November 20, 2017
Psychologist Brent Macdonald speaks at a Community Education Service session at Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary.
Story and photo by Janet Mezzarobba
CALGARY — As a mother of four, Joanne Gimson is constantly on the go, always looking for better ways to meet the needs of each of her children.
Knowing where and how to access credible, up-to-date information on health resources, parenting techniques and other valuable supports is important to any harried parent.
To this end, an Alberta Health Services (AHS) program provides free, evidence-based education sessions and resource materials to address child, youth and family health and mental wellness.
“I have a lot of natural experience in parenting through raising four children, but I still feel it’s my responsibility to continue to educate myself in order to be the best parent I can be,” says Gimson. “The CES courses help me make informed choices in regard to my children’s health and well-being.”
The Community Education Service (CES), now in its 15th year, touches on timely topics such as anxiety, child brain development, behaviour management, asthma, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, mood disorders, infant sign language, trauma, grief and loss and LGBTQ issues.
“The Community Education Service strives to increase knowledge, coping skills, and understanding of many topics affecting today’s children and families,” says psychologist Lindsay Hope-Ross, the supervisor of CES. “The program also helps normalize parents’ concerns by providing an opportunity for them to share information and experiences with others that may be having similar difficulties.
“We aim to provide guidance, resources and information to parents and caregivers to supplement their current care, or to provide support while they wait for further services.”
Gimson encourages other parents to attend the sessions to help themselves as well as to help their children to become responsible adults with the coping skills to manage the ups and downs of life.
“We need to try to understand our youth in today’s ever-changing society so we can help them in their journey to become responsible citizens in their adult life and empower them to have confidence in their abilities and the choices they make.”
Kerry Rasmussen has an active eight-year-old son, diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder. The CES sessions helped her garner valuable information about her son’s condition, leading her to make informed decisions.
“I wanted to learn about his condition, treatment and best practices,” she says. “The topics are current, useful and help guide my decisions. I’ve also learned about all the available resources I can go to for help if I need it.”
As a past presenter with CES, psychologist Brent Macdonald believes the sessions provide credible information that’s easily accessible to a wide range of people.
“These sessions give support to parents on topics that may not be accessible through other means like schools or other community organizations,” he says. “By having these sessions hosted by various professionals, information can be provided to many different people, from all walks of life, all in the same spot, which is key to the success of this program.”
CES topics are based on participant feedback and timely issues of the day such as the 2013 floods and the Fort McMurray wildfires. Sessions are available face-to-face, via audio and video-conference, through webinars, and via recordings available on the website.
To date, more than 80,000 people have attended nearly 2,000 CES sessions.
“I truly appreciate the service that CES provides,” says Gimson. “It has enabled me to improve my education in areas that are applicable to my own situation.”
“These classes gave me the information I needed to advocate for my son, as well as make the decisions that would help him the most,” says Rasmussen. “That’s all a parent can ask for.”
CES sessions are free and anyone over 18 can attend. To find out about upcoming sessions, visit their website or follow CES on twitter at @ces_ahs.
