benner, MBA, MSN, RN, ACM-RN
Director, Case Management, John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Laura Benner is the Director of Case Management at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, where she leads a team of nurse case managers and care management assistants as well as leading a newly developed resource center. Laura is an annual guest lecturer at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, where she discusses the impact of healthcare finance and participates in curriculum development for internal residency programs related to geriatric changes and care transitions. She has served as previous president of the Eastern Pennsylvania American Case Management Association Chapter, was a previous member of the National Board for Case Management, and was a founding board member of the Dementia Friendly Community of Lehigh Valley, PA. Laura has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing as well as a Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Nursing.
Dolly Applegate, LCSW-C, CAC-AD, CDCES
Clinical Social Worker
Dolly Applegate is a licensed clinical social worker, certified substance use disorder counselor, and certified diabetes care and education specialist whose career intersects behavioral health with chronic disease management. She integrates clinical knowledge with practical patient-centered strategies using evidence-based techniques across medical and community settings. Dolly brings a collaborative, whole-centered approach to her practice. She provides compassionate care and equips patients with the tools they need to confidently manage their health and improve outcomes. Dolly’s work focuses on strategies that improve health literacy, reduce constraints to care, strengthen cross-disciplinary teams, and provide a holistic treatment approach.
Catherine J. Ford, RN, BSN
John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Catherine is a registered nurse with 13 years of experience in a high-acuity inner city emergency department and 12 years as a seasoned Nurse Case Manager in the same setting at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Catherine brings strong clinical judgment, and interdisciplinary collaboration skills to coordinate care, optimize outcomes, champion for patients, and support patients across the continuum of care.
Gene Arnold, RD, CDCES
Program Director, Johns Hopkins Diabetes Self-Management Training Service
Gene Arnold is the program director for the Johns Hopkins Diabetes Self-Management training service. Gene oversees a team of diabetes care and education specialists who practice in the greater Baltimore and the national capital region at various Johns Hopkins Medicine locations. He is a registered dietitian (RD), certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES) and has been with Johns Hopkins Medicine since 2016.
Dr. Sudipa Sarkar, MD, MSCI
Director, Inpatient Diabetes Management Service and Assistant Professor of Medicine
Dr. Sudipa Sarkar is an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her areas of clinical expertise include endocrinology.
Dr. Sarkar received her M.D. from the Yale School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital and performed a fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Dr. Sarkar joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 2017.
