Healthiest

Manitowoc County

Better Health. Better Choices.

About HMC

What is Healthiest Manitowoc County (HMC)?

Healthiest Manitowoc County (HMC) was established in 2004 as an oversight coalition for community health improvement activities in Manitowoc County. HMC coordinates the Community Health Assessment and Improvement Planning process and establishes coaltions to address the high priority needs in the community.

Members of the coalition represent government, health care, education, not-for-profit community service organizations, law enforcement, religious organizations and private citizens.

Our Mission

Healthiest Manitowoc County challenges us to embrace quality living through actively pursuing physical and mental well-being.

Get Connected

Mental Wellness Coalition

Who are we?

Our Mission

The Mental Health Task Force of Manitowoc County is dedicated to being a leader in:

  • identifying issues faced by all people affected by mental illnes
  • facilitating improved awareness of and access to mental health services
  • ensuring consumers and familes have a strong voice
  • reducing stigma
  • implementing person centered recovery care

Local Services

How Can You Help? Join our working committees!

Education & Awareness

Advocacy

Access

Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition

Meets 2nd Thursday @ 8am, Manitowoc Police Department

Who are we?

We are a mix of community members that have been impacted by or are concerned about substance abuse and want to improve our community’s quality of life. We welcome all to join the coalition, we meet the second Thursday of each month in the lower level of the Police Department from 8am to 9am. Meeting format typically includes 20-30mins. of roundtable discussion followed by break-out group discussions into the Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription and Illegal Drug subcommittees.

The Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition:

  • EMPOWERS community members to solve community alcohol and drug-related problems.
  • TRAINS youth to be role models, mentors and leaders.
  • ADVOCATES for policies to prevent teen alcohol and drug use.
  • EDUCATES parents and community about the latest trends in substance abuse and how to help teens make better choices.
  • PROVIDES community leaders, parents, teachers, law enforcement and physcians with the needed resources to address substance abuse.

Our Mission

The Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition's mission is to reduce the incidence of alcohol, tobacco and drug use by youth and young adults through education, peer leadership, policies and environmental strategies.

Substance Awareness

According to the Manitowoc County 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey:

  • The annual (2013) tax payer burden of excessive alcohol use in Manitowoc Co. is $49.3 million dollars.
  • Each Manitowoc Co. resident pays about $600 in taxes to offset these expenses.
  • 27% of Manitowoc Co. residents binge drink, this is higher than the state rate (23%) and national rate (16%
  • Excessive alcohol consumption is attributed to 27 deaths, 665 hospitalizations, and 889 arrests in 2011.
  • The economic impact of cigarette smoking in Manitowoc Co. is $56.4 million dollars
  • 22% of Manitowoc Co. residents smoke cigarettes.
  • Smoking is attributed to 113 deaths in Manitowoc Co
  • 68% of our youth drink alcohol
  • 19% of our youth admitted to binge drinking
  • 22% of our youth admitted to smoking marijuan
  • 18% or our youth admitted to using prescription drugs without a doctor's permission

Community Resources

Parent Resources

Parents are still the most influential in a child's life. You can help protect your children from the risks associated with substaance use by maintaining open communication and expressing a clear, consistent message that smoking, underage alcohol use and drug use is unacceptable. Building a close relationship with your children will increase the likelihood they come to you for help in making decisions that impact their health and well being.

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Activity & Nutrition Coalition

Our Mission

We envision community environments that support healthy lifestyles by promoting good nutrition and increased physical activity.

Take me to:

Activity

60mins. a Day | 5 days a Week

Who are we?

We represent schools, worksites, community clubs and groups, daycares, and families promoting active lifestyles where we live, learn, work and play. Our goal is for Manitowoc County residents to be active 60 minutes per day.

What we do:

Active Early

Active Schools

Active Worksites

Active Seniors

Active Community

Environmental Changes

Why we exist:

According to the 2013 Manitowoc County Community Health Assessment:

  • 73% of Manitowoc County Adults are overweight
  • 42% of Manitowoc County Adults were getting the recommended moderate or vigorous physical activity

Regular physical activity in adults can lower the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer, and depression.

Physical activity in children and adolescents can improve bone health, improve cardio-respiratory and muscular fitness, decrease the level of body fat and reduce symptoms of depression.

Resources

Lean on the Lakeshore Challenge

Join us in this 100 day fitness challenge. Visit: leanonthelakeshore.com For more information about this event.

Nutrition

Farm to Table

Upcoming Events

Goal of Farm to Table

Committed to being the meeting that’s not a meeting! Fun energized group dedicated to linking people already part of the local food movement with those new to the food movement. Together we work to increase access to and consumption of fresh locally grown foods.

Who are we?

Together, strengthening Farm to Table by increasing active members and supporting grassroots efforts to grow, sell and eat fresh local foods throughout Manitowoc County.

What we do:

Farm to Table – Growers, culinary artists and eaters working together to support the local economy and improve the nutrient value of all food for all people (home, schools, worksites, institutions)

How we do it:

Procurement: encourage partnerships between food service and producers, increasing dollars allocated specifically for local purchases, EBT at the market, education and research.

Resouces

Injury Prevention Coalition

Who are we?

Many community partners working to reduce emergency room visits and preventable hospitalization due to falls.

Join others including hospitals, clinics, home care agencies, long term care facilities, assisted living facilities, public health, Aging and disability Resource Center, the YMCA to prevent injury impacted by falls.

What we do:

Our team has identified 5 key areas that contribute to our county's high rate of falls and has created workgroups for each of the 5:

  • Need for preventative information
  • Poor vision
  • Lack of self-management skills
  • Medication issues
  • Medical conditions

Injury Stats

  • Deaths from fall do not only occur in the over 64 population; they are one of the top 5 leading causes of deaths in Wisconsin for ages 15-65+!
  • The majority of falls that result in death occur in the home (55%)
  • Hospitalizations and emergency room visits due to falls result in $800 million in hospital charges each year in Wisconsin.

Local Resources | Classes