Manitoba launches spiritual health-care strategic plan

First-of-its-kind plan in Canada: Ministers

Manitoba has released Health and the Human Spirit, the province's new spiritual health-care strategic plan, said Jim Rondeau, the province’s Healthy Living, Seniors and Consumer Affairs minister.

"Our new, four-year strategic plan, the first of its kind in Canada, enhances awareness and gives direction for spiritual health care in Manitoba," said Rondeau. "It will promote opportunities for Manitobans to experience spiritual health through better awareness, understanding and healing."

The new plan was informed by a spiritual health-care strategic planning session involving a range of community and professional stakeholders, spiritual care providers, volunteers, counselors, physicians, psychiatrists, policy analysts and individuals who have experienced spiritual care in a health-care context, the minister said.

"Manitoba has been a leader in Canada in consistently supporting the development of spiritual care as part of overall health care," said Health Minister Theresa Oswald. "We now have seven spiritual health-care co-ordinators across the province to help connect patients and families with the spiritual supports they need, a unique-in-Canada provincial spiritual health-care co-ordinator and legislation that enshrines the special role of faith-based organizations in our health-care system."

A four-year work plan is currently under development and will enable implementation of the spiritual health-care plan, the ministers said. The plan will build on previous accomplishments in spiritual health care, including a province-wide spiritual health-care volunteer education course, core competencies for spiritual health-care practitioners and the incorporation of traditional Aboriginal healing space at a number of health facilities across the province.

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