Imagine you’re in a vulnerable state, and your world has just turned upside down.
You need help from one of Calgary’s services, but instead of getting help right away, you’re forced to tell your personal story over and over again to different service workers, retraumatizing you each time.
This is the reality for too many individuals, and it doesn’t have to be this way. With the Calgary CIE, we are changing that.
The CIE is all about better sharing and better caring. Your sensitive information will move between services with you to ensure more reliable support.
In other words, by ensuring that services communicate and share information, you won’t have to tell your story repeatedly to receive help.
What is the CIE?
The Calgary Community Information Exchange (CIE) helps people in Calgary get the right support, faster, and with dignity. When someone reaches out for help — whether it’s housing, healthcare, or basic needs — the CIE ensures they don’t have to start over each time. With their consent, service providers securely share information across sectors, making care more connected, efficient, and equitable. The CIE makes it easier for services to work together by using shared tools, a common resource database and secure technology
The CIE is currently in testing and is anticipated to launch in Calgary in the fall of 2025.
Distress Centre Calgary is the lead agency for the CIE. But we do not work alone. Partners from the various sectors — including social services, healthcare, and government — as well as investment partners, power the CIE.
Why it Matters
Right now, social services in Calgary often work in silos. People may reach out to several different organizations that don’t always communicate with each other. This can lead to missed referrals, repeated assessments, and delays in getting help.
The CIE helps solve these issues by:
- Improving coordination between service providers
- Making sure referrals are followed through
- Reducing the need for people to repeat their stories
- Creating a fairer, more efficient system of care
The goal is to ensure no one falls through the cracks.
How it Works
The process is simple — and powerful.
- Consent: A person agrees to have their information shared through the CIE.
- Connection: Their details are securely added to a shared digital platform, CareSuite.
- Collaboration: Agencies across sectors—from housing to mental health—can view, update, and coordinate care in real time.
- Care: Instead of being bounced between systems, the person gets a unified, responsive, and dignified experience.
Are you interested in getting involved with the CIE? Email cie@distresscentre.com to learn more.
