Community Partners

Leads child care and intervention, early childhood development, foster and kinship care, adoption, and improvements for children and youth.

Addiction & Mental Health


Dietician Services 
Public health dietitian consults, advocates, teaches, and researches many topics that relate to food, nutrition and human health. She works with people of all ages, partners with community groups and organizations, and connects with other healthcare providers to help build healthy eating environments and healthy communities.
Examples of areas of work are:

• Maternal and child health
• School health
• Chronic disease prevention
• Food security

Email: [email protected]

Healthy Minds Healthy Children
Education and consultation for Alberta professionals working in child and adolescent addictions and mental health

High River Low Risk Maternity Clinic
Provision of maternity care to Low Risk Obstetrical patients.
Provides care to women throughout their low risk pregnancy, labor, delivery and up to 6 week post-partum period.

• uncomplicated pregnancy with no serious risk factors
• patient must be able and willing to participate in ongoing prenatal care including attending all scheduled appointments
• if we patient develops into high risk, we will refer patient to tertiary care center for care.
• women with pre-pregnancy BMIs of 35 to < 38 will be referred to anaesthesia for an opinion on whether it is safe to deliver them in High River.
• c section and epidural capabilities on site

Pediatric Rehabilitation
To support collaborative practice and integrated care planning in support of kids and families involved with Health Region pediatric clinics and programs amongst Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and Speech-Language Pathologists.
 
Preschool Oral Health Program
Preschool oral health service is an integral part of the provincial Oral Health Action Plan1 (OHAP) designed to increase equitable access to oral health prevention in vulnerable populations.
  
Public Health
Public Health Nursing (PHN) provides:

• New Baby Visits- phone visit, in-clinic visit or home visit when parents have a new baby:
  • Postpartum check-up for parent
  • Early breastfeeding support
  • Anticipatory guidance for new parents
• Breastfeeding support- from PHNs in the Health Unit setting
  • Feeding assessments in the office
  • Emergency breast pump loaner program
• Lactation Consultants (LCs)- for breastfeeding concerns and ongoing support
  • By referral, booked appointments only
  • LCs provide complex breastfeeding assessments and supports
• Well Child Clinics-must be booked in advance by calling 811 or your local Health Unit
  • Routine immunizations for children 2 months and up.
  • Measurements of height, weight and head circumference
  • Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Screening at 2 month clinic visit and after as needed
  • Health assessments, information and anticipatory guidance are provided based on family’s identified needs and concerns (sleep, head shape, coping, feeding, etc)
• Public Health Nurse Drop- In
  • For parents with infants and young children
  • Provide support to parents in the post partum period, monitoring of weight, questions etc.
  • Each office has a different time, please call to confirm.
  • Support for healthy sleep habits for infants and children as capacity allows. Resources for parents available on the Foothills Children’s Network  at  www.foothillsnetwork.ca  under support/resources/physical wellbeing/sleep
• Virtual Baby Group- every Tuesday morning; group support and information sharing with parents and young babies up to 12 months of age, facilitated by the Public Health Nurse. For rural clients only. Email [email protected]  if families are interested for more info and to obtain consent.

If you would like more information on any of the services or resources listed here please contact the Health Unit directly.
24 Hour Health Advice is available through Health Link at 811.
The Early Start line (403-244-8351) is for families with infants 0-2 months.
Healthyparentshealthychildren.ca
 
Location:   High River Health Unit
                     310 Macleod Trail High River,
Telephone: 403-652-5450 (main switchboard)
                     403-336-0091 (ask for the Office Nurse)
 
Location:   Black Diamond Health Unit
                     Located in the Oilfields Hospital
                     717 Government Road, Black Diamond
Telephone: 403-933-6505 ext 2, ask for Gwen or Lora
 
Location:   Okotoks Health and Wellness Centre
                    11 Cimarron Common, Okotoks
Telephone: 403-995-2200 (main switchboard)
                    587-215-7986 (ask for the Office Nurse).
 
If agencies have early years specific questions, contact Susan Hass:
 
Telephone:403-995-2608,
Email:         [email protected]

 

Welcome to the website of the BGC Foothills Clubs! We are a charitable organization dedicated to the personal growth and development of children and youth. We are committed to providing the highest quality programs and services for parents and their children.

Dedicated, trained staff and volunteers offer programs in physical recreation, technology, the arts, personal growth and more. The Clubs creates a safe, supportive environment where children and youth experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life.

With the support of a caring mentor, young people develop the resilience to overcome adversity so they can reach their full potential.

As an evangelizing school division, in partnership with the family, we will deliver an authentic Catholic learning experience by creating a foundation of faith and knowledge in a warm, caring environment to guide all students to appreciate the goodness of all creation and to meet the challenges of life with hope and confidence.

Daydreams Early Learning and Care Services is a local non-profit organization providing high quality and accessible early learning care to the Foothills Region.

We are currently the only 24 hour early learning program in Alberta. 

We provide a variety of care options for the diverse families within High River and surrounding areas.  Infant, Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten, School Age, Summer Camps and Evening / Overnight Care options are available Full Time, Part Time, and Casually.

Our programs have imbedded the Alberta Flight Curriculum with access to inclusive supports & Grit/Asap resources.

We are a francophone public school. Our school board is based out of Calgary. We have a total of 10 public schools and 4 catholic schools throughout southern Alberta. 
 
École Beausoleil is a kindergarten to grade 12 school. We also have a preschool program. Our school was founded in Okotoks in 2005. We were in portables from 2007 to last year located behind École Percy Pegler School. Since January 2019 we finally moved into our brand new building located at 70 Ranchers Meadows. At the moment we have 125 students. Our school big on all issues pertaining to the environment. We are powered partly by solar panels, compost and recycle. We offer the same curriculum as all other schools. Students learn French and English as a first language. They are exposed to the culture, the traditions and of course the language. Our school offers all option courses that other junior high and high school students are exposed; for example, Foods, Wood work, Welding, Fashion, Robotics...just to name a few. 

The Town of Black Diamond Family and Community Support Services strives to build a strong and resilient community by providing supports that strengthen, enrich, and enhance the quality of life of its citizens. It does this through working in partnership with community and government agencies and supporting local programs. One of the more direct services provided to residents is information and referral. FCSS has an extensive listing of resources to which we are available to connect local residents. The FCSS coordinator is available by phone or appointment to work with you personally, providing assistance and direction with the promise of complete confidentiality.

High River’s Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) is a partnership between the Province of Alberta, the Town of High River, and the MD of Foothills to provide preventive social programs in our community. Local autonomy is a foundation of the FCSS philosophy which supports local programs to develop services that meet unique needs of individual communities. FCSS provides and supports a variety of social programs to positively affect the quality of life of our residents

FCSS stands for Family and Community Support Services and is an organization that helps bring people together to share information and to develop partnerships to meet the needs identified by the community.

Turner Valley Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) assists local non-profit organizations through funding and program support of the provincial Human Services Ministry. The partnership provides provincial funding that is matched with local tax dollars on an 80/20 share basis. The funding is then used to support and develop locally driven preventative social service initiatives. In Turner Valley, a Council-appointed board is responsible for reviewing applications and providing community input into social needs programming.

FCIS (Foothills Community Immigrant Services) is a project of CCIS, (Calgary Catholic Immigration Society).  Since 1981, we have worked collaboratively with the communities in which we reside to assist new Canadians with their immigration and resettlement needs.   The strong foundation of the larger Calgary-based organization provides the platform for exceptional programming to be provided in our nine (9) rural locations in southern Alberta.

We deliver these services through a dynamic multi-cultural, multi-denominational and multi-disciplinary team of 200+ professionals who collectively speak over 60 languages. Our broad range of programs (over 70 in total) assist newcomers of all backgrounds by providing education/orientation sessions, community connections, family life training, employment assistance, volunteer opportunities and so much more. Our programs are designed for virtually every age group and demographic.

Foothills County encompasses a  diverse rural landscape in which leadership and planning support a strong agricultural heritage, vibrant communities, a balanced economy and the stewardship of natural capital for future generations.

The County is a rural municipality located adjacent to and immediately south of the City of Calgary. Covering an area of approximately 3,600 square kilometers in area, located in the foothills of sunny southern Alberta, Foothills County surrounds the Towns of Okotoks, High River, Turner Valley, and Black Diamond, the Village of Longview, and the Eden Valley Indian Reserve.
 

Our mission is to enhance capacity for the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and for the provision of care and support to rural communities. We have provided these services to communities in South Central Alberta for over 16 years. 

The Foothills School Division (FSD) is a public school system that serves the learning needs of approximately 8,200 students in junior kindergarten through grade 12, focused on our common goal of “Improving Learning for ALL Students.”
FSD encompasses the Towns of Okotoks, High River, Black Diamond and Turner Valley as well as the communities served by our Blackie, Cayley, Heritage Heights (DeWinton), Longview, Millarville and Red Deer Lake (south Calgary) schools. Our student body reflects the communities we serve, and we offer a rich variety of innovative programs and services to meet the needs and interests of a broad spectrum of learners. Our specialized programs include: nature based learning at École Percy Pegler School, Montessori at Big Rock School, International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) at Millarville School, French immersion (Okotoks and High River), full time kindergarten (Okotoks, High River, and Black Diamond) and five junior kindergarten programs (Okotoks, High River, and Blackie) with additional support and therapy for students who qualify for PUF funding.

The Greater Foothills Family Resource Network provides FREE programs supports and services for children and youth 0-18 years and their families in High River, Foothills County, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Longview, Nanton, Claresholm, Stavely, Vulcan and Vulcan County through a variety of Universal, Targeted and Intensive Programs.

Program information and referrals to any of our programs can be made through our Hub by phone, email or in person.

Our Family Centre provides programs for children 0-12 years and Parent Education and Family Support for families with children 0-18 years.

Programs include Early Child Development Programs, Stay & Play, Triple P Parenting, Circle of Security, Nurturing Parenting, Ages & Stages Questionnaire and Outreach Programming.

Michelle Kessel
Greater Foothills Family Resource Network Coordinator
Telephone: 403-652-8633
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]                         

Wide variety of free family and community programs including a summer reading program, Gadgets to Go collection, free WiFi, public access computers.
Register for all programs on our website at highriverlibrary.ca/Events

A community support and resource network for people with disabilities, families and guardians.  Specialized programs and outreach to help people to access inclusive services in the Foothills.
 

Our Vision is that literacy and learning are integral parts of the community where everyone has the essential skills to live a fully engaged life.
Literacy for Life is a registered charitable organization in the Foothills County that facilitates, designs, and delivers literacy and learning programs and services to improve the lives of community members and their families.
Some of our programs include sessions that focus on Family Literacy, English Language Learning, Basic Digital Skills, Reading, Writing and Numeracy skills.
Check out the program tab or call the office at 403.652.5090 for more information.
 

The Family Development Program provides individualized in-home support for families with children 0-18 years of age to increase their parenting skills and enhance family relationships. We work with families to help them:
•             Learn new parenting strategies
•             Increase their communication skills
•             Build a strong network of connection and support
•             Create a supportive and safe home environment
•             Ensure the healthy development of the children
•             Access community services and resources

The program is free of charge and typically lasts for 3-6 months.

Referrals for the Family Development Program may come from Children Service’s caseworkers, self-referral (parent/caregiver) or professionals.

We serve families throughout Okotoks and surrounding areas and have offices in Calgary and Okotoks.

The Family Development program can be reached at 403-995-5473.

The Family Resource Network serves children, youth and families with children ages 0-18. We work with people to enhance the areas of:

• Caregiver Capacity
• Child Development and Well-Being
• Social Connection and Support

We offer programming that includes:

• Early Childhood Education (Children ages 0-6 and parents/caregivers)
• Child Life Skills (Children ages 7-13)
• Youth Life Skills (Youth ages 14-18)
• Youth Outreach (Youth ages 12-18)
• Family Outreach (Families with children 0-18)
• Rapid Access Counselling (Children 6 and over and their parents/caregivers)
• Home Visitation (Children 0-6 and their parents/caregivers)

All services are free of charge.
We serve children, youth and families in Okotoks and area.
Referrals for the Family Resource Network may be completed through self-referral, community, or professionals.

Contact Information:
Address: 22 Crystal Ridge Drive, Okotoks, AB T1S 1B1
Phone: (403)995-5474
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.mcmancalgary.ca/Okotoks 

 

In addition to library loans, we offer Free programming for all age groups.  We have 10 computers that are free to use for anyone during operating hours.  Printing is available for a small fee.  During Covid 19 restrictions we offer daily curbside pickup and Zoom programming.

We believe in the adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We want to change the way our communities look at health care, and emphasize illness prevention. We can do this by providing support and education for your ongoing good health. Empowerment begins when patients build ongoing relationships with their family doctors and the health care team. To your health!
 

Rowan House Society offers a continuum of trauma-informed services to prevent and end domestic violence in the rural communities we serve. Our main objective is to provide immediate safety and support for women and children fleeing abuse through our short-term, 24 bed emergency shelter and crisis line. One-on-one support and advocacy in a community setting is also available through our Outreach program, for families who may need our services to keep themselves safe while residing in their home; and we work to challenge social norms and break the cycle of violence by providing Preventative Education and Awareness for youth in schools, as well as presentations for the general public.

Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex
The Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex is located at 228 12 Avenue S.E. and consists of a 25 meter swimming pool with hot tub and sauna, two ice arenas, concession, and is home of the Highwood Curling Club. The Curling Club runs four sheets of ice at the back of the facility.

The Cargill Field House addition, which opened in early 2014, adds over 33,000 sq. ft. of new space to the recreation complex. The new facility includes a two-lane walking track, spectator seating for 200 people, meeting room, and a playing surface designed to accommodate a variety of sports such as soccer, lacrosse, basketball, volleyball and badminton.

Okotoks Recreation Centre
This multi-use recreation facility located in North Okotoks has everything you've ever wanted in a recreation facility, under ONE roof, for ONE price! Supporting the health and well-being of our community, we offer year-round continued learning, sport, recreation and leisure opportunities for all ages and abilities. 
The Recreation Centre is home to indoor pools, hot tub and sauna, fitness studio, ice arenas, curling rink, a child-minding service, youth centre and more!

Okotoks Family Resources Centre
Are you new to the community or looking for information about what community resources and social services are available locally? We know it can be overwhelming to figure out where to start. Let us help!
Our friendly staff at the Okotoks Family Resource Centre can help you problem-solve, and will connect you with the right supports for financial challenges, coping difficulties, medical and dental services, grief, addictions, family issues, support groups and more.
 

Wild Rose Community Connections assists families in building positive, parent-child relationships and promoting the healthy development of their young children.
We provide service to Foothills County; Willow Creek M.D.; and Vulcan County.
Our programs consist of:
Food Connections — Wild Rose Community Connections
Caring Connections
Dad's Central
First Years for Families