The Young People Support Branch falls within the Community Safety and Well-being Bureau. We are dedicated to the protection and well-being of youth in Edmonton.

The Young People Support Branch encompasses: 

• The Youth Integrated Services Section consists of School Resources Officers, and Community Assertive Services Team (CAST) who work in partnership with Alberta Health Services.
• The Youth Services Section consists of DIVERSIONfirst Unit, One80 Unit and Y:Five-O Unit.
  
  

Youth Integrated Services Section

School Resource Officer Unit (SRO)

The primary function of the SRO unit is to assist the school administration in ensuring a safe and caring place of learning for students and staff, balancing enforcement with prevention and intervention. This includes positive youth engagement, school safety, collaboration with community programs, education, and diversion. Click to learn more about the SROs.

School Resource Officers work closely with school staff, administration, counsellors, and students to ensure a safe learning environment providing a balance between enforcement, education, prevention and intervention.  Through positive youth engagement activities, SRO’s build strong positive rapport with the school community.

Police and Crisis Response Team (PACT)

The Police and Crisis Response Team (PACT) is a partnership between Alberta Health Services (AHS) Community Assertive Services and the Edmonton Police Services. PACT provides support for front line police officers responding to calls for service involving youth experiencing mental health and/or addiction concerns to divert youth from Emergency Departments at local hospitals. PACT consists of two teams consisting of sworn members and civilian AHS personnel.  The teams are supported by AHS Children’s Mental Health Crisis Team (CMHCT). PACT offers a more intensive screening and assessment process, counselling referrals (as needed) and identification of plans for community integration. Youth are provided with a family-focused intervention, ensuring a path to success for the youth and their family supports.

Youth Services Section

DIVERSIONfirst Unit

DIVERSIONfirst connects youth with minimal criminal offences with community and family supports to meet identified needs building a positive future away from crime. DIVERSIONfirst is a pre-charge, police-led program, that allows the Edmonton Police Service to offer youth and their supports a restorative justice approach as an alternative to a criminal charge(s). Click to learn more about DIVERSIONfirst.

One80 Unit

One80 work with mid-risk young people with the main goal to interrupt their current trajectory by providing effective supports and connections. One80 work closely with Y:FIVE-0 and Youth Intervention Services in collaboration with a wide variety of reputable community partners that assist in customizing intervention and stabilization plans.

Y:Five-O Unit

Y:FIVE-0 monitor, investigate and gather intelligence about the top 50 most violent and prolific offenders with the aim of providing close supervision and support to minimize reoffending. Youth who engage are directed toward rehabilitation and reintegration through the work of our internal and external intervention teams.

Inspector i/c of YPSB reports to the Superintendent i/c Integrated Community Support Division.