We Never Give Up.

Wood’s Homes is a mental health centre. We provide treatment and support for children, young people, adults and families with mental health needs. We proudly serve in Calgary, Lethbridge, Strathmore, Fort McMurray, Cold Lake, Grande Prairie and Lac La Biche.

Wood’s Homes is proudly a provincial organization. We humbly acknowledge the many First Nations, and Metis districts from the most Southern parts of the province to the most Northern parts. We acknowledge their contributions and responsibilities as caregivers to the lands they have walked since time and immemorial. We are all treaty people, and Wood’s Homes is committed to coming together in a good way that continues to build good relations for all people. 

About Our Practice

Founded as an orphanage by Reverend George Wood in 1914, we are a place of caring and trust. A place you can turn to for help when you don’t know what else to do, or when you have nowhere else to turn.

Wood’s Homes is based in Calgary (on three large campuses and in several neighbourhoods across the city) with locations in Lethbridge, Strathmore, Fort McMurray, Cold Lake, Lac La Biche and Grand Prairie. Our 500 staff and 100 volunteers provide 40+ programs and services for 20,000 children and their families every year.

We are accredited through Accreditation Canada and have earned two Leading Practice Awards, and Exemplary Standing status four times.

Wood’s Homes is nationally recognized for our innovative and groundbreaking services. We are proud of our research in children’s mental health. In 2001, we established a Research Department and in 2016, we launched the Wood’s Homes Research Chair in Children’s Mental Health, in a partnership with the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Social Work. Learn more about the Chair – Dr. Angelique Jenney – by visiting this page.

Our Vision

Children, young people, and families growing through trusted mental health services.

Our Mission

Wood’s Homes builds good mental health and well-being so everyone can thrive in their community.

Our Values

Wood’s Homes values human beings and the place they occupy in the world at any given moment. In doing so, the organization upholds the following principles and is guided by them in all of its moment-by-moment interactions:

  • We value recognizing and responding to everyone with dignity, integrity and respect.
  • We value being responsive, leaning into the difficult, and learning something new.
  • We believe exceptional treatment and safety go hand in hand.
  • We value reducing the stigma, and promoting the importance of good mental health.
  • We value the actions of Truth and Reconciliation in order to make changes that connect children, youth, families and communities.
  • We value the strength of diversity and inclusivity.
  • We acknowledge and value the importance of community and nurturing connection to culture.
  • We value never giving up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who started Wood’s Homes?

In 1914, Reverend George Wood said “yes” to a soldier who asked him to care for his two young children so he could serve overseas. He pledged to look after Willie and Mary while their father went to war.

Where do you operate your programs?

We work on 3 large campuses in Calgary – in Bowness, Parkdale, and Inglewood. We also work in several communities across Calgary and provide services in Lethbridge, Strathmore and Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Cold Lake, and Lac La Biche.

There appears to be many agencies doing similar work – is this duplication of services perhaps inefficient?

It is true there is similar work being carried out, but each agency specializes in meeting different needs of the community. These specialized services fill vital gaps in the social support system. The diversity and immediate response ensure that very difficult and often complicated social needs are addressed with minimal bureaucratic delay.

Does Wood’s Homes have partnerships with other agencies and institutions?

Partnerships are vital to the success of our programs. We have informal and formal partnerships with many groups including the Calgary Board of Education, Calgary Homeless Foundation, Alberta Health Services, United Way, University of Calgary, and many others. For a list of our formal partnerships, click here.

 

Wood’s Homes is also engaged in multiple levels of advocacy. This includes ongoing liaison with various levels of government, community groups and organizations including ALIGN, the Child Welfare League of Canada, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, and others.

Is Wood’s Homes accredited?

Yes, we are accredited by Accreditation Canada. An external review takes place in 3- or 4-year cycles and is a time to focus on quality improvement. The process helps organizations such as ours improve quality and safety by shining a light on processes that work well, and those that need more attention. The result is safe, high quality, client-centred care. We are proud to have received Exemplary Standing in June 2023, for the fourth time in a row!

Is Wood’s Homes non-denominational? I’d heard you were once called Wood’s Christian Home.

Yes, that was the name of our organization at one time, but we have been non-denominational for the past few decades. We officially removed the word Christian from our name in 2007.

Our Clients:

Who are the principal users of Wood’s Homes programs?

Children, young people and families from Calgary. But we do work with clients across the province and even some from different provinces across Canada.

How many children live with you at any given time and what types of programs do you provide?

Approximately 150 young people live with us on any given day; 32 typically on each of our Calgary campuses. We provide 40+ programs and services which fall under these pillars:

 

– In-Home & Counselling Services

– Therapeutic Campus Care

– Foster Care, Therapeutic Foster Care, Parented Group Home

– Community Group Care and Specialized Group Care

– Housing & Hub Services

– Learning Centres

What age group does Wood’s Homes work with?

Most of the young people who live with us are 12-18 years old. We have a program called U12 for children under 12 and our Inglewood Opportunity Hub serves young people to age 29.

Do some of the young people come with a criminal history?

Some clients do. Most of our clients are simply experiencing tough times – they have come to us with backgrounds of abuse, neglect, and trauma. The young people who live with us are not in secure treatment.

What is the size of your organization, and how many people do you help every year?

We are one of the largest (and oldest) child and family-serving agencies in Western Canada, with 600 staff and hundreds of volunteers. Our average annual operating budget is $40M. Each year, we work with more than 20,000 children, young people and families and respond to more than 15,000 crisis calls.

Does the Alberta government cover costs of young people coming from out-of-province?

No. Young people from outside the province are here under independent contract. Their respective governments pay for their treatment and their education costs as well.

What is the cost of treatment for young people living at Wood’s Homes?

The cost varies depending on the program or service, but it is approximately $600 per day. This amount covers all the expenses for the client, everything from food, shelter, clothing, and education to specialized mental health treatment services. These costs are approximately 1/3 the cost of hospital-based treatment programs.

Governance/Finance:

How is Wood’s Homes governed?

Wood’s Homes is an independent, non-profit, community-owned, and governed agency. Wood’s Homes has three Boards of Directors:

 

1. Wood’s Homes (OpCo)

2. Wood’s Homes Society (PropertyCo)

3. Wood’s Homes Foundation

 

The Wood’s Homes Society is the parent company to Wood’s Homes and the Wood’s Homes Foundation and is responsible for the property and financial assets of the organization.

The Boards of Directors are supported by multiple committees that include community advisory members with significant professional credentials and experience in the sector.

 

Our Chief Executive Officer Bjorn Johansson started in May 2020. He has been with the organization for more than three decades.

 

What are your primary sources of income?

We are an independent, non-profit organization. Our operating funds are drawn principally from contracts and grants with provincial governments, including the ministries of Alberta Children’s Services; Alberta Health Services; Persons with Developmental Disabilities; School Boards; and the Ministry of Health. Some programs use a fee-for-service model with a variety of funding sources. Any discretionary funding for new or innovative programs is raised within the community, via the Wood’s Homes Foundation. Capital funding is almost entirely raised from private and community sources.