More specifically, this mission focuses on:

• developing knowledge and helping monitor public health and well-being and its determinants;

• developing new knowledge and approaches in health promotion, prevention, and protection;

• evaluating the effects of public policy and health care systems on the health of Québecers;

• promoting the development of public health research and innovation;

• providing opinions, expertise, and advice;

• ensuring screening and laboratory services, particularly in microbiology and toxicology, ranging from providing support to maintaining quality;

• making public health expertise available through ongoing training activities;

• promoting the transfer and sharing of knowledge and international collaboration;

• contributing to the development and implementation of ministerial orientations in health and social services, including, first and foremost, Québec’s Public Health Program.

The institute is also responsible for establishing a public health ethics committee with the mandate to examine health plans and surveys that monitor population health and its determinants, and for advising public health authorities about issues that may be raised in applying the Public Health Act.

To effectively perform its role of assisting in public health decision making, the institute relies on effective networking involving three areas of expertise:

• theme-based expertise adapted to the evolving needs of the population and addressing current public health issues;

• analytical expertise developed by two reference laboratories (the Québec public health laboratory known as laboratoire de santé publique du Québec and the Québec toxicology centre known as Centre de toxicologie du Québec), as well as by specialized clinical screening services;

• cross-cutting methodological expertise that supports the teams in the institute’s different areas of activity and helps optimize scientific production processes within the organization.

These three areas of expertise are complementary and synergetic and are subdivided into several fields of activity organized according to public health needs and issues.

Tags: Quebec, INSPQ, National Institute of Public Health of Quebec