Health & Well-Being Institute Focus Areas
Healthy Food Access
Our programs help individuals access healthy, affordable foods.
Health Insurance and Care
Our programs help individuals get access to and support for health care and coverage.
Physical Activity
Our programs help people of all ages to live stronger, healthier lives by providing knowledge, inspiration, and ongoing support.
Mental Well-Being
Our programs teach skills to help individuals manage stress, practice mindfulness and access mental health resources.
Community Health
Our programs connect partners and communities with resources and support to address needs and strengthen communities.
Drug and Alcohol Use Prevention and Recovery
Our programs help individuals, employers, and multi-state partners address substance use disorders and support recovery.
About the Health and Well-Being Institute
We support healthier lives by working with and for the people, communities, and Tribal nations of Wisconsin to build relationships, facilitate learning, and pursue data-informed and culturally-based strategies.
Imagine a Wisconsin where every community thrives, supported by access to the research, resources and programming of the University of Wisconsin. That’s the Wisconsin Idea, embodied in the Health & Well-Being Institute of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.
We work with community partners to catalyze positive change in Wisconsin communities through evidence-informed programs to promote health and well-being. Rooted in both urban and rural communities, we’re working together to help solve the state’s most pressing well-being needs and to ensure that all Wisconsinites have the opportunity to live stronger, healthier lives.
Healthy People
We provide community-based education to increase knowledge, skills, and confidence in health-promoting activities.
Healthy Communities
We partner with community-based organizations to identify needs, strengths and solutions that go beyond the individual to address organizational and community factors that influence health.
Engaging Messages
We use principles of health communications and marketing to share well-being messages with individuals and communities to shift cultural norms and perceptions.
Program Areas
Impact
We reach
164k+
Wisconsin individuals each year
Success Stories
Glean Manitowoc: Sustainable Food Access & Food Recovery
Now in its third year, Glean Manitowoc continues to bring fresh, local food from the Downtown Manitowoc Farmers Market to community members in need.
The Big Apple Project: Strengthening Local Food Systems Across Northeast Wisconsin
On a crisp fall morning, workers load bins of apples at the Door County Peninsular Agricultural Research Station (PARS), fruit that in prior years was sold for deer bait because the research station lacked staff, harvesting vests, and bins needed to collect and sort apples for human consumption.
Thriving Together: Empowering Adults Through Nature and Connection, and Self Care in Manitowoc County
Early recovery can be an isolating and vulnerable time. In Manitowoc County, people living in sober living homes often face barriers such as limited income, lack of transportation, and few affordable ways to engage in healthy activities. Peer support specialists and recovery coaches, many of whom are also in recovery, take on demanding roles supporting others in crisis and often have little time or resources for self-care.
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