Turning Point Society

Turning Point Society Turning Point is a registered charity supporting safer, healthier communities for Central Albertans.

Formally known as the Central Alberta AIDS Network Society (CAANS), Turning Point was established in 1988 as a community-based response to Central Alberta's HIV/AIDS crisis. In addition to health promotion, our organization has since expanded its reach, incorporating programming specific to harm reduction, night reach, rural outreach, overdose prevention, and a women’s program. These programs and

services extend to communities across Central Alberta (including Red Deer, Drumheller, Hanna, Camrose, Flagstaff, Samson, Stettler, Rocky Mountain House, O’Chiese First Nation, and Wetaskiwin). Whether you're looking for harm reduction and STBBI preventative resources or are in need of ongoing support, our professionals are here to help. Turning Point continues to identify and support the complex needs of each community we serve, providing education, supplies, and services with compassion, confidentiality, respect, collaboration, and empowerment.

June is pride month. We are proud to be an ally to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We will continue to learn about the diverse...
06/01/2026

June is pride month. We are proud to be an ally to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We will continue to learn about the diverse and complex needs that q***r folks have and how we can provide better support for those that come to us. We want to remind the community that we are a safe haven that you can always turn to. We understand that the 2SLGBTQIA+ community faces disproportionate health disparities, which we commit to continually learning about and addressing through advocacy or action, or both. Thank you for continuing to invite us into your spaces and to your events where together we can celebrate your community and your achievments.

We have changed the hours of our basic needs pop-up at The Salvation Army Red Deer Church & Community Ministries to bett...
06/01/2026

We have changed the hours of our basic needs pop-up at The Salvation Army Red Deer Church & Community Ministries to better accommodate their hours. Their community center closes at 4 p.m., so when they accommodate our pop-up until 4 p.m., it takes their staff longer to do their closing duties and leave. To have less impact on our hosts, we have changed our pop-up hours to end half an hour earlier.

UPDATED HOURS:
Every Thursday
1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

This partnership has already been a great success. We have been able to better facilitate wrap around support, get folks started on getting critical documents like identification, and we have been able to connect with folks in need that that we haven't previously supported.

Please let folks know about this change. Not everyone is on social media, and we realize this change may cause folks to miss out on our upcoming pop-ups. We are sorry for any impact this may have on folks, and we hope to mitigate it as much as possible.

If you have a pop-up poster in your space, don't worry. Our outreach team will replace them with an updated one. However, if you want one sooner, you can send us an e-mail ([email protected]) and we can send you a copy to print.

Thanks!

NightReach is our longest standing program. Currently funded in partnership with Recovery Alberta, this mobile outreach ...
05/30/2026

NightReach is our longest standing program. Currently funded in partnership with Recovery Alberta, this mobile outreach program brings support and services to street involved folks. Each night, two staff walk the downtown core and nearby trail systems. There, they meet people where they are at to offer support, referrals, and items needed to survive. NightReach collaborates closely with our DayReach program and with our Referral and Women’s Specialist roles to ensure the folks they assist in the evening have adequate follow-up during daytime hours.

NightReach is an entry-level position, meaning people don’t need any specific education to join the team. However, education in a related field or experience is a huge asset. Our NightReach team is multidisciplinary. On staff you can find RNs, LPNs, paramedics, students from a variety of programs, folks new to the field, and people who have been working in these roles for years. Ultimately, everyone who works NightReach has a love for the people we support and the work we do.

Let’s dive into 5 facts about naloxone: 1. Naloxone is a medication considered an opioid antagonist that reverses opioid...
05/29/2026

Let’s dive into 5 facts about naloxone:

1. Naloxone is a medication considered an opioid antagonist that reverses opioid poisonings. Opioids bind to cell receptors, which then activates their effects – which can be life threatening. Being an opioid antagonist means naloxone binds to the same receptors that opioids bind to, but naloxone doesn’t generate any effects like opioids do. Instead, it prevents opioids from binding to the receptors or even kicks them off if they are already bound. When opioids cannot bind to the receptor, they cannot produce their effects. This is how it reverses opioid poisonings.

2. Naloxone only reverses the effects of opioids. It does not reverse the effects of stimulants, benzodiazepines, non-opioid sedatives, or any other kind of drug. Opioids include he**in, fentanyl, carfentanil, oxycodone, hydromorphone, tramadol, and many others. If any opioids are in your home, naloxone should be a part of your emergency kit.

3. Naloxone’s effects last approximately 20 to 90 minutes. The effects of opioids can last longer, which is why we strongly encourage folks to go with paramedics after we respond to their poisoning so they can be monitored. It is possible to reverse the effects of an opioid poisoning and 20 to 90 minutes later they experience another poisoning when the effects of the naloxone wear off and the opioids re-bind to their receptors. It also means that any opioids used after receiving naloxone won’t have an effect or will have a reduced effect for 20 to 90 minutes. It is important to let people know that they’ve been given naloxone when they regain consciousness after a poisoning.

4. Naloxone won’t cause harm if it is given when opioids aren’t the cause of the medical emergency. Naloxone only affects opioid receptors, and if there’s no opioids present, then nothing happens. This is why it is considered extremely safe to use. It has no psychoactive or intoxicating effects and does not cause dependence.

5. Naloxone is safe to use on older adults, kids, and pets. If there are opioids in your home, you should have naloxone. It can reverse the effects of an opioid poisoning if children or pets get opioids into their system. The same for older adults – naloxone is completely safe to use.

The key takeaways are that naloxone is safe for all ages, only works to reverse opioid poisonings, and has no effect on someone who does not have opioids in their system.

Congratulations to Youth HQ for their monumental 50 years in the community. Over the past five decades Youth HQ has supp...
05/27/2026

Congratulations to Youth HQ for their monumental 50 years in the community. Over the past five decades Youth HQ has supported our children through programs and mentorship that build capacity and confidence.

The speeches at the anniversary dinner involved not only the adults within the organization but also included the voices of children that have been supported by the organization. Seeing the support Youth HQ has within the community was so fantastic. The night was a great reminder that we are all in this together, building safer and healthier communities.

Thank you for the great event.

05/22/2026

Community members are invited to participate in a powerful and immersive Poverty Simulation where participants take on the roles of members of diverse families experiencing poverty.
This impactful experience, hosted by Central Alberta Poverty Reduction Alliance (CAPRA) and facilitated by United Way Central Alberta, is designed to help participants better understand the realities faced by individuals and families living on low incomes in Red Deer.
This hands-on simulation that challenges perceptions, builds empathy, and brings the complexity of poverty to life.
Would you like to take part? Register at https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/poverty-simulator

It has been several weeks of being welcomed into the Salvation Army’s space in downtown Red Deer, and we are so thankful...
05/21/2026

It has been several weeks of being welcomed into the Salvation Army’s space in downtown Red Deer, and we are so thankful for this opportunity. We anticipated needing 3 staff to support the afternoon, and we weren’t wrong. There is a huge need in our community for the most basic things, like snacks, clothing, and hygiene products. We are here every Thursday afternoon from 1PM - 4PM.

In this photo Kat and Darby are freshly set up and posing for a quick photo before clients are let in to browse and access supplies they need.

Thank you to everyone who has donated items to us to give out during our outreach and at tables like this. If you are interested in donating, we are always looking for hygiene supplies, snacks, and weather appropriate clothing. Because of this opportunity to have a space to set up in, we can hand out things that are otherwise difficult, like footwear. Right now, we need sunscreen and bug spray. When folks have no shelter, they end up with unruly sunburns and insect bites.

Donations can be brought to our office downtown at 402-4808 50th St, Red Deer, Monday – Friday. We are closed for lunch between 12pm – 1pm. It is always recommended to give us a call before heading over at 403-346-8858.

Without our drop-in space, our services are primarily delivered through mobile backpack outreach. Our DayReach program s...
05/20/2026

Without our drop-in space, our services are primarily delivered through mobile backpack outreach. Our DayReach program started in late 2025 and over the months of its operation we have refined its delivery model as we receive feedback from clients, staff, and the community. As with any new program, we will continue to adapt to meet the needs of the community.

Today, DayReach focuses primarily on basic needs and is identified by a purple backpack. We know how much time and effort it takes to survive when you are living without stable housing, food, safety and resources. Addressing basic needs for vulnerable persons increases their capacity to tackle bigger picture goals. Staff go out to hand out snacks, hygiene supplies, clothing, and naloxone, and come equipped to help clients with referrals and any necessary follow-up care. Staff are trained in basic first aid and can help folks get medical care for injuries or wounds they come across that need more attention.

DayReach has partnered with the Salvation Army to provide services at their downtown location every Thursday afternoon from 1pm to 4pm, which has created more opportunity for clients to access services as they know where they can find us.

In this photo we see Kat with the purple backpack alongside Nolan, ready to meet folks where they are at.

Each year, Red Deer Action Group Society distributes bus tickets to local agencies through their Donate-A-Ride program. ...
05/12/2026

Each year, Red Deer Action Group Society distributes bus tickets to local agencies through their Donate-A-Ride program. These tickets are given to folks that need to get to appointments, health care, employment, or other social services. Donate-A-Ride isn’t possible without community involvement and sponsorship. If you’d like to get involved to ensure that folks without their own transportation are able to get to where they need to go, consider donating to RDAGS Donate-A-Ride program.

Turning Point has been a recipient of their Donate-A-Ride program for many, many years. This year we were generously gifted 400 bus tickets. Thank you to the Red Deer Action Group Society, and all those who contribute and make this gift possible.

https://rdags.ca/donate-a-ride-red-deer

This week we want to show our appreciation for all the work nurse's do within our agency. Nurses are on both our DayReac...
05/11/2026

This week we want to show our appreciation for all the work nurse's do within our agency. Nurses are on both our DayReach and NightReach teams, lead our Overdose Prevention Program, and sit on our Board of Directors.

The nurses on our Board of Directors provide a nursing lens on all that we do. They help us understand health impacts that folks experience and help guide our programming to ensure nursing care is delivered in the most impactful way possible.

Our staff nurses are out there on the ground with folks, doing what they can with the resources that they have. They help clients navigate the healthcare system and explain topics to folks in a way that they understand – without all the medical jargon. They provide direct nursing care like wound care and assessments and provide guidance for folks on what their next steps could be. Being street involved is hard on the body – we see many injuries during our outreach. Folks are required to be incredibly mobile, so foot injuries are common. Folks outside experience sunburns and frostbite depending on the season. The toxic drug supply and its contaminants cause sores and lesions across the body. Insect bites, trips, falls, and violence add more layers to people’s health needs.

Keeping nurses involved in our agency is a priority. Historically, they have played key roles in our service delivery and development, and they continue to do so today.

To our nurses: We recognize the circumstances of which you work under, and we thank you for all the contributions, support, and care that you give despite it all.

Address

Calgary, AB

Opening Hours

Monday 9:15am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9:15am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9:15am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9:15am - 4:30pm
Friday 9:15am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+14033468858

Website

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