The invention is directed to methods for identifying candidate beta cell-sensitizing compounds comprising providing a pancreatic beta islet cell population derived from a diabetic subject, contacting the beta islet cell population with one or more somatostatin receptor 5-binding compounds, and identifying those somatostatin receptor 5-binding compounds that promote insulin secretion from the pancreatic beta islet cell population at a higher rate than from a control cell population. The invention is further directed to methods for treating type II diabetes comprising administering a beta cell-sensitizing compound identified by the first method of the invention to a diabetic patient in need of treatment.