Community Resources | Print |  E-mail
Last Updated: Tuesday, 28 June 2011

My office is a safe space External link.

I am a counsellor for Alberta Distance Learning Centre and Vista Virtual School program students.  Parents and students in both programs are welcome to contact me regarding course selection, exam conditions, unique educational needs, educational and career goals, and scolarships.

You can phone me toll free from inside Canada at 1-866-774-5333.  My extension is 5220.  You can email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  

 

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Several community resources that may be of value to students are provided on this page.

Note: Online resources are no substitute for professional medical or counselling assistance. Students needing to speak with a counsellor about personal issues should seek assistance from a qualified counsellor, registered psychologist, or licensed social worker in their local communities.

Bullying Resources

  • Students who experience bullying are encouraged to visit the Alberta Government website Bully Free Alberta External link. The Province of Alberta operates a toll-free line for support and advice for dealing with bullying. The help line, staffed by trained counsellors, is available 24 hours a day seven days a week. The toll-free number for Alberta residents is 1-888-456-2323.
  • Healthy Settings for Young People in Canada External link is a Public Health Canada online book covering numerous topics related to child and youth health.  One chapter discusses bullying and fighting External link. 

Emergency Resources

  • Child Welfare - Child Intervention Services External link. Students who are being abused or neglected and individuals who have reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected can call the Alberta Child Abuse Hotline External link at 1-800-387-5437. The Child Abuse Hotline is a toll-free number for people living inside of Alberta.
  • Family physician. A family doctor can help with medical needs and can refer young people to counselling services in the community.
  • Hospital. In some Alberta communities, mental health counsellors work in hospitals. Nurses, physicians, and counsellors know of local community agencies providing emergency assistance.
  • Municipal police or Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The RCMP External link website has addresses and phone numbers for their detachments. Select the province and then click on detachments for a list of RCMP detachments.
  • The Support Network External link. This Edmonton area agency has a data base of community agencies for the Edmonton region. It also offers walk-in counselling, youth crisis chat, caregiver support, and a distress line. The distress line has an easy to remember telephone number: 482-HELP (482-4357).
  • Youth at Risk External link. Site has information about how to support people who are at risk of suicide. The site has phone numbers Albertans can contact when they are in crisis. People living in other regions of Canada can find crisis phone numbers for their area on the website.

General Resources

  • Access to Justice Network External link.  ACJNet is a service provided by the Legal Resource Centre of Alberta.  A wide variety of legal information can be found on the ACJNet.  Students should contact a lawyer to confirm facts and to obtain legal advice before acting on any legal information provided online.  
  • Addiction Services is part of Alberta Health Services External link.  Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission External link (AADAC) is the branch of Alberta Health Services that provides counselling services External link for people with alcohol, drug, tobacco, and gambling addictions. The AADAC website is an excellent source of information about drugs, drug abuse, and addictions. Alberta Health Services offers a toll-free 24-hour hotline External link for people needing to access addictions services. The phone number is 1-866-332-2322.
  • Canadian Legal Frequently Asked Questions External link.  This website provides English and French information for frequently asked regarding Canadian and Alberta law.  One section discusses laws relating to renting a home.  Students should contact a lawyer to confirm facts and to obtain legal advice before acting on any legal information provided online.
  • Canadian Mental Health Association External link. The website for the Alberta division of the Canadian Mental Health Association has articles about stress, anger, unemployment, parenting, divorce, mental illness, and mental wellness.
  • Churches, mosques, synagogues, and other places of worship are sources of assistance. Some larger congregations have professionally trained counsellors. Members of the clergy are often aware of different community resources.
  • Credit Counselling Services of Alberta External link. This non-profit agency helps Albertans with budgeting and debt management strategies. The website has an online budget planning tool.
  • Deal External link. The Deal website is sponsored by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The site has articles about issues youth may face.
  • Family physician. A family doctor can help with medical needs and can refer young people to counselling services in the community.
  • HealthLink Alberta External link. This agency provides 24 hour telephone advice and health information. The toll-free number for residents of Alberta is 1-866-408-5465. The website has links to each of the health regions in Alberta. Clicking on the appropriate part of the Alberta map links to a website for that health region. The health region websites have phone numbers and addresses for hospitals in that region.
  • Inform Alberta External link. Website has an online directory for agencies through Alberta.
  • Invest in Kids External link. Site has a section with tips for parents.
  • Kids Help Line External link. The Kids Help Line has a bilingual (English and French) website. According to the Kids Help Line website, "Each of our counsellors has access to a database of more than 36,000 community and social service agencies that allows us to refer callers to services in their own area - right across the country." The Kids Help Line has a 24-hour toll-free line for students living in Canada: 1-800-668-6868.
  • Law and Abused Immigrant Women External link.  The Rosenet-ca website describes forms of abuse, explains why some women remain in abusive relationships and legal protection for women who have been abused, and provides resources, including links to safe houses.  
  • Legal FAQs External link.  Website provides answers to frequently asked Canadian and Alberta legal questions.
  • PFLAG External link Canada (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).  Site has resources for family and friends of individuals who are members of a sexual minority.
  • School officials. A teacher, counsellor, or principal may know the social service agencies or the names of people who can provide youth with the assistance.
  • The Support Network External link. This Edmonton area agency has an online directory of community agencies for the Edmonton region and northern Alberta. A phone number is provided for people who are unable to find the service they need in the online data base. They also offer walk-in counselling, youth crisis chat, caregiver support, and a distress line. The distress line has an easy to remember telephone number: 482-HELP (482-4357).
 
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