The Alex is celebrating #60YearsRunning as a charity partner in this year’s Servus Credit Union Calgary Marathon.

With options like the 1.2 km kids marathon to the 60k Ultra run there’s a race for everyone! Sign up to run, walk, or wheel the marathon while supporting the thousands of community members who depend on The Alex. 

 

Sign up to run, walk, or wheel in support of The Alex

The post Servus Credit Union Calgary Marathon appeared first on The Alex.

Did you know that The Alex employs nearly fifty nurses (LPN’s, RN’s, and Nurse Practitioners)? Our nursing staff are essential to the services at The Alex, and in the spirit of International Nurses Day (May 12), and Canadian Nursing Week (May 8-14), we sat down to talk with two of our amazing team members: Jennifer Campbell, our CHC Clinic Manager, and Jennifer Eyford, our Associate Director for Mental Health, Addictions and Outreach to talk about their experiences.

What made you decide to go into Nursing?

Jenn C: When I was initially looking into careers, nursing jumped out to me. What made me really excited was just the multifaceted nature of the career across so many different fields, as well as the sheer growth potential in the field. I went to school for nursing and never looked back.

Jen E: Prior to becoming a nurse, I had a career in mental health working with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). I loved my work there, but I realized I was limited in my practice. During that time, I was also working with a nurse, and that inspired me to go back to school and get my nursing degree as a mature student. Sixteen years later, I have yet to regret that decision.

What appealed to you about working at The Alex? 

Jen E: I had worked with The Alex in my previous role, and I really admired and enjoyed the collaboration. I thought it would be an amazing place to work as a brand-new grad. Back then, Community Mental Health Nursing was exactly what I wanted to do and is still something that I’m deeply passionate about.

Jenn C: I had recently moved back to Calgary from Chicago, and I really liked the population that we work with at The Alex. It seemed like a natural fit.

Can you describe the roles that nurses play at The Alex?

Jenn C: They play a large role in The Alex, from outreach, to Pathways, to RAAM. They’re in nearly every program that we offer.

Jen E: I see nurses as Jack & Jills’ of all trade. They provide case management, leadership, crisis intervention, mental health support, primary care, and teach our community members about their health. They’re vital members of The Alex team.

Can you let us know a bit more about some of the services that nurses provide in The Alex? 

Jenn C: In the CHC, we have LPN’s, and they do patient education, wound care, they do some booked appointments for UTI/STI screening, ear flushing, contraception starts, bloodwork, and basically a lot of patient education. If a patient can’t see their doctor and have questions, it’s the nurse on the front lines for primary healthcare, helping the patient from crisis to wellness.

Jen E: Out of the programs and teams that I provide support to, the nurses work with our Community Mobile Crisis Response (CMCR), Mobile Health Clinic (MHC) and Rapid Access Addictions Medicine (RAAM) teams. It really speaks to the versatility that nurses bring to the table. At CMCR, our nurses provide crisis support, intervention, and community resources. In RAAM they provide addiction assessment and support, and Jenn C mentioned some of the work that goes on in the clinics. We provide the same services in our mobile clinic that we do at the primary Community Health Centre.

What do you both think are the biggest misconceptions about nursing?

Jenn C & Jen E: That they have a narrow scope in their duties, nurses need to know a little or a lot about everything in community care. They need to know mental health, wound care, de-escalation, community resources and so many more things. Nurses aren’t “just a nurse” They are there with you beside you and walking with you from crisis to wellness.

What do you both think are the most important things for people to know for International Nurses Day and Canadian National Nursing Week?

Jen E: Nurses are the quarterbacks of healthcare, and not only an essential part of our teams in The Alex, but throughout health care teams in general. We’re trained to work highly collaboratively. We really enjoy working as part of the multidisciplinary healthcare team, because all roles are vital and important.

Jenn C: Nurses are the backbone for many of our programs. We must know so much about various topics, and we love that. We understand how patients get the best care when they get team care, and endeavour to foster an environment where everyone is respected and heard.

The post Assisted Self Isolation Site – The Alex COVID response appeared first on The Alex.

Did you know that The Alex employs nearly fifty nurses (LPN’s, RN’s, and Nurse Practitioners)? Our nursing staff are essential to the services at The Alex, and in the spirit of International Nurses Day (May 12), and Canadian Nursing Week (May 8-14), we sat down to talk with two of our amazing team members: Jennifer Campbell, our CHC Clinic Manager, and Jennifer Eyford, our Associate Director for Mental Health, Addictions and Outreach to talk about their experiences.

What made you decide to go into Nursing?

Jenn C: When I was initially looking into careers, nursing jumped out to me. What made me really excited was just the multifaceted nature of the career across so many different fields, as well as the sheer growth potential in the field. I went to school for nursing and never looked back.

Jen E: Prior to becoming a nurse, I had a career in mental health working with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). I loved my work there, but I realized I was limited in my practice. During that time, I was also working with a nurse, and that inspired me to go back to school and get my nursing degree as a mature student. Sixteen years later, I have yet to regret that decision.

What appealed to you about working at The Alex? 

Jen E: I had worked with The Alex in my previous role, and I really admired and enjoyed the collaboration. I thought it would be an amazing place to work as a brand-new grad. Back then, Community Mental Health Nursing was exactly what I wanted to do and is still something that I’m deeply passionate about.

Jenn C: I had recently moved back to Calgary from Chicago, and I really liked the population that we work with at The Alex. It seemed like a natural fit.

Can you describe the roles that nurses play at The Alex?

Jenn C: They play a large role in The Alex, from outreach, to Pathways, to RAAM. They’re in nearly every program that we offer.

Jen E: I see nurses as Jack & Jills’ of all trade. They provide case management, leadership, crisis intervention, mental health support, primary care, and teach our community members about their health. They’re vital members of The Alex team.

Can you let us know a bit more about some of the services that nurses provide in The Alex? 

Jenn C: In the CHC, we have LPN’s, and they do patient education, wound care, they do some booked appointments for UTI/STI screening, ear flushing, contraception starts, bloodwork, and basically a lot of patient education. If a patient can’t see their doctor and have questions, it’s the nurse on the front lines for primary healthcare, helping the patient from crisis to wellness.

Jen E: Out of the programs and teams that I provide support to, the nurses work with our Community Mobile Crisis Response (CMCR), Mobile Health Clinic (MHC) and Rapid Access Addictions Medicine (RAAM) teams. It really speaks to the versatility that nurses bring to the table. At CMCR, our nurses provide crisis support, intervention, and community resources. In RAAM they provide addiction assessment and support, and Jenn C mentioned some of the work that goes on in the clinics. We provide the same services in our mobile clinic that we do at the primary Community Health Centre.

What do you both think are the biggest misconceptions about nursing?

Jenn C & Jen E: That they have a narrow scope in their duties, nurses need to know a little or a lot about everything in community care. They need to know mental health, wound care, de-escalation, community resources and so many more things. Nurses aren’t “just a nurse” They are there with you beside you and walking with you from crisis to wellness.

What do you both think are the most important things for people to know for International Nurses Day and Canadian National Nursing Week?

Jen E: Nurses are the quarterbacks of healthcare, and not only an essential part of our teams in The Alex, but throughout health care teams in general. We’re trained to work highly collaboratively. We really enjoy working as part of the multidisciplinary healthcare team, because all roles are vital and important.

Jenn C: Nurses are the backbone for many of our programs. We must know so much about various topics, and we love that. We understand how patients get the best care when they get team care, and endeavour to foster an environment where everyone is respected and heard.

The post The Importance of Nurses at The Alex with Jennifer Eyford and Jennifer Campbell appeared first on The Alex.

Oral Health is an occasionally overlooked part of overall physical well-being. In honour of Oral Health Month, and Dental Hygienist Week, we had a discussion with Shannon, our Oral Health Team Lead about her journey, oral health, and the ways in which The Alex’s programs provide support to vulnerable populations.

Can you talk a little a bit about what made you decide to go into this line of work? Why The Alex?

Well, I always wanted to be in the dental industry, and I loved going to the dentist when I was younger. I chose hygiene because I connected with the health benefits and prevention side of things. I landed at the Alex because in 2013 I participated in a study that involved visiting schools all over Calgary to check kids’ teeth, and what I saw broke my heart. There was so much untreated decay and kids in pain which I had never seen as part of my private practice experience… and that made me want to go into community oral health.

Tell me more about what a dental hygienist does?

Dental hygienists are essential primary health care providers who work in a variety of settings, helping people of all ages to develop good daily oral hygiene habits. They also offer preventive treatments such as scaling, dental sealants, and fluoride. They can also provide dietary recommendations and even do oral cancer screenings. Most dental hygienists work in private practice settings alongside dentists. I feel very privileged to be one of the lucky ones working in community oral health. 

What’s the connection between full body health, and oral hygiene?

There is a strong connection between oral health and overall health. In fact, the theme for this year’s National Dental Hygienist’s Week is, “Oral Health for Total Health”.  Your oral health contributes to various diseases and conditions, including heart disease, pneumonia, and pregnancy and birth complications. Certain conditions may also affect your oral health, like diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and osteoporosis.

Can you tell me a bit about the oral hygiene services we provide at The Alex?

Our Dental Health Bus team visits elementary schools and does screenings, fluoride varnishes, and sealants, which are protective coatings on permeant molars. They also offer full hygiene treatments at community sites once a week to children and youth ages 6-24. We also see clients over the age of 24 if they are connected to a provider at The Alex CHC. 

The Preschool team offers preventative services at daycares, preschools, and community sites using portable dental equipment to children ages 3-5. We are piloting the preschool program hoping that if we catch them earlier, we can prevent the high rates of decay we see if school aged children. Also, sadly the #1 reason for day surgery in Canada is dental surgery and this is completely avoidable with education and early prevention. 

The entire Alex Oral Health team is made up of 4 dental hygienists, 2 dental assistants, and 1 driver/ resource specialist. Each team member plays a unique and important role in supporting our clients and families with their dental needs. 

What are some of the biggest oral health challenges?

In my experience, the biggest by far is access to care. Most of the clients we see are unable to visit the dentist because they don’t have insurance or the financial means to pay out of pocket. As we all know, dentistry is expensive, with Alberta having the highest fees in the country. Other challenges include lack of education as to the importance of regular dental care, and fear of the dentist. 

What is a key prevention measure that you think everyone should know?

Along with good oral hygiene habits, the number one thing is to limit juice and other sweet drinks. When you do have a sweet drink or treat, try to have it with meals and finish it as quickly as possible. Savoring it over a longer period drags out the acidic levels of your mouth and increases the risk of cavities.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about oral hygiene?

That baby teeth aren’t important because they are just going to fall out. They are actually very important as they help with speech development and hold space for the adult teeth. If baby teeth are extracted or fall out to soon due to decay, the adult teeth will erupt crooked and out of alignment. 

What’s something you’d like people to know on for Oral Health Month and Dental Hygienist Week?

Just to reinforce this year’s message… that oral health is connected to total health. So, let this be a reminder to see your dental hygienist regularly. Oh, and of course, always remember to floss (at least the teeth you want to keep!).

The post Shannon Hawryluk on Oral Health appeared first on The Alex.

For the International Transgender Day of Visibility, we sat down with Brad Rains, a Child and Youth Care Counsellor at The Alex Youth Health Centre. He spoke to us a bit about himself, the services we offer for Trans youth, as well as some triumphs and challenges.

Can you talk a little a bit about what made you decide to go into this line of work? Why The Alex?

I was doing some volunteering at Kids Cancer Care where I did one-on-one support with a youth who had developmental and physical disabilities. My experiences working with him were a big reason for me wanting to go into the field, because I knew that I liked helping others. 

I chose The Alex partially due to my family connection. My mom, Val Rains works as a medical lead at the senior’s clinic, and first introduced me to The Alex at a Family Day event where I was able to speak with The Youth Health Centre (YHC) leads at the time about my education interest in doing a practicum with them. Shortly after this my Alex adventure started and so far, has no end in sight! 

What can you tell us about some of the services that we provide for Trans folks?

We see a lot of gender-diverse youth, and they make up a large part of our YHC clientele. At the YHC, we have four gender doctors that work with our clients. They can help to get them started on hormone therapy and other gender affirming care treatments.  It’s often difficult for youth to navigate the systems on their own, and we’re here to help.

Our case managers also work Trans youth to help them navigate through various systems, and provide other mental supports. If clients want, we can help start the process for getting their name and/or gender marker changed. We will go with them to get fingerprinting done, and help support them with all the paperwork involved with that process. 

At the YHC we run many different groups to help support our youth, I run the Queermunity group. It’s a safe space for our youth to be themselves, meet other youth in the community, build up friendships, and get more natural supports as opposed to professional ones. 

Can you tell me about the history of the Queermunity group?

Queermunity just celebrated 7^th birthday back September 2022. When I was in my practicum, I would volunteer with the case manager at the time who ran the group. When he left the YHC, I stepped in. It’s one of the more popular after-hours groups that we run at the YHC. Before COVID, we had a consistent group size of about 29 participants that would come to group each Monday. While we’re still adjusting to the return of in-person meetings, we still have 6-10 youth participants showing up every Monday. 

What are some of the biggest challenges for the Trans youth that you see?

Feeling safe and having a space where they belong. We want youth to feel safe regardless of what’s going on in their lives. 

In general, we strive across all fields to create a space where everyone can feel comfortable and included and just be who they are.

What’s something you’d like people to know on International Trans Day of Visibility?

We strive to create a safe and welcoming space for everyone, especially for our Trans and Questioning youth. If Youth ever need a safe space, we’re open and would love to have them. In our social space we have the Pride Flag, the Transgender flag, the Pride Inclusive Flag as well as the Survivors’ flag, we have these on display to let our youth know that we are here for them and that we are here to support them.  

The post Brad Rains on Trans Youth Services appeared first on The Alex.

Social work is an essential part of the work we do at The Alex, and we are incredibly grateful for the amazing staff that we have. March is Social Work Month, so we sat down with Rachel Reichert, one of the Case Managers at The Alex Youth Health Centre to talk about her introduction to the field, and some of the services that we provide.

Can you provide a brief overview of social work at The Alex Youth Health Centre?

At the Youth Health Centre, we have three social workers and a child youth care counsellor.  We offer a wide range of services, mostly divided into two streams: case management and drop-in.  

With our case management, this means that we each have a dedicated caseload of youth who check in on a regular basis. We’re here to help them set goals and meet goals related to housing, employment, life skills, etc. All our case management is youth-led. This means that only youth who want to engage in services do so; we do not force or mandate our services on anyone.

We also have drop-in hours, that happen on weekdays from 12-5 PM. Youth aged 12-24 can just drop in for basic needs support (i.e., Hygiene, food, applying for income support, or we can also assist with some crisis support). In many of these cases, we refer to our medical team at the YHC, or they come seeking our support with social concerns that their patients might have.

We also have various groups that youth can join after drop-in hours. We have a DND group, Queermunity, Indigenight, and a leadership and mentorship group (In the Lead) that we run in partnership with Calgary Youth Justice Society. We see a lot of repeat clients during drop-in hours, though we often have our fair share of newcomers that hear about our services from their peers.

What’s the Youth Health Centre’s Case Load? How would someone gain access to case services?

Across all the social workers, we are case managing between 20-30 youth each at any given time. and we don’t have a waitlist for social supports. If someone wants to access these supports, we meet them where they’re at and provide the services that they want. The best way to access longer term case management is by attending drop-in hours; one of us is always available to support or have a bigger conversation surrounding goals and other concerns.

Our focus is supporting youth to build skills and meet their personal goals. We aren’t in the business of doing things FOR people, but supporting them to get to the point where they can do things for themselves.  We try as much as possible to support so that young people no longer have to access services after they age out of the Youth Health Centre, but we will also connect young people to adult services including the Community Health Centre if needed. At times, we also give references and referrals to other organizations when someone requires more specialized care.

Who are some common organizations that you refer to if individuals require more specialized services? Are there any partner organizations?

We’ve been seeing a lot of newcomers to Canada, and often refer them to Centre for Newcomers or Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, due to the specialized funding and support that these organizations can receive. Also, although our services begin at age 12, the counselling services we provide start at age 16, so sometimes we refer out to places like the Children’s Hospital when services for folks under 16 are requested.

Much of what we also do is system navigation, which includes helping young people to access other resources available to them in the city, do their taxes, or apply for identification documents. Our goal is to help young people to navigate and understand the often-daunting social service systems that exist and help them get the government supports they need.

Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we had partnerships with a few other institutions, such as the Elizabeth Fry Society, and the Calgary Public Library. It is our hope that soon, we can look at partnering with other institutions again as we know that young people tend to engage more when they can access a multitude of services under one roof.

What made you decide to go into social work and what influenced your choice to work at The Alex?

My undergraduate degree is in Psychology, and I’ve always had an interest in adjacent fields. I started off doing admin work, but it wasn’t where my passion really was. Someone recommended social work to me, and I decided to go back to school and do the diploma at Mount Royal University. That was five years ago. Though I still have a drive to pursue psychology and will be starting my Masters’ in the Fall, I’ve found social work to be deeply rewarding. I like to help others improve their lives, so a helping profession will always be the right fit for me.

I chose The Alex because I did my first practicum here, and I really enjoy working with youth. All in all, it seemed like a natural fit as I can practice as a social worker in a place that aligns with my professional ethics and values. It is also really fun!

What do you enjoy most about social work? What do you see as the biggest challenges that you have to face?

I really enjoy working with young people to help them realize their potential, and I think that there’s a lot of hope there. I enjoy social work in particular because I get to play a role in helping others improve their lives and advocating for systems change.

For challenges, I think that accessibility is something that can be difficult. Sometimes changes in best practice happen a lot faster than actual policies do and it can be frustrating to see the impact that these larger systems have on our clients. For example, some of our clients don’t always meet the exact qualification threshold for certain programs, and as social workers, it’s our job to advocate for them and push for that systems change.

What would you want the biggest takeaway for Social Work Month to be?

I recognize that social work has colonial roots and has done a lot of harm to racialized groups through the foster care system and residential schools. It is up to social workers today to unlearn those harmful roots and to construct better ones. We must operate from the perspective that our clients are the experts in their own lives and that we can’t assume that we know the best answer for them. We’re not meant to do things for folks, but rather to help them figure out what it is they want to do and help them achieve it in the way they want.

The work can be incredibly challenging and emotional, but I believe that it is up to me to me and my colleagues to push for education and changes and help people to understand WHY social work is essential. Social workers can have a variety of different roles, and I believe the profession is taking steps towards a much better future.

The post Social Work at the Alex with Rachel Reichert appeared first on The Alex.

What is Social Work?

What does Social Work look like at The Alex?

Roughly 50 of the 490 staff at The Alex have social work backgrounds or are currently in a social work role.

These folks can be found across nine of our programs. They’re team leads, case managers, support workers, and program assistants. We even have a few social workers on our administrative team!

Social work truly is the common thread that knits the several Alex programs and services together.

That’s because it’s part of what we call whole health. Being “healthy” is about more than just physical health. What about the impacts of living in poverty? Homelessness? Food insecurity? Social exclusion? Just like health care, these areas of social care are equal contributors to a person living a healthy life.

We sat down with the social work team at The Alex Youth Health Centre (YHC) to talk about what social work is, what it isn’t, and what makes it unique at The Alex.

Youth who come to The Alex are often experiencing many complex challenges, with an intersection between physical health issues, mental health issues, social exclusion, and poverty. For these folks, an integrated approach to well-being is required, which includes medical care, mental health support, and of course, social support.

Social workers at the YHC tailor their support to help the young person address their needs on their terms. They work hard to build positive relationships, because when youth trust those supporting them, they have better outcomes.

Often youth are also connected with our medical team and/or the mental health clinicians.

“Doctors at The Alex love the social work team – they often say they think there should be a social work team at every doctor’s office.”

– Aidan, YHC Social Worker

Doctors don’t have time or training to help patients with social challenges, but those challenges still impact overall health. Take food access for example. Doctors will often get frustrated with the lack of progress when recommending a healthier diet, but if the patient can’t afford to purchase healthy foods, they need help applying for income support, not a prescription.

What is social work not?

Though some social workers become registered psychologists, social workers at the YHC are not therapists. They can and do provide emotional support but will refer to mental health clinicians as needed.

“We’re also not in the business of solving problems for the youth we see. We walk alongside them, help build skills, get them familiar with the system and empower them. We don’t want them accessing us or other supports forever.”

– Kira, YHC Social Worker

The post Social Work: The thread that knits us together appeared first on The Alex.

Health, Home, Humanity: It All Adds Up

The Alex Community Health Centre provides wrap-around health care, housing, social and wellness programs to Calgary’s most vulnerable citizens.

Using a patient and client-centred, multi-disciplinary model of care, The Alex offers the right care, to the right client, by the right professional at the right time, in the right place, for the right cost; because we know it all adds up.
With five decades of experience innovating and working in the community, The Alex has a reputation for tackling tough health and social issues by walking alongside people on their journey from crisis to wellness, and from challenge to change.

Last year, we began reviewing The Alex’s history of impact and developing a strategic plan to guide our path forward. Approved in January 2022 by the Board of Directors, the strategic plan reflects our model of care and theory of change, with specific attention to equity, diversity, and inclusion, Indigenous reconciliation, and determinants of health.
Through our mission and vision, The Alex will become a Centre of Excellence for Patients and Clients and will lead and advocate for an integrated Community Health Centre model of care in Alberta.

(The Community Health Centre (CHC) model of care delivers integrated, interdisciplinary services and programs with a focus on healthcare, housing, food security, employment and training, youth services, seniors’ services, and more, in a community-governed, non-profit service model.)

OUR COMMITMENTS

The Alex:

• Defines programs and services with a holistic approach.
• Includes and listens to patients and clients in decisions that impact them.
• Ensures patient and client interactions are based on principles of trauma-informed care.
• Activates an Indigenous Health Strategy responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action.
• Embeds equity, diversity, and inclusion principles across the organization.
• Applies evidence-based and informed practices to program delivery.

Strategic Priorities

Organizational resiliency, flexibility, readiness

EMPLOYER OF CHOICE

As the employer of choice, The Alex attracts, supports, retains, and develops talent-building capacity to best serve vulnerable populations.

+

PARTNER OF CHOICE

As the partner of choice, we can accomplish more for vulnerable populations and be a catalyst for collaboration and change.

 

A Centre of Excellence for Patients and Clients

 

&

 

Lead and advocate for an integrated Community Health Centre model of care in Alberta

 

 

TRC Calls to Action & Indigenous Health Strategy

We see the realities of Indigenous health and will advance change through meaningful actions. We will foster a respectful environment that promotes and sustains Indigenous representation.

Zero Barrier Supports Strategy

We don’t believe “low-barrier” is enough. We will pursue opportunities that promote zero barriers to access.

Staff Health, Safety, Wellness & Resiliency Strategy

We will embed equity, diversity and inclusion practices in all our work, and enhance initiatives for the physical and psychological safety of every staff member.

Food Strategy

We will embed healthy food access and skills through all Alex programming using a community development approach.

Data, Research & Evaluation Strategy

We will use the right data, and the learnings from them, to benefit patients and clients.

Our Impact

How we improve social inclusion and quality of life

The Alex recognizes that good health is much more than just good physical health. Is a person truly healthy if they are struggling with an addiction or mental health concern, or if they are living in poverty, experiencing homelessness or socially isolated? These barriers to good health are often intricately related and often stem from larger systemic issues such as trauma, adverse childhood experiences, discrimination, racism, colonialism, and poverty.

When a person visits The Alex, they are welcomed in a judgement-free way, and become an active participant in an inter-connected model of care across our health, housing, and food and social programs. Together we work to address physical or mental health concerns, improve housing and income stability, create pathways towards addiction recovery, and give people a chance to participate in social activities that are meaningful to them.

We know that by improving these key areas, families, youth, adults, and seniors who face barriers are better able to take control of their lives, achieve their goals, participate fully in all desired aspects of life, and experience improved quality of life.

The post Strategic Plan 2022-2027 appeared first on The Alex.

Our health care system has been designed to meet the needs of those providing the services. While this may work for some Canadians, it comes up short for marginalized communities who encounter complex barriers accessing health care.

Barriers may include lack of transportation, financial means, lack of identification or permanent address, poor past experiences with the health care system and many others. Take a moment and think about your last experience at your doctor’s office or emergency room. Was it trauma-informed?

The consequences of inaccessible health care are considerable, both on an individual and systemic level. People may delay getting medical help, which often leads to worsened health outcomes. The need for emergency services may increase, which is more expensive to the system than prevention, early detection and treatment.

Adam’s Story

Adam is a 47-year-old who has experienced chronic homelessness for 20 years. He walks about 5 kilometers a day carrying his belongings seeking shelter and warmth in Calgary’s downtown core.

He started noticing swelling in his legs and fatigue that was out of the ordinary. As time went by, he started noticing his urine was darker than normal, and the whites of his eyes had a yellow tint to them. That’s when Adam knew something wasn’t right.

He’s had bad experiences in medical settings though – most recently when he visited an emergency room for frost-bite. Adam lives on the street and when it’s extremely cold outside he drinks alcohol to feel warm. That day he drank a bottle to numb the cold but started noticing discoloration in his hands. He walked to the nearest hospital while Calgary was experiencing a 40 below cold snap. Noticing he was intoxicated, the staff were short and impatient with Adam. He felt very judged, and the clinical setting reminded him of the trauma he experienced while being hospitalized for mental health problems in the 1980s. He promised himself he would never return.

Now, years later, Adam knows he needs to see a doctor about his symptoms but doesn’t want to relive that experience. Because he’s experiencing homelessness, Adam is focused on daily survival, working hard to find food and shelter. He just doesn’t have the time or energy to think about worsening symptoms. He hopes they’ll go away on their own.

Adam was suffering from a Hepatitis C infection, which was slowly causing chronic liver disease. Treatment of Hepatitis C is very effective when caught early. If Adam had access to compassionate, non-judgmental care, the rest of his life would’ve been different. He could’ve avoided cirrhosis, kidney damage, and heart problems, and he may not have been ambulanced to an emergency room with liver failure years later.

How we work towards “zero-barrier” care

At The Alex, we believe that all community members, regardless of their situation, deserve accessible health care. That said, providing care that truly has zero barriers while operating within the healthcare system may always be an aspirational goal. It is imperative that we regularly review our processes to identify barriers our programs may be posing for community members.

Whether that’s ensuring our spaces are dignified and comfortable, training all our staff in trauma-informed care, or physicially bringing our services to those who need it, we strive to ensure that coming to The Alex is the first step towards wellness.

At The Alex, we do this by providing:

• A peer-led Street Team that provides substance use and mental health support to those experiencing homelessness across the city.
• A fleet of four mobile health buses that act as clinics-on-wheels visiting identified high-needs locations and schools around Calgary to provide physical health, mental health, and dental care.
• Walk-in hours and phone intakes.
• Temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.
• Home visits by a team of case managers and specialists.
• A Rapid Access Addiction Medicine clinic which ensures that when a person makes the decision to address their addiction, immediate, unbiased, and stigma-free support is available and the “window of opportunity” is not missed.
• A large Housing First program that does not require sobriety or other conditions to being housed.

As a not-for-profit with about 400 staff serving over 10,000 people each year, we have the scale but also the flexibility to offer health care in novel ways.

But we are only one organization, in one city in Canada. System-wide changes are overdue, which is why we advocate with the Canadian Association of Community Health Centres (CACHC) and every level of government for this model to be more widely adopted. When we make health care more accessible, more Canadians can access care that truly meets their needs.

The post “Low-barrier” is not good enough anymore: How The Alex is working toward zero-barrier care appeared first on The Alex.

Get door-to-door bottle pick-up through Skip the Depot, and choose The Alex as your designated charity!

The post Skip the Depot appeared first on The Alex.