Corporate body
Dates of founding and/or dissolution: The Department of Health was re-established in 1988 by means of Order in Council 502/88 pursuant to the Public Service Administrative Transfers Act. The re-establishment of the Department was formalized by means of the passage and proclamation of the Department of Health Act, 1989 c. D-21.5. The Department was dissolved for the second time in 1999 by means of Order in Council 241/99 pursuant to the Government Organization Act section 2. Functional responsibility: The Department was also responsible for the province's vital statistics program. Activities under this program included maintaining registers of births, deaths and marriages submitted by district registrars and clergymen, issuing burial permits, maintaining population statistics submitted by municipalities, and maintaining records on those authorized to perform marriages. Over time, additional responsibilities were added, including monitoring air and water pollution, providing sanitary health inspection services in unorganized areas, nutrition services, emergency air ambulance services, supervision of medical insurance programs, emergency medical service and disaster planning, rehabilitation services to the physically handicapped, alcoholism treatment and prevention. As the percentage of the population served by municipal health boards and health units, the Department's role in the direct provision of many medical services declined and the Department's role evolved into one where it provided consultative services to municipal boards and health units. These services were in the areas of monitoring of communicable diseases, oversight of health units, public health nursing, health education, nutrition services, entomology, dental health, and child and maternal health services. In 1922, the Department was made responsible for direct administration of the Mental Hospital at Ponoka, the Home for the Mentally Deficient at Edmonton, and the Hospital for Returned Soldiers in Red Deer. In 1923, the Department opened its facility at Oliver, which was established for the care of permanently institutionalized psychiatric patients. Psychiatric patients from the facility in Red Deer were transferred to Ponoka. Mentally handicapped patients from the south Edmonton facility were transferred to Red Deer; this facility was renamed the Provincial Training School for Mental Deficiency, later Michener Centre. In 1957, the Deerhome Institution, a home for mentally handicapped adults, was opened in Red Deer. In 1925, the Department took over the Central Alberta Sanatorium in Robertson from the federal Department of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment. This hospital became the first free standing tuberculosis treatment facility in the province. The Department was also responsible for providing support and coordination of tuberculosis treatment programs in approved hospitals. Other dedicated tuberculosis treatment facilities in Calgary and at the University of Alberta were opened in subsequent decades. In 1926, the Minister of Health was given responsibility for the provision of relief for residents and transients in Improvement Districts. Relief in organized areas was the responsibility of individual municipalities. In 1926, the Department had on staff a Coroner responsible for investigating deaths in hospitals. In 1930, the title of this position was changed to Medical Inspector. In 1931, the Psychopathic Ward at University Hospital, Edmonton opened. The Department was responsible for the admission, care and control of patients, and the ward operated under the supervision of the Director of the Mental Health Division of the Department. This facility was closed in 1933. Also in 1933, the Department took over the site of the former Claresholm School of Agriculture and converted it into a residential psychiatric facility for women, renaming it the Provincial Auxiliary Hospital. In 1939, a similar facility was opened in Raymond. In 1948, Rosehaven Centre was opened in Camrose. Rosehaven was a residential facility for elderly patients transferred from one of the province's psychiatric facilities. In 1960, a facility for "emotionally disturbed children," Linden House, was opened in Red Deer. With the decline in tuberculosis cases in the 1950's and 60's, one ward of Baker Memorial Sanatorium was converted to a facility for mentally handicapped children. Beginning in 1931, under the authority of the Public Health Act, areas outside cities began to organize into Health Units, through which a wide range of departmental programs and services could be delivered. After the passage of the Health Unit Act in 1953, the organization of Health Units was made easier and the number of health units dramatically increased in the next decade. This made a wider range of services available to communities that were too small to support more specialized services on their own. Beginning in the early 1930's, the Provincial psychiatric facility in Ponoka began a training program for psychiatric nurses and attendants; the first class graduated in 1933. Also at this time, the Mental Health Division began a series of periodic Mental Hygiene Clinics in Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. Throughout the 1930's this program was expanded into a number of smaller communities. In 1939, these clinics were renamed Guidance Clinics. In 1936, responsibility for child welfare and the Mothers' Allowance Act were transferred to the Minister of Health from the Attorney General. The Department became responsible for neglected children, juvenile delinquents, and distribution of the Mothers' Allowance. In 1937, administration of provincial public relief functions were transferred to the Minister of Health. In 1944, these functions were all transferred to the new Department of Public Welfare. In 1947, the Department broadened its view of health care to include nutrition education programs, conducting research and providing information on nutrition to the general public, health care practitioners, and facilities. In 1950, the Department's Sanitary Engineering Division began to provide engineering support services to municipalities planning and/or building municipal wastewater, sewage or water treatment facilities. The Division's inspectors also performed plumbing inspections for installations outside communities with municipal inspectors. In 1953, the Department began to provide direct support to the Canadian Red Cross' operations in Calgary in Edmonton, which had been established in 1947. The blood transfusion service was operated by the Red Cross, with support from the provincial government. Also in 1953, the Department opened rehabilitation and treatment clinics in Edmonton and Calgary for persons with cerebral palsy. In 1962, the Department initiated an Industrial Health program to investigate and regulate workplace health hazards. In 1965, the Department gained jurisdiction over the Alcoholism Foundation of Alberta, which provided alcoholism treatment and prevention programs. Previous to this, the Government of Alberta provided support covering the large majority of the Foundation's costs. At the time that the Department was re-established in 1988, its principal functions were largely the same they had previously been: public health services, mental health services, administration of programs supporting nursing homes and hospitals, oversight of health care insurance, development and coordination of home care programs, and vital statistics. Between 1971 and 1988, the principal role of the Department had changed from being one of directly providing services to one where the Department regulated, supported and supervised the provision of services and programs through community-based organizations and board-governed institutions. Direct administration of most programs had been shifted to the six regional offices.
The Department of Health was first founded in 1919 under the name Department of Public Health by means of the passage and proclamation of The Department of Public Health Act, 1919 c. 16. The name of the Department was changed to the Department of Health in 1967. The Department was first dissolved in 1971.
The Department of Health was responsible for the planning, administration and maintenance of all aspects of public, mental and environmental health in Alberta. At the time that the Department was first created, its activities included providing financial support to hospitals, overseeing creation of hospital districts, control and monitoring of infectious diseases, public education programs in support of disease prevention, approval of plans and specifications for the development of municipal and industrial waterworks, sewerage and sewage disposal projects, approval of plans and specifications for hospitals, inspection of sanitary services associated with institutions under the administration of the Department of Public Works, creation and supervision of the public health and district nursing program, and supervision of the Provincial Laboratory.
Beginning in 1992, the Department began to divest itself of direct management of psychiatric institutions. Effective December 1, 1992, Rosehaven Care Centre in Camrose was placed under the management of a community board. In 1994, responsibility for administration of the Vital Statistics Act was transferred to the Department of Municipal Affairs.
Also in 1994, the health care system in Alberta was re-designed. Regional health authorities were created under the Regional Health Authority Act to provide direct delivery of health care services. The Department's responsibilities were limited to overall health care policy, providing direction to the health care system and Regional Health Authorities, and setting standards for service providers. On March 31, 1995, the Regional Health Authorities officially replaced 148 health facility and health unit boards and assumed full responsibility for the delivery of health care programs and services. Mental health services, including administration of the provincial mental health hospitals in Edmonton and Ponoka, the community clinics and the extended care centres in Claresholm and Raymond, became the responsibility of the new Provincial Mental Health Board.
The Minister of Health was responsible for the administration of the following acts.
General:Department of Public Health Act
Department of Health Act
Government Organization Act, Schedule 7
Hospitals:Alberta Hospital Association Act
Alberta Hospitals Act
Auxiliary Hospitals Act
Calgary General Hospital Board Act
Coal Branch Hospital District Act
Health Facilities Review Committee Act
Health Unit Act
Hospital Services Commission Act
Hospitals Act
Hospitals Ordinance
Lloydminster Hospital Act
Municipal Hospitals Act
Nursing Homes Act
Private Hospitals Act
Provincial General Hospitals Act
Regional Health Authorities Act
University of Alberta Hospital Act
Health care:Alcohol and Drug Abuse Act (1988-1992, 1994-1999)
Cancer Programs Act
Cancer Remedy Act
Cancer Treatment and Prevention Act
Emergency Medical Aid Act
Family Life and Substance Abuse Foundation Act (1993)
Hospitalization and Treatment Services Act
Human Tissue Act
Human Tissue Gift Act
Insanity Act
Maternal Welfare Act
Maternity Hospitalization Act
Mental Defectives Act
Mental Diseases Act
Mental Health Act
Poliomyelitis Sufferers Act
Public Health Act
Sexual Sterilization Act
Treatment Services Act
Tuberculosis Act
Venereal Diseases Act
Venereal Diseases Prevention Act
Medical professions and associations:Alberta Pharmaceutical Association Act
Chartered Physiotherapists Act
Chiropody Act
Chiropractic Act
Dental Association Act
Dental Profession Act
Medical Profession Act
Naturopathy Act
Nursing Aides Act
Nursing Profession Act
Nursing Service Act
Ophthalmic Dispensers Act
Optometry Act
Optometry Profession Act
Physical Therapy Profession Act
Podiatry Act
Psychiatric Nurses Association Act
Psychiatric Nurses Training Act
Psychologists Association Act
Psychologists Act
Public Health Nurses Act
Radiological Technicians Act
Registered Dieticians Act
Registered Nurses Act
Veterinary Surgeons Act
Health insurance and benefits:Alberta Health Care Insurance Act
Alberta Health Plan Act
Alberta Medical Carriers Act
Medical Services (Alberta) Incorporated Act
Health Insurance Premiums Act
Hospitalization Benefits Act
Hospitalization of City Residents Act
Other:ABC Benefits Corporation Act
Alberta Evidence Act, section 9 (from 1999)
Ambulance Services Act
Blind Persons' Rights Act
Cemeteries Act
Child Welfare Act (1936 only)
Employment Offices Act, 1937
Family and Community Support Services Act (to 1996)
Health Foundations Act
Health Information Protection Act
M.S.I. Foundation Act
Marriage Act
Marriage Ordinance
Maternal Welfare Act
Metis Betterment Act
Mothers' Allowance Act (1936 only)
Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities Act (from 1996)
Public Contributions Act
Solemnization of Marriage Act
University Hospitals Foundation Act
Vital Statistics Act (1988-1994)
Wild Rose Foundation Act (from 1993)
Predecessor and successor bodies:
The predecessor agency to the Department of Health when it was first established in 1919 was the Public Health Branch of the Department of Municipal Affairs. The first Department of Health was dissolved in 1971 by the merger of the Department of Health with the Department of Social Development to form the Department of Health and Social Development (renamed Social Services and Community Health in 1975).
The predecessor agencies to the Department of Health when it was re-established in 1988 were the Department of Community and Occupational Health and the Department of Hospitals and Medical Care. The Department of Health was succeeded in 1999 by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
Administrative relationships:
The Department reported to the Legislative Assembly through the Minister of Health. A number of semi-independent agencies reported either to the Minister or through him to the Legislative Assembly. These agencies included the Alberta Government Employment Office (1937-1948), the Bureau of Public Welfare (1937-1944), the Eugenics Board (1928-1971), the Health Insurance Commission (1935-1953), the Advisory Council of Nursing (1966-1971), Provincial Cancer Hospitals Board (1967-1971), the Health Care Insurance Commission (1969-1971), the Alberta Cancer Board (1988-1999), the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (1988-1991), the Alberta Health Facilities Review Committee (1988-1999), the Public Health Advisory and Appeal Board (1988-1999), the Office of the Mental Health Patient Advocate (1988-1999), and the Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities (1996-1999).
Administrative structure:
At the time that the Department of Health was first created, it was made up of the Provincial Board of Health, the Provincial Laboratory (operated by the University of Alberta under an annual grant from the Department), the Public Health Nurses Branch, the Provincial Sanitary Engineer, the Municipal Hospitals Branch, and the Vital Statistics Branch. In 1921, the Venereal Diseases Branch was established.
The divisions and branches of the Department responsible for the Department's principal functions were as follows:
Providing direct grants to hospitals and overseeing creation of hospital districts and municipal hospitals: Municipal Hospitals Branch (1919-1923); Hospitals Branch (1923-1927); Hospitals Division (1927-1947); Hospital and Medical Services Division (1947-1957); Hospitals Division (1957-1971); Hospital Services Division (1988-1992); Hospital Services Branch (1992-1994)
Inspection of approved hospitals and inspection and licensing of private hospitals: Hospitals Branch (1924-1927); Hospital Inspection and Coroner's Supervision Division (1927-1932); Hospital Inspection Division (1932-1947); Hospital and Medical Services Division (1947-1957); Hospitals Division (1957-1971); Hospital Services Division (1988-1992); Hospital Services Branch (1992-1994)
Administration of the Health Unit program: Communicable Disease Division (1931-1953); Health Units Division (1953-1956); Local Health Services Division (1956-1971)
Provision of medical care to persons on social assistance, maternity hospitalization: Municipal Hospitals Branch (1919-1923); Hospitals Branch (1923-1927); Hospitals Division (1927-1947); Hospital and Medical Services Division (1947-1957); Medical Services Division (1957-1971)
Administration of municipal hospitalization program: Hospital and Medical Services Division (1950-1971)
Oversight of nursing aide and medical technician training programs: Hospitals Division (1945-1947); Hospital and Medical Services Division (1947-1957); Medical Services Division (1957-1971)
Supervision of hospitalization and medical insurance programs: Hospitals Division (1957-1963), Medical Services Division (1963-1967); Alberta Health Plan Division (1967-1971); Health Care Insurance Division (1988-1994)
Monitoring communicable diseases and control of disease in unorganized territories: Provincial Medical Officer of Health (1919-1924); Infectious Diseases Branch (1924-1926); Communicable Diseases Division (1926-1953); Local Health Services Division (1956-1971); Communicable Disease Control and Epidemiology Branch (1988-1994)
Control and treatment of sexually-transmitted diseases: Venereal Diseases Division (1921-1925); Social Hygiene Division (1925-1971); Communicable Disease Control and Epidemiology Branch (1988-1994)
Public education programs: individual branches conducted public education programs regarding their particular area of responsibility, also: Public Health Education Division (1928-); Local Health Services Division (1956-1971); Local Health Services Branch (1988-1990); Health Promotion Branch (1990-1994)
Public health inspection in unorganized areas: food safety inspection, investigation of complaints regarding public sanitation, sanitation inspection of logging camps and tourist facilities, and plumbing inspection: Provincial Sanitary Engineer's office (1919-1926); Sanitary Engineering and Sanitation Division (1926-1967); Environmental Health Division (1967-1971)
Establishing regulations for food safety, waste management, water quality, and environmental contaminants and providing consultative services to health agencies: Provincial Sanitary Engineer's office (1919-1926); Sanitary Engineering and Sanitation Division (1926-1967); Environmental Health Division (1967-1971); Environmental Health Services Branch (1988-1994)
Approval of plans and specifications for development of waterworks, sewerage and sewage disposal projects by municipalities, and approval of plans and specifications for the building or extension of hospitals: Provincial Board of Health, with technical support from the Provincial Sanitary Engineer's office (1919-1926), Sanitary Engineering and Sanitation Division (1926-1967), or Environmental Health Division (1967-1971)
Monitoring of stream and river pollution from waste disposal and monitoring air pollution: Provincial Sanitary Engineer's office (1919-1926); Sanitary Engineering and Sanitation Division (1926-1967); Environmental Health Division (1967-1971)
Creation and supervision of the public health and district nursing programs: Public Health Nursing Division (1919-1953); Municipal Nursing Division (1953-1956); Local Health Services Division (1956-1971); Local Health Services Branch (1988-1990); Family Health Services Branch (1990-1994)
Certification of hospital-based schools of nursing and oversight of nursing aide and medical technician training programs: Hospital and Medical Services Division (1947-57); Medical Services Division (1957-1971)
Laboratory services: Provincial Laboratories (1919-1971)
Distribution of vaccines and sera: Communicable Diseases Division (1926-1953); Local Health Services Division (1956-1971)
Administration of institutions under the direct control of the Department: Institutions Branch (1926-1930); Mental Health Division (1930-1971, 1988-1990); Institutional Mental Health Services Branch (1990-1992); Service Development and Delivery Branch (1992-1994)
Provision of mental health programs: Mental Health Division (1930-1971, 1988-1994)
- Provision of relief temporary and short term in Improvement Districts: Hospitals Branch (1926-1927); Hospitals, Charity and Relief Branch (1927-1932); Child Welfare and Mothers' Allowance Branch (1937-1944)
Administration of tuberculosis treatment and prevention programs: Provincial Medical Officer of Health (1919-1924); Infectious Diseases Branch (1924-1926); Communicable Diseases Division (1926-1936); Tuberculosis Control Division (1936-1971); Communicable Disease Control and Epidemiology Branch (1988-1994)
Child welfare and pre-natal programs: Public Health Nursing Division (1919-1956); Child Welfare and Mothers' Allowance Branch (1937-1944); Local Health Services Division (1956-1971); Local Health Services Branch (1988-1990); Family Health Services Branch (1990-1994)
Administration of anti-cancer programs: Cancer Services Division (1942-1972)
Administration of programs to control insect-borne diseases: Entomology Division (1944-1956); Local Health Services Division (1956-1972)
Administration of nutrition research and information services: Nutrition Division (1947-1956); Local Health Services Division (1956-1971); Local Health Services Branch (1988-1990); Family Health Services Branch (1990-1994)
Administration of blood services programs: Blood Transfusion Service (1953-1971); Ambulance Services Branch (1988-1992); Emergency Health Services Branch (1992-1994)
Operation of clinics for the treatment of cerebral palsy: Cerebral Palsy Clinics Division (1952-1971)
Administration of arthritis treatment programs: Hospital and Medical Services Division (1947-53); Arthritis Services Division (1953-1971)
Dental public health programs and liaison with the dental profession: Local Health Services (1959-1971); Dental Health Services Branch (1988-1990); Family Health Services Branch (1990-1994)
Liaison with nursing professional associations and recruitment of nurses: Hospital and Medical Services Division (1947-1957); Medical Services Division (1957-1971); Provincial Nursing Consultant (1990-1993); Health Workforce Planning Branch (1993-1994)
Rehabilitation services to the physically handicapped: Medical Services Division (1963-1971)
Alcoholism treatment and prevention: Alcoholism Services Division (1965-1971)
Epidemiological research and collection and analysis of statistics in support of other units of the Department: Epidemiology Division (1967-1971); Communicable Disease Control and Epidemiology Branch (1988-1994)
Administration of speech-language pathology and audiology programs: Local Health Services Branch (1988-1990); Family Health Services Branch (1990-1994)
Supervision of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and coordination of the long-term care system: Long-Term Care Institutions Branch (1988-1992); Long-Term Care Branch (1992-1994)
Support and direction to community-based agencies providing home care programs: Home Care and Community Long-Term Care Branch (1988-1994)
Liaison with medical professions and recruitment of doctors: Hospital and Medical Services Division (1947-1957); Medical Services Division (1957-1971); Provincial Medical Consultant (1988-1993); Health Workforce Planning Branch (1993-1994)
Vital statistics: Vital Statistics Branch (1919-1971, 1988-1994)
- Policy and program planning: Policy and Planning Division (1988-1993); Health Strategy and Evaluation Division (1993-1994)
Systems development and support: Information Technology Division (1988-1993) Information Technology Branch (1993-1994)
In 1994, the Department of Health was significantly reorganized to take into account the creation of Regional Health Authorities, integration of programs, and divestment of direct service delivery from the Department. The Mental Health, Public Health, and Acute and Long Term Care Divisions were replaced by the Area Services and Population Health & Program Development Divisions. The Health Strategies and Evaluation Division was broken up and its functions divided among the other Divisions.
After the 1994 reorganization the divisions responsible for the Department's functions were as follows:1. Providing direction and support to the regional service-delivery system, including the Regional Health Authorities, the Provincial Mental Health Board, and the Alberta Cancer Board: Area Services Division (1994-1996)
Creating policy guidelines for programs and services delivered by Regional Health Authorities: Population Health Division (1994-1996); Health Policy Division (1996-1997); Health Strategies Division (1997-1999)
Inspection and licensing of ambulance operators: Area Services Division (1994-1996); Programs Division (1996-1997); Finance and Health Plan Administration Division (1997-1999)
Evaluation of the health care system and its components: Population Health Division (1994-1996); Health Information and Accountability Division (1996-1999)
Policy development for the health care system as a whole: Population Health Division (1994-1996); Health Strategies and Research Division (1996-1997); Health Strategies Division (1997-1999)
Administration of health care insurance programs: Practitioner Services Division (1994-95); Population Health Division (1995-1996); Finance and Health Plan Administration Division (1996-1999)
Management of health care personnel resources, including physician resources: Practitioner Services Division (1994-1995); Workforce Planning Branch (1995-1996); Health Workforce Services Division (1996-1999)
Departmental support, including human resources, information technology, finance, legislative services, program evaluation, and departmental implementation of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act: Corporate Services Division (1994-1999)
Administration of health related intergovernmental relations and agreements: Intergovernmental Issues Secretariat (1994-1996); Health Policy Division (1996-1999)
Names of the corporate bodies:
Department of Public Health 1919-1967
Department of Health 1967-1971, 1988-1999
Names of chief officers:
Ministers of Health:
Alexander G. MacKay (1919-1920)
Charles R. Mitchell (Acting) (1920-1921)
Richard G. Reid (1921-1923)
George Hoadley (1923-1935)
Wallace W. Cross (1935-1957)
Joseph D. Ross (1957-1969)
James D. Henderson (1969-1971)
Nancy J. Betkowski (1988-1992)
Shirley A.M. McClellan (1992-1996)
Halvar C. Jonson (1996-1999)
