Student Health

Student Health Services in Your Area

Q. What is the responsibility of schools for providing health services to children?
A. School systems coordinate enhanced services, but do not have responsibility for providing health services to children. One way that school systems coordinate student health services is through a partnership agreement with the local Student Health Partnership (SHP).
Q. For the purposes of Student Health, what are special health needs?
A. Special health needs include those disabilities or conditions that may prevent a child from being successful in his or her school program.

Those disabilities and conditions include:

  • physical disabilities,
  • developmental disabilities,
  • neurological disorders,
  • sensory impairments,
  • medical conditions, and/or
  • emotional and/or behavioural disabilities
Q. What students are eligible for student health services?
A. Any child who has a special health need and is registered with Alberta Education in the Early Childhood Services (ECS) to Grade 12 system in one of the following is eligible for student health services:
  • public school program (provided by public or separate school jurisdiction, or charter school)
  • private school program
  • private ECS operator program
  • institutional education program
  • homebound program or home education program
  • alternative program such as online, blended and outreach
Q. What types of student health services are available?
A. The types of services available in an individual school vary according to the assessed needs and service priorities set by the local student health partnership. However, all student health services must be related to improving the child's ability to participate in their education program.
Q. How do I find out whether my child can receive student health services?
A. To find out about student health services available at your child's school and how to have your child referred for services, contact your child's teacher or school counsellor.

For more information about the specific student health services available in your area, contact your local student health partnership. Currently, there are 15 Student Health Partnerships that cover the province. If you are not sure which partnership your school belongs to, you can check our online partnership list by choosing the municipality where your child's school is located.

Q. Which partnership provides student health services to my child's school?
A. If you know the school jurisdiction your child attends, the regional health authority in your area, or the name of the Charter/Private School or ECS Operator, use our online utility to find a related Student Health Partnership in your area.

You can also use our interactive map to find the partnership for your area.

Q. Is there anyone outside of the school that I could contact with concerns about student health services?
A. The SHP Chair can provide information about the local SHP and answer questions or address concerns. Specific SHP contact details for your area of the province and other related information can be found on the Student Health Partnership Search page.