OPHA supports Ontario's health professionals, volunteers and community agencies with the skills and knowledte to help prevent cardiovascular disease.

Heart Health Resource Centre (HHRC)

HHRC was established at OPHA in 1993 to support the community-based partnerships of the Ontario Heart Health Program. Currently, the HHRC supports 37 Healthy Communities Partnerships working within the Healthy Communities approach. These Partnerships link integrated health promotion planning to implementation at the local level within six risk factor areas: healthy eating; physical activity, sport and recreation; tobacco use and exposure; substance and alcohol misuse; mental health; and injury prevention.

HHRC is a member of the Healthy Communities Consortium, a group of resource centres working collaboratively to support those within the Healthy Communities approach, and is funded by the Ministry of Health Promotion.

HHRC in Action…

  • Provides training and development opportunities via symposia, workshops and webinars to Healthy Communities Coordinators, their community partners, public health units, NGO’s, government representatives and other health promoters to enhance their ability to lead quality interventions in their communitie
  • Facilitates on-site consultations according to the needs of community partnerships to increase their capacity to develop and deliver effective, community-based chronic disease prevention strategies.
  • Provides one-on-one, skill-building coaching support for Coordinators.
  • Produces relevant and timely resources, such as a website, newsletter series and manuals that contribute to increased knowledge and skills.
  • Provides support to the Ministry of Health Promotion in the development of Healthy Communities and participates on a variety of provincial advisory committees related to chronic disease prevention.

Impact

HHRC is proud of its strong 14 year track record of improving the capacity of health promoters and their community partners to be leaders and advocates for healthy public policy in chronic disease prevention. The HHRC has accomplished this by innovatively adapting to an ever-changing environment and community health priorities.