FCSS Stories Highlight Local Impact at Summer MLC

At ABmunis’ Summer Municipal Leaders’ Caucus (MLC), municipal leaders are hearing directly from Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) partners about the impact of prevention-focused services in their communities. 

In Vegreville, a regional FCSS panel featuring representatives from Tofield-Beaver County West, Vegreville and District, Mannville-Minburn-Innisfree, Lamont County Region, and Viking/Beaver highlighted how collaboration across programs strengthens outcomes—particularly in rural and remote communities. Panelists emphasized that FCSS’s strength lies in its locally driven model, allowing communities to adapt to evolving needs over its 60-year history. 

Participants also explored how municipal leaders can better support FCSS programs and respond to growing demand for services. 

In Coaldale, attendees heard from Zakk Morrison, Executive Director of Barons-Eureka-Warner FCSS, which serves 16 municipalities. Through four real-life stories, Morrison illustrated how FCSS intervenes early to prevent crises—from supporting a newborn with developmental delays, to connecting individuals experiencing grief or family disruption with counselling and wraparound supports. 

While the sessions differed in format, the message was consistent: FCSS is a backbone of Alberta communities—supporting residents early, locally, and effectively. 

While the requested increase to FCSS funding was not achieved in the most recent provincial budget, ABmunis and municipal leaders are continuing to advocate for change. Communities across Alberta are experiencing growing and more complex social needs, and FCSS programs are facing increasing pressure to do more with limited resources. Sustained advocacy is essential to ensure FCSS can continue to provide early, preventative supports that reduce future demand on more costly systems. 

Attendees were encouraged to share these stories with councils, MLAs, MPs, and community members. To support this work, ABmunis has updated its FCSS Advocacy Toolkit, including new guidance on how to tell compelling local impact stories.