The 3-month face-to-face Partners in Care intervention will be community-based and community-led by trained community peer educators from these four partnering community organizations. The intervention involves 12 weekly, group lessons with each lesson lasting about 1 and 1/2 hours. Individuals with a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c; average blood sugar levels) greater than or equal to 7% will be recruited for the study because they represent the most at-risk for diabetes-related complications. Over a 3-year accrual period, the community partners will recruit and enroll 150 eligible NHs and PPs, as well as deliver and evaluate the intervention in their respective community settings. The primary outcomes of our study are hemoglobin A1c and self-reported diabetes specific quality of life. Secondary outcomes are cholesterol levels (including HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides), blood pressure, body mass index, and psychosocial adaptation.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adults age >18 years of age,
2. English-speaking,
3. Physician-diagnosed type 2 diabetes, and
4. Baseline hemoglobin A1c >7%.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Survival less than 6 months,
2. Planning to move out of the community during the intervention study period,
3. Pregnancy,
4. Any co-morbid condition (physical and mental disabilities) that would prevent the individual from participating in the intervention protocol (i.e., major psychiatric illness).