The New Health Action!

Exciting News!!

Over the past year Health Action has been working on shifting our focus from heart disease to Healthy Communities.

The Ministry of Health Promotion’s new approach, “Healthy Communities Fund” encourages the development of new partnerships and strengthens existing ones, resulting in improved access to priority health promotion programs and services for Ontarians

Priorities for the approach to healthy communities

  • Healthy Eating
  • Physical Activity/Sport/Recreation
  • Tobacco Use/Exposure
  • Substance and Alcohol Misuse
  • Mental Health
  • Injury Prevention

Healthy Communities Fund is divided in to 3 interconnected Components

Healthy Community Partnerships Stream:

To provide network support and partnership opportunities at the local level.  To identify healthy living priorities and mobilize organizations and leaders to develop policies and environments that promotes health. Public Health Units across Ontario are asked to facilitate this approach in our local communities.

Healthy Communities Grant Stream:

Provides one window for groups looking for assistance from Ministry of Health Promotion to promote physical activity, sport, recreation, healthy eating, injury prevention, tobacco control and mental health promotion projects.

Healthy Communities Consortium:

Brings together 5 health promotion resources centres to support communities with partnership and community development, training and best practices.

What does this mean for Haldimand and Norfolk Counties?

  • Great opportunity for Haldimand & Norfolk to build on current assets, networks and relationships that already exist while building a shared community vision and values
  • Community-based partnership in which the participants and contributions of various stakeholders are likely to produce benefits in the form of increased effectiveness and productivity by reducing duplication and maximizing resources