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In-Home and Community Support

Manitoba has various in-home and community supports to help you along your journey to recovery. Some programs have specific requirements, while others are available to all Manitobans. Some services are free and some have a cost. See below for details on each service.


Support Programs

Healthy Baby Community Support Programs

These are free programs offered throughout Manitoba which support a new mother during pregnancy up until the first year postpartum.

Healthy Families

Healthy Families is a drop-in group in Winnipeg for pregnant people and parents of children up to 2 years old. Come meet other families, share your ideas on pregnancy, parenting, and life with kids.

Families First Program

This Program offers home visiting supports to eligible Manitoba families with children from pregnancy to school age.

Towards Flourishing

Towards Flourishing is a mental health promotion program that has been embedded into the Family First home visiting program.  It involves early postpartum screening and offers the Towards Flourishing curriculum, which involves Topics and Everyday Strategies to promote positive mental health, as well as early detection of postpartum mood and/or anxiety issues.   

Parent/Child Coalitions

Parent Child Coalitions are a place to help support parenting, improve children’s nutrition and literacy, and help build families within their own communities through various resources and community organizations across Manitoba.

Healthy Start for Mom and Me

Healthy Start for Mom and Me is a provincially and federally funded program that offers expectant moms, teens and new mothers and their partners with support from the prenatal period and beyond.

  • The program is run by outreach workers, dietitians, and public health nurses.
  • There are 9 different locations in Winnipeg. See their website for location details: https://www.hsmm.ca/wp/our-groups/locations/
  • Some of their services include:
    • Free Prenatal & postnatal drop-in groups (on-site babysitting available for older children)
    • Home visits by outreach workers (may be available as needed by participants)

Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program

The Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) is a federal program that funds community groups to develop or enhance programs for vulnerable pregnant women. Through a community development approach, the CPNP aims to reduce the incidence of unhealthy birth weights, improve the health of both infant and mother, and encourage breastfeeding.

Some of their services include:

  • Breastfeeding support, drop-in activities, family and social support, father involvement, home visits, nutrition consultation/education & prenatal nutrition, and pre/postnatal support or education. 

There are 6 different projects funded in Manitoba: 

Postpartum Doulas

Postpartum Doulas provide non-judgmental guidance on newborn care and feeding, assist the mother with physical and emotional recovery, care for baby so mother can care for herself, and provide some light housekeeping. They can assist you with your needs making it easier for you to parent your new baby.

Marymound Young Parents Program

Offers the Young Parents Program, a program specifically for teen parents who have lived in Foster care. The Young Parents Program provides guidance and support on parenting and independent living. Marymound workers help with finding daycare, travel to doctor’s appointments, supervise visits, and provide in-home respite to give you a break when you need it. 

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Centres and Family Centres

Family Centres are community resources that provide services and supports for families. See the following link for a list of Community & Family Support Centres in Winnipeg: http://www.winnipegparent.com/fsg.html

Nest Family Centre

Nest Family Centre is Winnipeg’s only Family Centre created by an experienced healthcare professional.

  • Nest offers education and support from pre-conception up to kindergarten in a wide variety of fun and interactive play groups, classes, and workshops.
  • Check out their website at http://nestfamilycentre.com for more information.
  • Phone: 204-453-8160
  • Email: info@nestfamilycentre.com 

Family Dynamics

Family Dynamics (also known as the Family Centre) is a Winnipeg community-based agency that is devoted to strengthening families and building supportive communities.

  • They offer an In-Home Family Support Program, which provides supports to families in need. You may qualify for this program if your family has limited resources and is experiencing a relationship loss or change, an illness or hospitalization, has a hard time dealing with parenting and child behaviour, has had twins or triplets, etc.

Villa Rosa Inc.

Villa Rosa is a prenatal and postnatal residence offering a wide variety of programs in a safe and nurturing environment.

Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre Inc. 

The Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, Inc. (Ma Mawi) was founded by committed community members who sought an Indigenous solution to supporting and rebuilding families. Since that time, Ma Mawi has worked to support families to better care for children by creating meaningful opportunities for community and family involvement. 

If you visit Manitoba 211 and click on Children and Parenting, you can search for Family Centres across Manitoba: https://mb.211.ca/

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Community Health Offices

Winnipeg Community Health Offices

To find your local public health nurse and community health office, see the following link:

Regional Health Authorities in Manitoba

To contact the Different Regional Health Authorities in Manitoba, see the following link:

The Government of Manitoba website has a list of crisis and non-crisis services and contacts broken down by the various regional health authorities. In here, you can find Community Mental Health Intake contact details should you wish to self-refer if you are struggling with a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. http://www.gov.mb.ca/healthyliving/mh/crisis.html

Within each region of the province, you will find Public Health Nurses, Healthy Baby groups, the Families First program, Parent/Child Coalitions, and Family Centres. Depending on the region, you may also find community mental health workers who can provide supportive counselling, Coping with Change, Towards Flourishing, the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program, and Insight Mentoring programs.

Below is a listing of useful links for each Regional Health Authority (RHA): 

Winnipeg RHA

Interlake-Eastern RHA

Southern RHA

Prairie Mountain RHA

Northern RHA

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Breastfeeding Drop-in Clinics and Support

To find a breastfeeding drop-in clinic near you in Winnipeg, visit the following link: http://www.wrha.mb.ca/breastfeeding/clinics.php

Outside of Winnipeg, access breastfeeding information and supports in your region:

Winnipeg Breastfeeding Centre

The Winnipeg Breastfeeding Centre is dedicated to supporting families struggling with breastfeeding issues. 

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Substance Issues

Mount Carmel Clinic: Manito Ikwe Kagiikwe/Mothering Project

Mount Carmel Clinic is a non-profit community health centre in Winnipeg that is committed to helping families live healthier lives. The Manito Ikwe Kagiikwe/Mothering Project is a free program for any woman who is pregnant or early parenting (child under 3) and has a substance use problem.

  • Services for this project include: outreach, one-on-one support, support groups, access to prenatal care, referrals, advocacy, and access to traditional ceremony and teachings.
  • To get care, connect with one of the outreach workers in the community or contact the Program Manager at 204-589-9409.
  • Visit their website for more details: https://www.mountcarmel.ca/health-services-listing/?service=278
  • Location: Mount Carmel Clinic, 886 Main Street, Winnipeg, MB

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Mentoring Programs

InSight Mentoring Program

InSight is an outreach program where mentors provide intensive support to women who are pregnant or have recently had a baby and use substances. This is a voluntary program for women who aren’t well connected to community support services.

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