Mental Health and Community Wellness

Health Promotion and Wellness

The Health Promotion and Wellness Branch provides health promotion, wellness and chronic disease prevention leadership at a population level within and outside the health sector.

• Health promotion is addressed using evidence-informed approaches through programs and strategic partnerships. This is undertaken for the purpose of creating environments that support all Manitobans to make healthier choices to improve their overall health and wellbeing.
• Mental health promotion is addressed by incorporating actions that promote mental well-being for the whole population, preventing mental health problems or illnesses and supporting recovery for people living with a mental illness.

Key functions:

• Collaborate with organizations across sectors and other government departments to build supportive environments that promote the prevention of disease and improve overall wellness.
• Engage with communities to build relationships, gain and share knowledge.
• Support and strengthen community capacity, with special attention to those most negatively impacted by health inequities.
• Collaborate with partners to enhance protective factors and reduce risk factors to support the development and maintenance of mentally healthy individuals and communities.
• Develop and monitor policies through key policy streams to improve population health outcomes.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the strategic plan for the department of Mental Health, Wellness and Recovery further supporting health promotion and wellness needs in Manitoba.

 Program streams include:

• Healthy Eating
• Harm Reduction
• Mental Health Promotion
• Active Living
• Smoking and Vaping Control and Cessation
• Healthy Sexuality
• Healthy Schools
• Non-communicable Disease (also known as Chronic Disease) Prevention