iHEAL

Thank you for your interest in the iHEAL program. Unfortunately, our waitlist is full for this program, and we are not accepting new referrals at this time. For a list of crisis hotlines and community supports please use this link.

We do have limited space available in the combined iHEAL/HBHC (Healthy Babies Healthy Children) program for women who are pregnant and/or have preschool-aged children and are eligible for HBHC.  

• HBHC is a home visiting program for pregnant women and families with children from birth until school entry.
• If you are interested in iHEAL and are pregnant or have young children - please call MLHU at 519-663-5317 and ask to speak with a public health nurse to find out if iHEAL with the HBHC program is right for you. The nurse will speak with you and ask questions to find out if the program is the right fit and also be able to make recommendations to other resources in the community.

There is also an iHEAL App available for free to all women.To access the iHEAL App and learn more about it visit their website. The iHEAL App can help you find ways to be safer and healthier that fit you. It also includes links to local resources.

What is iHEAL?

Are you a woman who has separated from an abusive partner or is taking steps to separate?

Abuse can take a toll on women’s health, safety and well-being, even after they separate. A program called iHEAL provides personal support to help women manage some of the common challenges they face on a pathway toward happier, healthier, safer lives.

iHEAL was designed for women from all backgrounds who have experienced any type of violence (physical, emotional, sexual, financial) from a partner or ex-partner - whether the abuse is still happening or is in the past.

Backed by more than 15 years of research, women who have completed iHEAL have benefitted in many ways. More than 9 in 10 women who have completed iHEAL recommend the program to other women.

What women have said about iHEAL:

"The nurse made me realize my strengths, and my goals, and what I can do for self-care. Nobody ever tells me to take care of myself like that. So once I started doing that, then it really worked."

"It was very supportive…And I feel much stronger now that I’ve done it. The nurse helped me realize that I had all the stuff I needed."

"One of the best experiences I’ve had - like ‘life-giving’. It has empowered my life to move forward and not to take no for an answer … or to put up with abuse or violence from anybody."

How does it work?

A specially trained iHEAL nurse will meet with you in person for about 6 months - every week or every other week, depending on what works for you – in a safe place where you feel comfortable.

At each session, you decide which issues you would like to focus on - whether that’s improving your health, safety, relationships, community connections, healing and growth, or access to basic resources.

Your iHEAL nurse will support you in dealing with what is most important to you and, if you like, to connect with local services for support after iHEAL ends.

There is no cost to you. If you think you may have problems or challenges taking part in this program, please let us know. We may be able to help.

Interested in learning more or enrolling?

Thank you for your interest in the iHEAL program. Unfortunately, our waitlist is full for this program, and we are not accepting new referrals at this time. For a list of crisis hotlines and community supports please use this link.

If you are interested in iHEAL and are pregnant or have young children - please call MLHU at 519-663-5317 and ask to speak to a public health nurse to find out if iHEAL with the HBHC program is right for you. The nurse will speak with you and ask questions to find out if the program is the right fit and also be able to make recommendations to other resources in the community.

Information for community agencies and professionals

The iHEAL program does not replace the services you provide to women who are experiencing violence. However, we aim to collaboratively strengthen supports for women through these important partnerships.

Many organizations would like more options to help meet women’s needs. We accept referrals from community agencies, health and social service professionals with a woman’s consent.

If there are women you are in contact with who are interested in iHEAL and are pregnant or have young children, please invite your client to call (or call together to) the MLHU at 519-663-5317 and ask to speak to a public health nurse about iHEAL and their eligibility for the HBHC program. The nurse can discuss and complete a screen to determine eligibility for HBHC, and/or provide recommendations for other resources.

How to hide your cyber footprints

Every time you search for something on the internet or visit a website, your computer keeps track of it. If you think you are in an abusive relationship, you may not want your partner to find out that you have been searching for on the internet. For your safety, avoid using your own computer when searching for information.

There are ways to clear your computer’s browsing history and cache files but it is not a guarantee that everything has been removed from your computer.

How to clear history and cache files in Internet Explorer

• In the menu, click on Tools
• Click on Internet Options
• In General Options under Temporary Internet Files, Click on Delete Files. This clears your browser’s cache files.
• Under history, click on Clear History. This will clear the pages you have recently visited.

How to delete data from Google Chrome

• In the top-right corner of Chrome, click the Chrome menu
• Select More tools, Clear Browsing Data
• Select the checkboxes for the types of information that you want to delete
• Use the menu at the top to select the amount of data you want to delete, if you select "Beginning of Time" it will delete everything.
• Click Clear Browsing Data

How to clear history from Safari on an iPhone or iPad

• Go into Settings, then select Safari
• Select Clear History and Website Data
• Note: If you enable Private Browsing, Safari doesn’t remember the pages you visit.

How to clear history from Safari

• When in Safari, click on Edit
• Select Reset Safari
• You then can decide what to keep and what to delete
• Then click Reset
• Note: a quick way to check if it worked is to check your History and it should be empty. If you enable Private Browsing, Safari doesn’t remember the pages you visit.

How to clear history from Firefox

• In the top-right corner of Firefox, click the Menu button
• Click History
• Select Clear Recent History
• You can then select how long of a time range you want to delete
• Then click Clear Now