The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health starts preparing legislation on alternative treatments for the next government term. Annika Saarikko, Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services, has commissioned to start the legislative preparations because reasonable grounds have been expressed for a long time already that more detailed legislation on alternative treatments should be laid down.

The report on pay openness, compiled by Ombudsman for Equality Jukka Maarianvaara, was submitted to Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Annika Saarikko on 16 October.

The purpose is to consolidate the Act on Services and Assistance for the Disabled and the Act on Special Care for the Mentally Handicapped into one act on special social services for persons with disabilities. The new act would ensure sufficient and appropriate services to all persons with disabilities equally and strengthen their participation and right to self-determination. The act would implement the principles of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Government submitted its proposal on the matter to Parliament on 27 September 2018.

In connection with the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, a high-level meeting is held to undertake a comprehensive review of the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. More than 30 heads of state from around the world are attending the meeting. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Pirkko Mattila is representing Finland at the meeting. The General Assembly will adopt a political declaration on reducing the disease burden of non-communicable diseases.

In its budget proposal for 2019, the Government proposes an appropriation of EUR 15 billion for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health's administrative sector.