Addiction and Mental Health - Adult and Youth Intake

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 or refer to the Routine Referral Process and Additional Service Details sections on the site specific page on the Alberta Referral Directory.

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.

Ambulatory Services

Provides day procedures which include:

• ventolin treatments
• cast changes
• medicine that needs to be given by intravenous (IV)

Also provides access to these clinics:

• adult pulmonary clinic
• brace (orthotics and limbs) clinic
• nephrology clinic
• obstetrics and gynecology
• surgical clinic
• orthopedics
• phlebotomy clinic

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

Cafeteria Services

Cafeteria services offer food and beverages at Alberta Health Services facilities. Catering services and vending machines are available at some sites. Each cafeteria services site team is dedicated to creating great food, inspiring healthy eating, and providing outstanding customer service to support the health of Albertans.

**Please note hours of operation may vary from site to site.

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.

Community Health Centres

Services include immunization and public health nursing.

Early Childhood Intervention Program

The program provides navigation, education,support and information for families of children from birth to 5 years in many settings and locations; clinic, family's home (if needed), playgroups, and in the community.

Works with families concerned with their child's development and/or children at risk for developmental delays (premature birth, prenatal exposure to drugs or alcohol, diagnosed disability).

Emergency Services

If you have an emergency, call 911.

Emergency departments:

• take care of people that are very sick or injured on a priority basis. This means the sickest people are seen first. If you go to an emergency department for care that isn't urgent, you will not likely be seen right away.
• provide medical care, which includes assessment and treatment
• stabilize people and get them ready to transport to a higher level of care facility (if needed)
• provide follow-up care including referrals to a family doctor or specialist (if needed)

Emergency Department wait times are now available for Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and Red Deer.

Get the right care when you need it, to learn more visit Know Your Options

This service may be impacted by the COVID pandemic. View the Hours of Operations to see if the location has been impacted. Visit https://ahs.ca/covid for up-to-date information.

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

General Medicine

Offers care and treatment for health problems such as:

• diabetes
• pneumonia
• asthma
• heart problems
• severe infections
• kidney / gall stones
• pain in the abdomen
• cancer
• arthritis

General Radiography (X-Ray)

General Radiography uses x-rays to produce images of the structures inside the body, particularly bones. X-ray beams can pass through the body, but they are absorbed in different amounts depending on the density of the material they pass through.

Health Information - Access and Disclosure

In accordance with Alberta's Health Information Act, this is a service which enables the release of individually identifiable health information with or without the consent of an individual.

For detailed instructions, frequently asked questions and forms, please visit Access & Disclosure | Alberta Health Services.

Health Information / Records Management

Completes patient charts, collects data, data entry and coding, collects patient information, dictates notes, and transcribes inpatient and outpatient charts.

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.

Hospitals

To access contact information and a list of services offered, select a hospital.

Search through a complete list of progams and services, or hospital and facility information with the following:

Find Healthcare:

• Progams & Services
• Hospitals & Facilities

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
• shingles vaccine for adults 18 years of age and older who have had or are going to have an organ transplant

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 influenza 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 papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine
• Grade 9: diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (dTap) and meningococcal (Groups A, C, Y, W-135) conjugate vaccine

Laboratory Services

Effective December 5, 2022, walk-in or pre-scheduled appointments will no longer be accepted at select locations.

For information on service restrictions or to book an appointment, visit APL Appointments & Booking.

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.

Linen & Environmental Services

Cleans acute and continuing care facilities according to standards set by Alberta Health and Wellness and Alberta Health Services (AHS) infection control.
Services include:

• waste management
• managing outside contracts (e.g. door mats, windows, pest control)
• managing cleaning contracts for leased space
• providing personal laundry services to north zone long term care clients at their request.

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

Offers occupational therapy to help people who have brain injuries, strokes, heart disorders, or serious injuries learn new ways to do their work, leisure, and day-to-day activities.

This service also:

• works with Alberta Aids to Daily Living to provide approval for equipment and adaptive aids
• helps with disability tax credit forms
• approves applications for parking placards for people with disabilities

Option 4

Offers learning sessions for people who have received tickets for not using a car seat correctly. In the 1-hour session, people:

• watch a short video
• learn how to use a car seat correctly
• fill in a ticket withdrawal form

This service is called Option 4 because it gives people a fourth option for dealing with their ticket.

Patient Food Services

Patient Food Services overarching objectives are to:

• Offer quality food and food choice, to support Patient Centered Care
• Work with the whole care team to ensure that Food Matters
• Foster a positive meal experience that results in enjoyment of meals, as well as improved satisfaction and food intake that supports recovery
• Provide menus that are based on “Canada’s Food Guide” and that are adaptable for therapeutic requirements
• Offer appealing food that encourages eating for health
• Provide meal service styles appropriate to the patient population (e.g. tray service, dining room service) and meal delivery systems that support safe high quality food served at appropriate temperatures to the correct patient / resident

PFS delivers more than 31,000 patient/resident meals each day within AHS facilities.

Patient Information

Services offered:

• responding to patient location inquires
• providing direction on a patients whereabouts

Pharmacy Services

Collaborates and interacts with healthcare service providers to provide clinical services and medications to patients in hospital and long-term care facilities.

Physical Therapy Services

Assesses people and uses exercises, ultrasound, laser, heat, mobilization, and acupuncture to treat health issues, including:

• pain and arthritis
• work-related and traumatic injuries
• lung and heart conditions
• cancer
• stroke, spinal cord issues, and Parkinson’s Disease

Postpartum Depression Support

Supports women and families experiencing postpartum depression (PPD).

Registration

Patient Registration

• registers and pre-registers patients and collects demographic and financial information.
• registers patients for inpatient admissions, ambulatory clinic appointment, and emergency department services

Respiratory Therapy Clinic

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

Services include:

• home oxygen assessments
• arterial blood gases (ABGs)
• respiratory education (Asthma & COPD)
• spirometry
• tobacco cessation
• artificial airway management
• trach change
• sputum induction

School Health Program

Provides healthcare in schools.

Services include:

• immunizations
• education and consultations about contagious diseases

Sexual Health Services

North Zone Sexual & Reproductive Health Clinics are only seeing clients in clinic, for the following concerns:

• KNOWN STI and need treatment
• contact to a known STI and need testing/treatment
• symptoms of an STI
• routine STI Screening
• emergency contraceptive pill
• vaccinations

Some services may not be available at all sites, please call ahead to confirm.

Social Work

Services may include:

• refer and liaise with appropriate community and government agencies
• collaborate with other healthcare providers (discharge planning, family conferences)
• provide counselling and crisis intervention
• provide information/education on important resources and legislation (e.g., Personal Directives, Guardianship, Trusteeship, Child Welfare and Protection for Persons in Care)

Switchboard

These services include:

• answering incoming telephone calls
• transferring telephone calls and
• giving out authorized telephone numbers

Travel Health Services

The Edmonton and Calgary clinics are currently closed.

If you are seeking immunization services, please contact a private travel health clinic, your doctor or local pharmacist.

If you are a post-secondary healthcare student seeking immunization and / or a tuberculin skin test for your healthcare training program, please contact your educational institution to confirm if provincially funded immunizations are available through this institution. Alternatively, you can contact a private travel health clinic, your doctor or local pharmacist to obtain immunizations for a fee.

Please note:ROUTINE CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONcontinues to be offered through community health centres / public health offices, at this time. Please call your local community health centre/public health office, for information.

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.

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 visitImmunize Alberta.