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
- Centres and Family Centres
- Community Health Offices
- Breastfeeding Drop-in Clinics and Support
- Substance Issues
- Mentoring Programs
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.
- The Healthy Baby Program is run by outreach workers, dietitians, and public health nurses.
- Visit the following link for more information on the Healthy Baby Program and to find a location near you.
- Winnipeg: https://www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild/healthybaby/list_winnipeg.pdf
- Outside Winnipeg: https://www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild/healthybaby/list_rural.pdf
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.
- Childminding available.
- Drop-ins welcome.
- Held at the Birth Centre, 603 St. Mary’s Rd., Winnipeg, MB
- Visit the following link for more information on the Healthy Families group: http://womenshealthclinic.org/what-we-do/maternalhealth/mothering-support/
Families First Program
This Program offers home visiting supports to eligible Manitoba families with children from pregnancy to school age.
- Call your local Public Health Office for more information on the Families First Program.
- See the following link for more information on the Families First Program: http://www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild/familiesfirst/index.html
- Families First Brochure: http://www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild/familiesfirst/brochure.pdf
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.
- See the following link for more information on the Towards Flourishing Program: https://www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild/towardsflourishing/index.html
- The attached map shows the program’s locations in Manitoba: https://www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild/towardsflourishing/tf_map.pdf
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.
- See the following links for more information:
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:
- Baby & Me in Cranberry Portage
- Blue Water Mobile Prenatal Team in Pine Falls
- CPNP in Steinbach
- Futures in Thompson
- In a Good Way Community Kitchen in Brandon
- Healthy Start for Mom & Me groups in Winnipeg (jointly funded by the CPNP and the Healthy Baby program)
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.
- Postpartum doulas do not provide medical services or treatments for mother or baby, nor do they provide heavy housekeeping.
- They are a great option for extra in-home support after having a baby.
- There is a cost associated with their services.
- There are a number of postpartum doulas available in Manitoba, some of whom work for collectives or agencies, while others work independently. Here is a sampling:
- Birth Roots Doula Collective Inc.
- MACFE
- Foundations Birth Services
- Wiijii’idiwag Ikwewag – Manitoba Indigenous Birth Helpers Initiative
- With Women Doula Collective
- Google “Postpartum Doulas in Manitoba” to find more postpartum doulas
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.
- The Young Parents Program is offered in both Winnipeg and Thompson. For more information on this program, call 204-944-7404. Visit their website for more details: https://www.marymound.com/main/services/residential-services/young-parents-program/
- Marymound Thompson also offers Babie
’s’ Best Start, a prenatal nutrition program which also offers education and support for moms of newborn infants up until 12 months of age. - The Babies’ Best Start program offers group programs, home visits, breastfeeding support, cooking tips and food/milk vouchers. There is also transportation and child care assistance available.
- For more information, call 204-677-4331 or email babiesbeststart@marymound.com.
- Visit their website https://www.marymound.com/main/thompson/community-programs/babies-best-start/ for information about this and other community support programs.
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.
- There is a cost that is based on a sliding scale and can be subsidized.
- To see if this program is right for you, call the In-Home Family Support Program Intake Coordinator at 204-947-1401 or visit their website at http://www.familydynamics.ca/families/in-home-family-support/
Villa Rosa Inc.
Villa Rosa is a prenatal and postnatal residence offering a wide variety of programs in a safe and nurturing environment.
- Any single, pregnant woman or new mother can access their services.
- Visit their website for more details: https://www.villarosa.mb.ca/
- Phone: 204-786-5741
- Email: intake@villarosa.mb.ca
- Location: 784 Wolseley Avenue
., Winnipeg, MB
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.
- One of the services provided, Isobel’s Place, is a residential learning facility in Winnipeg for adolescents who are pregnant or mothers in care between 13-17 years of age.
- Visit their website for more details: https://www.mamawi.com/our-programs/children-in-care/
- Phone: 204-925-0300
- Email: info@mamawi.com
If you visit Manitoba 211 and click on Children and Parenting, you can search for Family Centres across Manitoba: https://mb.211.ca/
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
- Website: www.ierha.ca
- Listing of locations
- Mental Health
- Mental Health Resource Guide for the Interlake-Eastern Region
- Prenatal to Early Years
- Information about Towards Flourishing and Coping with Change in the community
Southern RHA
- Website: www.southernhealth.ca
- Listing of locations
- Mental Health
- Parents + Parents to be
- Postpartum Brochure
Prairie Mountain RHA
- Website: www.prairiemountainhealth.ca
- Listing of locations
- Mental Health
- Healthy Babies
Northern RHA
- Website: www.northernhealthregion.ca
- Listing of locations
- Mental Health
- Family Health
- Postpartum Brochure
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.
- This fully covered physician clinic diagnoses, treats, and supports breastfeeding families.
- Website: http://www.wpgbreastfeedingcentre.com/
- Phone: 204-231-1724
- Location: 191 Marion Street, Winnipeg, MB
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
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.
- This program is available in most of the regional health authorities.
- Visit their website for more details: https://www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild/fasd/insight.html
- For more information about Manitoba locations, click here.
