AADE Is Not a Clean Organization

The Kentucky law is similar to what the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics has passed in several states. It provides exclusive rules for whom may teach education and provides misdemeanor penalties for others providing diabetes education. I am not sure that even doctors are exempt. They are able to practice their profession, but the interpretation will be whether they can do any diabetes education.

Yes, there is a place for interpretation, but it seems that the law is clearly written to make the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) the sole organization for doing diabetes education. It will be interesting to see if the Academy for Certified Diabetes Educators is included or excluded. A lot of authority is centered with the Board of Educators that is appointed by the Governor of Kentucky.

What I find surprising is the fees being charged to maintain an active license.

Pay licensing amounts as promulgated by the board through administrative regulation, with the following restrictions:

1. Initial licensing shall not exceed one hundred dollars ($100);

2. Annual renewal shall not exceed one hundred dollars ($100);

3. Biennial renewal shall not exceed two hundred dollars ($200);

4. Late renewal shall not exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150); and

5. The reinstatement fee shall not exceed two hundred twenty-five dollars

($225).

(a) Licenses or permits shall be renewed annually or biennially if the board

requires biennial license renewal by administrative regulation.

(b) Licenses or permits not renewed within thirty (30) days after the renewal date shall pay a late penalty as promulgated by the board in administrative regulation.

These are not cheap fees for a CDE only working part-time. Unless this is a way of forcing CDEs to work full time or get out of the AADE.

Admittedly this is my opinion, but in my reading of the information, the AADE is taking actions similar to AND to become the only source of diabetes education. This is something I will oppose in my state as I feel that it is my right to obtain diabetes education where and when I choose and not from CDEs that want exclusive rights to diabetes education.

I see too many emails from people that CDEs are promoting nutrition and not diabetes education. On further investigation, many have had two titles after their names (i.e., CDE and RD). They are promoting high carb/low fat food plans and often the carbohydrate count in 45 grams or higher numbers per meal. This says that they are not allowing low carb/high fat (LCHF) food plans. All have been promoting whole grains, which those of us that do our testing know are the wrong foods for people with diabetes. The ADA is now allowing LCHF food plans, but the USDA is of course promoting whole grains and high carb/low fat (HCLF) food advice.

Most, but not all, CDEs do not promote testing of blood glucose levels other than one time per day and generally only at fasting in the morning if taking oral medications. Those of us on insulin that test more often know that it is necessary to test in pairs to discover how different food plans affect our blood glucose levels. Many of us sacrifice to purchase sufficient test strips to test at each meal, before and after exercise and before bed or about nine times per day, and sometimes we test more often if we feel that hypoglycemia may be happening.