Family and Community Support Services

Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) are locally driven preventative social initiatives that enhance the well being of children, families, individuals and communities.  We partner with a number of local agencies to provide counseling and skill building to students, adults and families. This includes McMan Youth, Family & Community Services, Medicine Hat Family Services, and the family school liaison workers in the Prairie Rose School Division. A general overview of FCSS programs can be seen on a provincial association video.

Special transportation services, in cooperation with Deluxe Central Taxi, are available to those persons with special needs who are unable to drive themselves. Once approved, the resident can get to and from their county home and Medicine Hat or Redcliff for a 50-50 cost share.

The Cypress View Foundation provides supportive social housing for low to moderate-income seniors. The county, the Town of Redcliff and the City of Medicine Hat operate this non-profit organization to provide affordable senior housing and corresponding services, for those in greatest need, in an efficient, effective and caring manner.

All Albertans deserve to feel safe in their communities. Through programs, grants and services, community initiative supports engage local communities to take part in reducing crime risk and promoting positive behaviors. 

Hours: Monday through Friday 8:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 

Phone: (780) 415-1819

Builds on strengths for the betterment of children, youth, and families by providing information, family support and connections to community resources. Programs include but are not limited to:

  • Best babies: For parents with children under 12 months

  • Building blocks: For children newborn to 6 years of age

  • First Steps: For women who are pregnant or have children 12 months or younger

  • Bridges: For infant to 18 years of age

As well as different courses for parental education.

Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Closed between 12-1 p.m.

Phone: (403) 526-7473

Website: Bridges Family Programs

Community organizations host free tax clinics where volunteers file tax returns for people with a modest income and a simple tax situation. 

Drop-off: Your income tax documents are dropped off during advertised hours. Your tax return will be completed by a volunteer, and you will pick it up later. You will need to prove your identity when you pick up your tax return and documents. 

By appointment: An appointment is needed to file your tax return. Appointments can be in person or virtual. Medicine Hat clinic does taxes by appointment only.  

Clinic: Miywasin Friendship Centre

Phone: (403) 526-0726

Committed to mentally healthy people in a healthy society, but we see an urgent need to dial up the intensity and push for society and system change. We want our brand to boldly reflect our higher-order purpose, what we all get up each day to fight for.

Hours: Monday through Thursday 8:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Friday 8:15 a.m.-12 p.m.

Phone: (403) 504-1811

Helps to build awareness, capacity and momentum at a provincial and community level to enhance children’s well-being and development approach. 

Focuses on developing a coordinated sector in Alberta by bringing together community-based organizations around common framework for action, with a focus on identifying and addressing priority areas related to healthy aging in the community. This initiative seeks to create a provincial network of organizations who are united by a shared vision: we want Alberta to become one of the best places in the world to grow old.

Hours: Monday through Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Phone: (403) 231-2612

McMan provides care in the context of supportive and understanding relationships. The home and everyone in it are encouraged to live by the guiding values of trust, security, giving and acceptance. It is a winning combination to foster learning in a positive environment and these conditions are ideal for people to realize their potential and thrive. Programs include: 

  • Drug treatment court

  • Family Resource Network - Child and youth skill development 

  • LYNX Recovery House

  • Mobile addiction 

  • Family development 

  • Supervised family time 

  • Youth work 

  • Youth transitions to adulthood 

  • Inn Between

  • Mental Health Family Development Program 

  • FASD youth/adult transition 

  • The Youth HUB (Medicine Hat) 

  • Youth shelter 

  • Family & natural supports project 

 941 S Railway St SE, Medicine Hat 

Phone number: (403) 527-1588 

Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Closed 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.  

Website: McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association

Relief for anyone who is unable to make meals on their own due to a variety of reasons such as age-related illness, mobility loss, disability, illness, recovery from surgery or to alleviate caregiver stress.  

Delivered for $10.00 per meal between 10 a.m-12 p.m. 

Phone: (403) 525-8885

Email: Mow@unisonalberta.com 

Hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Website: MH: Meals on Wheels - Unison

Medicine Hat Family Service is funded through Cypress County FCSS to provide high quality counselling services on a sliding income scale to all individuals, couples and families living within Cypress County. Counselling is a first line defense to tackling family and relationship challenges proactively.  Medicine Hat Family services works with all individuals ages 6-throughout the lifespan to practice effective communication and connection skills. 

Our skilled, and highly trained counsellors provide mental and emotional support for a wide range of feelings and issues facing families and individuals, including but not limited to 

  • Grief and loss 

  • Emotional regulation/navigation 

  • Family transitions 

  • Parent/child interactions 

  • Stress management 

  • Couples counselling 

  • Family counseling 

  • Divorce and separation 

Medicine Hat Family Service is also funded to provide classes and courses within your community including:  

  • Grief and loss groups for children and teens ages 6-18 

  • Home Alone – A course for children 8-12 to provide the skills required for them to stay at home alone for short periods of time 

  • Kids in the Middle- A program for kids facing a parental separation or divorce 

  • Couples group counselling/information sessions 

477 3 St SE, Medicine Hat AB  

Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. closed 12 p.m.-1 p.m. 

Email: info@mhfamilyservice.com 
Phone: (403) 504-8026 

Website: Medicine Hat Family Service 

Believes that hunger exists in the community and that the community has a responsibility to address this food insecurity in a manner ensuring the availability, accessibility, and adequacy of food. Programs include:

  • Food First: 12-week community kitchen program that teaches families the skills needed to prepare healthy, nutritious meals and snacks

  • Brown bag lunch: Prepared daily by volunteers, children receive either pea-butter and jam or meat sandwiches, a bag of vegetables, a granola bar and yogurt

  • Healthy Bundles: Provides nutritious food to pregnant women or women with children under the age of one

  • Emergency food pantry: Open to all members of our community and surrounding area experiencing food insecurity

By appointment only at 440 Maple Ave SE Medicine Hat AB

Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Phone: (403) 528-4313

Website: Medicine Hat & District Food Bank

Bring trauma survivors and supporters together in the spirit of healing, use empathy, compassion, and experience to help navigate the support system, and to make communities safer and more resilient through education, advocacy, and calls to action. Programs include:

  • Victim navigation services

  • Therapy either 1-on-1 or group

  • Educational programs: Grades K-6, Ages 12 and up, junior high, senior high, adult, responding to sexual assault and abuse training

  • Family Connections: Bonding Bingo

  • Awareness campaigns: #Ibeleiveyou and One billion Rising

  • Pints with the pack

Phone: (403) 548-2717 or emergency (1-866) 403-8000

Hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Unit 2, 36 Strachan Ct CE Medicine Hat

Website: Sanare Centre