Addiction and Mental Health - Adult and Youth

The focus of intervention is short term recovery. Clinicians help clients generate achievable goals for stabilization and change. Parental involvement is expected for children / youth unless a client is assessed as a mature minor.

Services are available for children, youth, adults and older adults with addiction and / or mental health concerns. Clinicians work with individuals and families to identify goals of treatment as they relate to their moderate to severe addiction and / or mental health concerns.

Addiction Services (clients with alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and / or other drug concerns) may include:

• assessment
• treatment
• referrals to treatment centres
• short-term outpatient treatment services (includes individual, family and / or group counselling)

Mental Health Services may include:

• assessment
• treatment / outpatient services (includes individual, family and / or group counselling)

Services may vary by location. Please call for more information.

Alberta Aids to Daily Living Program

Due to COVID-19, service times may vary. Call to confirm.

This Government of Alberta funded program assesses people for funding for benefits like wheelchairs, walkers, bathing equipment, wound supplies, and compression stockings.

Breastfeeding Clinic

Free service that supports breastfeeding mothers and mothers with breastfeeding issues due to:

• not making enough milk
• plugged ducts
• mastitis
• thrush
• latching issues
• poor infant weight gain
• breast reduction surgery
• adoptive nursing

Car Seat Safety

If you need assistance with your child safety seat, please refer to the child safety seat owner’s manual and the appropriate YES Test available at Health Link.

For more information on rear-facing / forward-facing car seats, booster seats and Transport Canada public notices on child restraint systems (recalls), visit our website.

Environmental Public Health - Water Sample Bottle Pick-up and Drop-off

Drinking water, beaches and swimming pool water can be tested. Chemical water sampling testing is available and looks for common chemicals and trace metals found in water. Bacteria water sampling tests water samples for indicator bacteria to ensure water is safe.

For additional information,

• Environmental Public Health - Drinking Water
• Sample Your Water - Environmental Public Health
• Testing your drinking water in Alberta

Equipment Loan Program

Due to COVID-19, service times may vary. Call to confirm.

Provides short-term loans of medical equipment for people who are recovering from surgery or need palliative care so they can live in their own homes. Equipment loans include:

• wheelchairs, walkers, and canes
• hospital beds
• moveable toilets, raised toilet seats, and toilet armrests
• transfer benches, bath seats, and grab bars

Healthy Beginnings

Provides nursing care and support which may include:

• postpartum primary caregiver health assessment and infant assessment
• breastfeeding support
• infant feeding support
• information about parenting and baby care
• referrals to healthcare providers or community resources as needed.

You will be contacted after you are discharged from the hospital to arrange an initial assessment

Home Care

Home Care helps people who live at home and need support such as:

• Care after surgery
• Long-term care
• Palliative care
• Respite services

A case manager, who is usually a nurse, will meet with the clients and help decide what services will best support them.

Immunization - Adult Services

This service provides routine immunization for adults. Suggested immunizations:

• a booster dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough)(dTap) every 10 years
• dTap vaccine for pregnant women every time they are pregnant
• Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) for unprotected adults born in 1981 or later. Some adults born before 1981 may need this vaccine if they are at risk for hepatitis B (e.g. health problems, type of work, lifestyle, contact with the virus)
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for adults up to and including age 26 years who did not get it in school.
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine for adults whose immunization records do not show the recommended number of doses of measles, mumps, or rubella vaccine
• Chickenpox vaccine for unprotected adults
• annual influenza vaccine
• pneumococcal vaccine for all adults 65 years of age and older and adults with certain health problems

To find out which vaccines are recommended for you and to book an appointment for immunization, call your nearest community / public health centre. If you are not sure where your nearest community / public health centre is, you can call Health Link at 811. Bring any immunization records you have to the appointment, especially if you were immunized in another province or country.

For more general information about immunization go to ImmunizeAlberta.ca, Immunizations at myhealth.alberta.ca, or call Health Link.

Immunization - Infant and Preschool Services

Alberta Health Services provides routine immunization for infants and children across Alberta. Immunizations are free of charge for infants and children who live in Alberta.
Immunizations are recommended for infants starting at 2 months of age. Routinely recommended vaccines include: diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningococcal, pneumococcal, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), and influenza.

For the routine immunization schedule, go to immunizealberta.ca.

Additional vaccines may be needed depending on your child’s health conditions or other risk factors.

Immunization is effective. Other than providing safe drinking water, no other health intervention works as well as immunization to reduce disease and death rates. Immunization protects whole communities. The more people who are fully immunized in a community, the safer everyone is.

Immunization is safe. It is much safer to get immunized than to get the diseases that vaccines protect against.

For more information, and to book an appointment, call your nearest community/public health centre. If you are not sure where your nearest community/public health centre is, call Health Link at 811. Bring your child’s immunization record to the appointment, especially if your child was immunized in another province or country.

For more general information about immunization, go to immunizealberta.ca, Immunizations at myhealth.alberta.ca, or call Health Link at 811.

Immunization - School Services

Each year, Alberta Health Services, Public Health reviews immunization records for students in grades 1, 6, and 9 to see what immunizations each student needs. A consent form is then sent home with an information sheet for each vaccine recommended for the student. No immunizations will be given in school without consent from a parent or legal guardian. Immunizations in this program include:

• Grades 1, 6, and 9: Any routine childhood and school vaccines that may have been missed according to a review of the students immunization record on file
• Grade 6: Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine for students who have not already completed a hepatitis B immunization series and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
• Grade 9: diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (dTap) and meningococcal (Groups A, C, Y, W-135) conjugate vaccine

Mental Health Information, Promotion and Prevention

Offers information, workshops and training on preventing and/or coping with:

• stress, anxiety, depression, seasonal affective disorder, grief and loss
• suicide
• Mental Health First Aid Training
• ASIST and other suicide intervention training

Mental health promotion facilitators work with schools and various community agencies to strengthen resiliency amongst the population.

Some services are offered directly by Alberta Health Services staff, agencies funded by Alberta Health Services or community partners

Nutrition Counselling - Adult and Pediatric

The majority of teaching is one-to-one, however, group sessions may be offered to promote enhanced learning of clients. Nutrition information and resources can be found on Alberta health Services’ Healthy Eating Starts Here and at MyHealth.Alberta.ca

Additional Services:

• Nutrition Counselling (Dietitian) - Alberta Healthy Living Program
• Pediatric Weight Management

Occupational Therapy Services

Occupational therapists apply knowledge and skills to collaborate with, assess, empower, and enable clients to:

• learn new ways of doing activities
• develop or regain skills
• use devices, materials, wheelchairs, seating and other equipment to make life easier
• adapt their environment
• maximize their independence across their lifespan

Occupational Therapy helps to solve the problems that interfere with a person's ability to do the things that are important to them.

Prenatal Classes

For more information visit our website at Prenatal – North Zone. Classes may be in the evenings or on Saturdays. Please be advised not all locations offer all services.

Services include:

• prenatal classes
• prenatal breast-feeding classes
• information sessions are available through AHS public health
• prenatal information sessions are offered via Zoom once a month
• a chance to meet other people in the community expecting a baby
• knowledge of what to expect during your labor and delivery
• breathing and relaxation techniques
• immunization and infant safety information
• providing your support person with the skills to help with labor and delivery
• increased breastfeeding knowledge
• newborn and postpartum care
• what resources are available for yourself and your newborn
• answer questions about your pregnancy, diet, and childbirth plans

Preschool Oral Health Services

Fluoride varnish helps protect your child's teeth from tooth decay (cavities). It slows down decay already started.

Your child needs four fluoride varnish visits, six months apart, to best protect their teeth. Fluoride varnish is painted on your child's teeth. It takes less than one minute to apply. You can hold your child during the visit.

You can also ask any questions you may have about protecting your child's teeth.

If your child is diagnosed with asthma by a doctor, bring their quick reliever medication to the appointment. If your child feels anxious with dental visits it may trigger asthma symptoms.

This provincial prevention service is available across Alberta.

For more information and eligibility, visit our website: Preschool Oral Health Services

Public Health - Immunizations

Public Health Nurses provide immunization and follow-up services to clients of all ages.
· Routine vaccinations (2, 4, 6, 12, 18 months and 4 years of age)
· Communicable Disease Control
After vaccination & immunization follow-up and care

Community Health Centres | Alberta Health Services

Public Health - Oral Health

Our goal is to improve the oral health of people of all ages, in the North Zone (all Areas). A healthy mouth is an important piece in a person's overall health. Healthy teeth and gums support good nutrition, speech, growth, development, learning, and social development.This program offers:

Targeted School Services: Fluoride varnish applications, oral health assessments and referrals, sealant applications, classroom education, and resource provision. These services are targeted to schools identified with students at oral health risk. Services may vary across the North Zone.

Preschool Program:
Fluoride varnish applications, oral health assessments and referrals for eligible children 12-35 months old. Services may vary across the North Zone.

Community Education: Education for health professionals, community leaders, parent groups and other community groups to promote oral health. Information on fluoride and private well water sampling to determine fluoride levels available. Services may vary across the North Zone.

School Health Program

Provides healthcare in schools.

Services include:

• immunizations
• education and consultations about contagious diseases

Speech and Language Services

Services are for people who need help and may include:

• pronouncing speech sounds
• understanding and using spoken language
• using gestures, pictures, communication boards or speech devices to communicate
• rehabilitating reading and writing after an illness or injury
• speaking smoothly and easily (fluency, stuttering)
• improving voice quality
• eating, feeding and swallowing
• consultation, follow-up and referral to other community services

Traffic Safety

Community Health Services staff, local RCMP and local traffic safety partners work together to improve the wear rates of seat belts and child safety seats and support safe driving.

Tuberculosis Testing

Offers free tuberculosis (TB) skin testing to eligible Albertans. The Mantoux skin test is not recommended to diagnose TB.

Testing is done at public health centres throughout the province:

• North Zone
• Edmonton Zone
• Central Zone
• Calgary Zone
• South Zone

If you are not eligible for free testing but still need to be tested there will be a charge for the test.

For travel or work related TB testing contact the Travel Health Services in your area.

Volunteer Resources

Our volunteer roles share a commitment to improving the quality of the patient and family experience.

Volunteers are:

• way-finders who help guide patients and families around our busy facilities,
• friendly visitors who spend time with our socially isolated patients,
• patient and family advisors who provide input and direction to AHS on numerous committees,
• supporters of our volunteer retail operations - where the proceeds are returned to AHS to provide patient care and comfort.

For general information about volunteering with AHS please visit our website.

Well Baby Clinic

Provides immunizations for babies and young children.

Services include information about:

• breastfeeding
• normal sleep patterns
• child growth and development
• nutrition
• child safety

New mothers are also offered postpartum depression screening.

For more information please visit Immunize Alberta.