<qa>  What is the focus of the group visits?Patients in the group visit arm are expected to attend three 90-minute educational group visits over six months, with group visits directed by a nurse practitioner. Patients will be asked to attend three sessions 8-10 patients in each within six months. All patients will continue to see their primary care physicians as scheduled. The focus of the visits will be on diabetic and vascular risk goals, dietary education, and self-management skills. A graphical Diabetic Health Tracker modified from Chapin et al will be provided to group class attendees; such an intervention may improve vascular risk endpoints. The group visit provider team will have the ability to make referrals, administer recommended vaccines, and adjust medications in consultation with the primary care physician; NPs will also make phone contact with the class group members between visits to report results and help assure follow-up; such case management functions may also improve outcomes. Additional telephone outreach will be made to patients who both: 1 do respond to the 2 recruiting letters, and 2 who have not been seen in the past 12 months in order review barriers to care. A brief phone screen for depression will be considered given data linking depression to non-adherence. 