Resources are grouped by the following categories:
Click on the categories for more detailed resource information. These links were valid and updated as of March 17, 2025.
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These resources, intended for law enforcement, provide information related to options that can be used under the YCJA and YJA.
These resources, intended for law enforcement, provide forms related to diverting youth under the YCJA and YJA.
How to access the PChAD program.
The Mental Health Act (MHA) allows for involuntary detention and treatment under certain circumstances when 1 or 2 admission or renewal certificates are issued.
There are rights set out under the act, such as appealing to a review panel, relating to people who are under one admission certificate, formal patients (under 2 certificates), and persons under a community treatment order.
The Calgary Police Youth Foundation, in collaboration with the Calgary Police Service and other community partners, supports youth programming in Calgary that provides wrap around services to individuals who are at risk of criminal involvement or becoming victims of crime.
Through education, prevention, early intervention, and risk reduction strategies, those who need our help the most have the resources they need to stay safe.
YouthLink Calgary is home to Calgary Police Service stories, from the past to the present. We are a non-profit organization where crime prevention, community policing and history are at the heart of everything we do. We offer an innovative approach to education and offer programs and events for students, youth, adults, families and our community.
The Collaborative Outreach Preventing Exploitation (COPE) Program supports youth aged 12 -24, who are at risk of, or engaged in sexual exploitation within Calgary and surrounding areas.
This voluntary program helps youth and their families reduce the risks of sexual exploitation in the community and online.
The ReDirect program provides education, awareness, and case management services for youth aged 12-18 that are at-risk of, or engaged in, ideology or hate motivated conflict with others. The program is a partnership between The City of Calgary and the Calgary Police Service. Teams are made up of a social worker and a police officer.
A YJC is an alternative to the court system for young people aged 12 up to 18 who are facing a minor charge. Community volunteers work with young people as well as their families, victims, the legal system, and the community, to provide an appropriate and meaningful response. Youth Justice Committees aim to provide the same opportunity and experience for each youth who is referred to a YJC regardless of status, age, gender, background, culture, and religion. YJC volunteers can be extremely flexible when working with newcomer or immigrant youth, we can provide translators as we speak 17 different languages within our large group of volunteers. As well, we can refer youth to a specific cultural or religious Sanction option is requested and appropriate.
A YJC is an alternative to the court system for young people aged 12 up to 18 who are facing a minor charge. Community volunteers work with young people as well as their families, victims, the legal system, and the community, to provide an appropriate and meaningful response.
As a Youth Justice Committee volunteer you will:
Impact a young person’s life by empowering them to have a voice; increase their accountability; develop self-awareness, all with the goal of avoiding a formal youth record and developing positive relationships with adults in the community.
Help families by considering their needs as well, providing additional resources to address family difficulties and ensuring cases are handled expediently and efficiently.
Support victims by providing an opportunity to express how the crime has affected them and offer restitution, if applicable, to help repair the harm that was caused.
Improve the community by having a positive impact on reducing youth crime.
Youth Justice Committees offer a community based alternative to court proceedings to youth and young adults facing criminal charges. For over 25 years, the Edmonton Youth Justice Committee Society has been providing an alternative to courts for Edmonton’s youth through community based resolutions to youth crime.
DIVERSIONfirst connects youth who have committed their first non-violent, criminal occurrence to community and family supports, to help them build a foundation for a positive future away from crime. It’s a police-led program, which allows the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) to offer the youth and their supports a restorative justice approach, instead of a criminal charge.
DIVERSIONfirst is a partnership between the EPS, YMCA of Northern Alberta and Boys and Girls Club Big Brothers Big Sisters (BGCBigs). Together, and with a variety of other community agencies, we redirect youth by connecting them to organizations focused on improving the lives of youth and their families so they can begin accessing services they need through a customized support program.
Through the program, youth can identify areas in their life that may require more support, request guidance, or seek out an opportunity to better themselves. They then work toward repairing the harm they’ve caused. To do this, they fulfill a customized agreement plan that is youth focused. These agreement plans can include written and/or in-person apologies to victims, volunteer service and projects, and self-reflection projects that could include resume building, creative projects, job shadowing, skill development, art projects and more. Their agreement gives them a chance to make amends, become more pro-social, and make positive contributions to the community. DIVERSIONfirst helps youth recognize the connection between their behaviours and the harm caused to themselves, the community, family, and victim(s).
Diversion First is available through their website.
The Ῑdᾱnágúzhōt-ná Youth Services Section (YSS) is a community-based intervention program delivered in partnership with the Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service funded by Public Safety Canada, to support youth aged 6-25 years old, who are involved or at-risk of involvement in the Criminal Justice System. Youth who work with the Youth Services Section, will have access to two streams of support. The first stream is community programming which aims to provide youth and community unique opportunities that address various risks for youth on Tsuut’ina Nation and within Canada. The second stream is, one-on-one support from an outreach worker to address root causes of crime through an individualized case plan that is based off of the goals of the client. Participation by youth in the Youth Services Section is voluntary.
The Blood Tribe (BIR# 148 & 148A) is the largest First Nations reservation in Canada. Covering well over 180 000 hectares of land in Southern Alberta, it is the proud home to over 12 000 registered members.
Basing its operations out of offices in Standoff, Alberta, the Blood Tribe Police Service is a fully autonomous police agency with jurisdiction that extends from the outskirts of the city of Lethbridge to the bordering towns of Cardston, Hill Spring, Glenwood, Fort Macleod and Waterton Lakes National Park.
Twenty-four hours, seven days a week coverage is provided by fully appointed police officers with the support of over full time civilian staff members. Provincially and federally recognized training, a large fleet of police vehicles, state of the art blood alcohol testing equipment, and full access to services such as the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC), and the Police Reporting and Occurrence System (PROS) are just some of the resources utilized by the Blood Tribe Police Service.
The Blood Tribe Police Service in its present form is a continuation of the Blood Reserve in partnership with the Federal and Provincial Governments’ efforts in providing quality policing services to the community.
Siksika Public Safety was established to provide a coordinated effort to provide for the day to day safety , security, and just treatment for Siksika Nation members, staff, and visitors.
Public Safety focusses on programs and services that address matters that contribute to public disorder and unsafe activities on the Nation.
Public Safety works directly with the Public Safety Task Force to ensure a comprehensive and collaborative effort to mitigate public safety matters in the interest of the people and their needs.
Siksika Justice provides both social justice and court justice services for Siksika Nation members. Our Court Workers assist Nation members to navigate through the court systems. Our Aiskapimohkiiks program works with Nation members to resolve conflicts through mediation and arbitration.
The Siksika Justice Services was formed in 1995 by Siksika Nation Chief and Council. The formation of the Justice Services also included the implementation of the Siksika Court Worker Program and the Siksika Community Corrections Program, both of which are utilized frequently by the Siksika Nation Membership, as well as by other First Nations Members from different Indigenous communities in Canada.
The Lakeshore Regional Police Service was established in 2008 and is responsible for all policing services on the five First Nations of Sawridge First Nation, Swan River First Nation, Driftpile Cree Nation, Sucker Creek First Nation and Kapawe’no First Nation.
Children’s Services offers a range of culturally specific supports for children, youth and families through its Indigenous, First Nation and Metis Settlements offices. Services are also provided through Delegated First Nation Agencies.
Child Intervention Legislation
YCJA, YJA, and Criminal Code
Legislation Background Material
If you’re the parent or guardian of a child who is under 18 and abusing drugs or alcohol, you can apply to the PChAD Program from Alberta Health Services.
This program allows you to apply for a court order – issued by the Court of Justice under the Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Act – that authorizes a child to be placed in a protective safe house.
Information on how to get an order to protect a child.
Information on how to get an order to protect a child.
This is the Alberta Legislation on Mental Health.
The primary goal of the Provincial Mental Health Diversion Program (PMHDP) is to divert individuals charged with a minor criminal offence who have a suspected or diagnosed mental or concurrent disorder from the criminal justice system to appropriate mental health, addiction treatment, and social supports in their community.
Addictions and mental health supports through Alberta Health Services.
Children and Family Services offers a range of supports and resources for children, youth and families in 7 regions across the province. This includes Calgary, Central, Edmonton, Northeast, Northwest, North Central, Southeast and Southwest regions.
In Canada, there is a separate youth justice system for young people from the ages of 12 to 17 that are accused of committing a crime.
Understanding how the youth justice system works will help you to make decisions about how to deal with your situation.
As a publicly funded, non-profit organization, we provide affordable legal services in family law, domestic violence, child welfare, immigration, and youth and adult criminal defence.
We are Alberta-wide: Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Siksika Nation and Wetaskiwin.
In the Lead 180 is an innovative leadership and character-building program for youth involved in the justice system who show leadership potential. In the Lead 180 reaches young people in our Province who are struggling to use their natural leadership ability in beneficial ways or believe in their potential. Where others might see deficits and risk, we see strengths and possibility. Our strength-based, leadership curriculum encourages youth to transform their views of themselves, their communities and their futures.
As a Youth Justice Committee volunteer you will:
Impact a young person’s life by empowering them to have a voice; increase their accountability; develop self-awareness, all with the goal of avoiding a formal youth record and developing positive relationships with adults in the community.
Help families by considering their needs as well, providing additional resources to address family difficulties and ensuring cases are handled expediently and efficiently.
Support victims by providing an opportunity to express how the crime has affected them and offer restitution, if applicable, to help repair the harm that was caused.
Improve the community by having a positive impact on reducing youth crime.
The RCMP Intervention and Diversion Program operates at the level of extrajudicial measures and provides a community-based means of addressing youth offending. The program is based on the evidence-based Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) Model of Correctional Treatment. Consistent with this model, the program focuses on reducing a young person’s risk of re-offending by: addressing the criminogenic needs of the young person; providing intervention at an intensity in keeping with the young person’s level of criminogenic risk; and attending to responsivity factors by matching the unique attributes of the young person with community programs and services whose approaches are consistent with the cognitive behavioral and social learning theories underpinning the model.
With respect, gratitude, and accountability, Calgary Youth Justice Society acknowledges the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy which includes the Siksika, Kainai, Piikani Nations, the Îyârhe Nakoda Nation, Tsuut’ina Nation, the Métis Nation of Alberta, Districts 5 & 6, and we honour all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.
We see and celebrate the many strengths of Indigenous people and commit to reflect upon and change our ways of knowing, being, and doing so that we can truly work towards reconciliation in a meaningful way.
