Community Addiction and Mental Health Services - Rural

Working across the lifespan, clinicians work with individuals and families to identify goals of treatment as they relate to Addiction and Mental Health concerns.

Other services include:

• geriatrics (for individuals with cognitive decline)
• outreach
• urgent mental health care walk in ( times vary ) at Cochrane, Canmore, Banff and Airdrie Urgent Care Centers, Okotoks

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

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.

Laboratory Services

Laboratory Services provides collection of blood and body fluids for tests ordered by your doctor or healthcare provider including a comprehensive range of routine and specialized lab testing and clinical consultations:

• blood and body fluid sample collection
• biochemistry and toxicology
• electrocardiogram (ECG)
• genetics and genomics
• urinalysis
• transfusion medicine
• hematology
• coagulation studies
• microbiology
• public health testing
• serology
• surgical pathology
• cytopathology
• autopsy pathology
• student practicum training for medical lab technologists and medical lab assistants

Note: Some locations may not offer the full range of testing. To confirm availability of a specific test, contact the location.

APL Booking Line: 1-877-702-4486 or book online.

Nutrition Counselling - Pediatric

Services provided for:

• optimizing growth
• allergy and food intolerances
• iron deficiency anemia
• inappropriate diets for age
• eating and feeding difficulties
• nutrient deficiencies secondary to restricted diets

Pediatric Community Rehabilitation

Services support the development of children and youth to participate in meaningful activities of daily life at home and in the community. We want to understand what's important to your child and family. Services are goal-driven; starting and continuing services is based on having functional reasons / goals for rehabilitation. Therapists will work with parents to provide the tools and strategies to apply in the context of their home and life. Therapy may look like 'play', depending on your child's age. We will work together so you and your child are supported to move to the next developmental stage or between providers and services. Services are provided by phone, zoom and some in person sessions as determined by your therapist. They may be in a group or one to one. Services provided are related to (neuro) developmental conditions and / or medical conditions. Social Work and Registered Dietitian services are available to support rehabilitation outcomes.

Occupational Therapy 0-18 years services children and their families with self - care; motor development and eating, feeding and swallowing.

• motor development
• self - care
• participation in activities typical for their development
• eating, feeding and swallowing
• modifying the environment
• assistive technology
• mobility and positioning equipment

Physiotherapy 0-18 years services children and their families with development and movement.

• motor development
• movement and function
• torticollis
• mobility and positioning equipment

Speech Language Pathology 0-18 years services children and their families with communication and eating, feeding, and swallowing.

• communication
• pronouncing speech sounds
• understanding and listening to spoken language (0-5 years only)
• using words to communicate thoughts and ideas (0-5 years only)
• speaking smoothly and easily (stuttering)
• eating, feeding and swallowing
• using gestures, pictures, communication boards to communicate (augmentative & alternative communication, AAC)

We work closely with our pediatric rehabilitation partners to ensure referrals go to the right place and services are offered within the most appropriate program.

Postpartum Community Services

Services include:

• newborn assessments including checking for jaundice
• postpartum assessment for new mothers includes physical and psychosocial assessmetns including domestic violence
• support with infant feeding including lactation consultants to help with breastfeeding
• parenting information
• information about newborn care, safety, growth, and development
• referrals to social worker support as needed
• referrals to doctors and community services as needed

Public Health Services

Community Health Centres provide a wide range of health services, which may include:

• Antenatal Community Prenatal Program (ACCP)
• Best Beginning
• Early Start Parent Drop In
• Postpartum Services
• School Health Program
• Well Child Services

Well Child Services

Provide appointments for:

• routine vaccination (2, 4, 6, 12, 18 months and 4 years of age)
• health education, health promotion and support for parents related to adjustment to parenthood, breastfeeding, infant feeding, nutrition and healthy eating, normal growth and development, etc.
• health assessment and screening to identify health concerns
• information and referral to community services, and community partnerships

There are 20 Community Health Centres (7 urban and 13 rural) across the Calgary Zone.