Healthy Children and Youth

The role of the Healthy Children and Youth Section (HCYS) is to facilitate the development and delivery of successful interventions to at risk pregnant mothers, children and youth living in communities across Alberta. The main focus of program delivery is through the Community Action Program for Children (CAPC), the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP), and Aboriginal Head Start Program (AHS).

The Community Action Program for Children and the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program are offered through cooperation with provincial and territorial governments. The Program Management and Joint Management Committees, which include representation from provincial or territorial departments such as health, social services, and education as well as the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), make decisions regarding the funding and management of programs. In Aboriginal Head Start, program development is coordinated through provincial committees including PHAC and project representatives.

HCYS provides ongoing support to and monitoring of community projects funded under CAPC, CPNP and AHS. HCYS encourages and assists projects in partnering, networking, arranging and facilitating training, and sharing resources amongst one another. Training sessions and conferences bring project staff and representatives together to share and learn from each other. Resource people with relevant expertise in areas such as; child health and development, health promotion and the determinants of health, Aboriginal and Inuit cultures, program delivery, evaluation, and project management and governance, are invited to various training events for projects.

ALBERTA AND THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES REGION'S COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN (CAPC)

The Community Action Program for Children (CAPC) provides long term funding to community organizations to deliver programs that address the health and development of children (0-6 years) who are living in conditions of risk. CAPC targets children living in low-income families; children with teenage parent(s); children experiencing developmental delays, social, emotional or behavioural problems; and abused and neglected children. CAPC recognizes that communities have the ability to identify and respond to the needs of children, and places a strong emphasis on partnerships and community capacity building. CAPC programs offer a variety of established community service models (e.g. family resource centres, parenting classes, parent/child groups, home visiting, child development centres) and are innovative, adaptable and responsive to the needs of participants.

ALBERTA AND THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES REGION'S CANADA PRENATAL NUTRITION PROGRAM (CPNP)

The Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program funds community groups to develop or enhance programs for vulnerable pregnant women. Through a community development approach, CPNP aims to reduce the incidence of unhealthy birth weights, improve the health of both infant and mother, and encourage breastfeeding. CPNP enhances access to services and strengthens inter-sectoral collaboration to support the needs of pregnant women facing conditions of risk. As a comprehensive program, the services provided include food supplementation, nutrition counselling, support, education, referral and counselling on health and lifestyle issues. Positive impact results include a breastfeeding initiation rate of 79% across Canada.

ALBERTA AND THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES REGION'S ABORIGINAL HEAD START (AHS)

Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) Many of Alberta's Aboriginal (First Nations, Inuit and Metis) preschoolers are ensured they start school with a readiness and eagerness to learn, with the skills they develop through Public Health Agency of Canada's Aboriginal Head Start Urban and Northern Program (AHS). The program, facilitated by urban and northern communities, supports the needs of the whole child -- spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical. The primary goal of Aboriginal Head Start is to demonstrate that locally controlled and designed early intervention strategies can provide Aboriginal children with a positive sense of themselves, a desire for life long learning and opportunities to develop fully as successful young people. All Aboriginal Head Start projects offer programming in Aboriginal culture and language, parental involvement, health promotion, nutrition, social support, education and school readiness.

CAPC, CPNP and AHS and are delivered in Alberta through PHAC Regional offices in Calgary and Edmonton.

For more information, please contact:
Healthy Children & Youth
Public Health Agency of Canada
#620 - 220 4 Avenue S.E.
Calgary AB T2G 4X3

Tel  (403) 292-6714
Fax (403) 292-6696

Email: ab_nwt@phac-aspc.gc.ca