Addiction and Mental Health - Community Services, Adult

Care is coordinated by a mental health therapist and goal directed services are tailored to the needs of individual clients.

Services may include:

• individual therapy
• medication management
• psychiatric consultation
• case management and crisis stabilization

Where possible, the Adult Community Services team works closely with the YACLS (Young Adults & Cross Level Services) team on site at Northgate in providing occupational, recreational, and social assessments and opportunities.

Short-term Treatment Program provides:

• short-term (less than one year)
• goal-directed therapy for adults who suffer from acute psychiatric or emotional disorders

The service is intended to provide time limited interventions that will improve functioning and wellness in a short period of time. Mental Health Therapists work collaboratively with primary care providers (family physicians and PCN’s) so that the clients’ ongoing care may be followed through at the primary care level.

The Community Wellness and Recovery Program integrates a chronic disease management model and provides a broad range of services and supports at varying levels of intensity for individuals with significant mental illness who require longer term and / or ongoing assistance in managing their recovery. A Community Adult Support Worker provides enhanced daily living supports with a focus on building skills that will enable community living.

Addiction and Mental Health - Community Services, Child and Adolescent

Clients who require services from clinicians that have experience in child and adolescent mental health are the focus of these services. Most children or youth engaging in treatment will be provided with a set of time-limited, goal-directed interventions. Clinicians in these services work collaboratively with primary care providers (family physicians and PCN’s) so that clients’ ongoing care is followed through at the primary care level.

This service is provided by AHS and AHS contracted service providers.

Addiction and Mental Health - Diversion Services

This program:

• links clients to long term local community-based services in order to address mental health, addiction, social, physical, education, life skills, and/or spiritual health needs. 
• provides short-term treatment by utilizing a number of different treatment modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Brief Solution Focused Therapy, and other treatment modalities as available in line with staff education and experience.

Clients who successfully complete their goals within the allotted court adjournment time (three months for adults and four months for youth) will have their charge(s) withdrawn by the crown.

Clients who are unsuccessful in the program will have their charge(s) returned to court. Recommendations may be provided to the crown prosecutors to assist in sentencing provisions in relation to mental health and addiction treatment.

Addiction and Mental Health - Intake Services, Child and Adolescent

Offers screening and triaging of referrals, parent orientation, redirects some referrals to appropriate services, and arranges time for formal assessments.

Addiction and Mental Health - Operational Stress Injury Services, Adult

Specialized services offered include assessment and treatment with an interdisciplinary team comprised of psychologists, social workers (clinical specialization), nurse and addiction counselor, and psychiatrists.

We cover the northern half of Alberta, as well as the Northwest Territories.We also provide services in our clinic, or via Telehealth for clients who may be limited in their ability to travel.

Addiction and Mental Health - Recovery Supports Services, Adult

Provides recovery oriented services in the areas of employment, volunteering, education and self-management skill development in dynamic individual and group formats.

This service is provided by AHS and AHS contracted service providers.

Alberta Hip and Knee Program

Provides a healthcare team approach to assess and treat people who need total joint replacement surgery. The first appointment may be with a musculoskeletal (MSK) specialist or an orthopedic surgeon. An MSK (musculoskeletal) specialist will determine whether you are a surgical candidate.

• If you are a surgical candidate, you will be placed back on the surgeon consultation waitlist in your original position
• If you are non-surgical, the MSK (musculoskeletal) specialist will provide you with recommendations to improve your pain and function

The program will continue to follow your progress until after your surgery.

Child Health Clinics Community

This service provides:

• immunization to infants and preschool children
• health education/counselling/support for parents
• health assessment and screening to identify health concerns
• referral to healthcare providers and community resources

Drop In for New Mothers / Families and Infants

Mothers / families can talk with a public health nurse about health issues or concerns about their infant or preschoolers (e.g., growth, nutrition, common health concerns) or parenting issues.

Fluoride Protection for Toddlers

Children only need to have a few teeth to start getting fluoride. Applications are given 4 times, once every 6 months. For eligibility information visit our website.

At the appointment:

• The child sits on their parent's lap while staff apply fluoride on the child's teeth using a brush, which takes less than a minute.
• The child can eat and drink right after the treatment.
• The fluoride sticks to the teeth and protects them. It slowly wears off when the teeth are brushed.

If the child has asthma, bring his or her asthma reliever medicine to the appointment.
This provincial prevention service is available in all AHS (Alberta Health Services) zones.

GLA:D? Canada in Alberta

GLA:D® is an eight-week program offered in a group setting with other Albertans living with osteoarthritis (OA). There are two education sessions and then 12 supervised exercise sessions (twice / week).

Designed to teach patients about OA  and reduce their symptoms through targeted exercises. Alberta is piloting the program for Albertans through the Bone and Joint Health Strategic Clinical Network.

For more information, visit our website.

Video Link

Healthy Beginnings Postpartum Program

Provides nursing care and support including:

• health assessments of Mom & Baby
• breastfeeding 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.

Immunization - Adult and Seniors Services

This service provides routine immunization for adults and seniors. Suggested immunizations;

• a booster dose of tetanus / diphtheria vaccine every 10 years
• an adult booster dose of pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine, often combined with one of the tetanus / diphtheria boosters (dTap)
• annual influenza vaccine - for all Albertans 6 months of age and older
• 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 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 influenza type 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 Immunizations at myhealth.alberta.ca, or call Health Link at 811.

Immunization - School Services

This program provides routine immunizations to children in Grades 1, 5, and 9 in school. Before immunizations are given, records are reviewed to see what immunizations each child needs. A consent is then sent home. No immunizations will be given without consent from a parent or legal guardian. Immunizations in this program include:

• Grade 1: for children who have not received routine preschool immunizations, which includes diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella
• Grade 5: Offers Hepatitis B, human papilloma virus (HPV) and varicella (chickenpox) immunization to children who aren't immunized or have NOT had Hepatitis B or varicella disease. In August, 2014 HPV vaccine started being offered to grade 5 boys and girls. There is also a catch-up program for the grade 9 boys and girls who did not receive their vaccine in grade 5
• Grade 9: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and meningococcal vaccine is offered

Laboratory Services

This service provides a comprehensive range of routine and specialized lab testing and clinical consultation, services may include:

• blood and body fluid sample collection
• biochemistry and toxicology
• urinalysis
• transfusion medicine
• hematology
• coagulation studies
• microbiology
• serology
• surgical pathology
• cytopathology
• autopsy pathology
• student practicum training for medical lab technologists and medical lab assistants

New Moms Network

Available across the Edmonton area, these sessions provide an opportunity for women to connect with other new moms and learn more about the health and development of their child.

Physical Therapy - Incontinence Services - Community

Services may be provided individually or in a group and may include:

• treatment at the clinic or facility
• education to help you understand your condition and manage daily living
• an exercise program or other options

Physical Therapy Clinics in the Community

Services offered may include:

• treatment at the clinic or facility
• education to help you understand your condition and manage daily living
• an exercise program or other options

This service is provided by AHS and AHS contracted service providers.

Public Health Centres

A service offered by Public Health Nurses including immunization according to the Alberta Health immunization schedule, health education/counselling/support for parents, health assessment and screening to identify health concerns, and referral to appropriate health care providers such as physicians, and community resources.

School Dental Services

 Services include:

• fluoride treatment
• dental Sealants

School Health Nursing Services

Services include:

• immunizations
• promoting healthy school communities
• resources and support services for students, parents, and teachers
• referrals to other services

School Health Services

Services include:

• School Health Nursing
• School Dental Services

For more information visit our website.

School Oral Health Services

Services are offered to eligible schools and may include:

• fluoride varnish, provided to kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2
• dental sealants, provided to Grade 1 and Grade 2

A child diagnosed with asthma must have their short acting asthma reliever medication with them to receive service.

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. With the exception of Edmonton, you would contact the Immunization Business Unit to have school or work-related TB skin testing done.