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Department for Communities and Functional Capacity The Department for Communities and Functional Capacity is responsible for matters related to health and social services for children, young people and families, services for people with disabiliti...

Communications Unit of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health The Communications Unit is in charge of the internal and external information and communications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the related work with stakeholders. ...

Department for Communities and Functional Capacity - personnel Hidden

For the media Media contacts Vivikka Richt, Director of Communications Unit, tel. +358 295 163 396 Annette Rinne, Head of Communications, tel. +358 295 163 316 Communications Unit personnel and contact informatio n Please direct all media inquirie...

Contact information Communications Unit / VIE Communications Unit / VIE Iina Bister, Communications Specialist Communications Unit / VIE Address Meritullinkatu 8, 00170 Helsinki Phone number +358295163015 Email [email protected] Mariina Cervera Li...

Promoting inclusion strengthens social cohesion Inclusion means belonging to and being connected with communities and society. It is reflected, for example, in trust, equality and people’s opportunity to have a say in their own community and socie...

9.4.2026 | The Government is proposing changes aimed at preventing intentional misuse of social security, reducing incorrect social security payments and improving information exchange with Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland.

Management and organisation Two ministers and one permanent secretary run the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. A State Secretary may assist the ministers in their tasks. There are six departments in the ministry, in charge of the preparation...

Mental Health at Work Programme Mental wellbeing is a success factor in working life and a driver of employment. The Mental Health at Work Programme emphasises the importance of adopting preventive measures and promoting mental health in working l...

The Ministry as a workplace In the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, your work has a significant impact on society and it affects the lives of everyone living in Finland. You will participate in building a socially sustainable Finland, where ...

The Ministry's social media sites are maintained by the Communications Unit. When necessary, we moderate discussions and delete any illegal or inappropriate comments. We do not comment on individual cases on social media or provide advice for different life situations.

The national health and wellbeing programme seeks to reduce the wellbeing deficit and disease burden caused by the principal chronic diseases and conditions and their risk factors, to boost working and functional capacity, and to minimise disparities between population groups due to issues of health and wellbeing.

The Child Strategy is Finland’s national long-term plan for strengthening the wellbeing and rights of children, young people and families with children.

About the site The web service of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is published in Finnish, Swedish and English. The pages in Finnish and Swedish contain more information than the English pages. Functions The following functions are found...

Mental Health at Work Programme The Mental Health at Work Programme (2021–2022) was led and coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and it was part of the implementation of the National Mental Health Strategy and the Programme of...

School health care is part of school welfare services, which also include the services of school social workers and psychologists.

Contact information The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Telephone: +358 295 16001 (Government switchboard) Postal address: PO Box 33, FI-00023 Government, Finland Visiting address: Meritullinkatu 8, 00170 Helsinki Telefax: +358 2951 63415 (r...

Government branch The administrative branch of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health includes several independent institutions and agencies, which implement the ministry’s objectives in society and participate in Government Programme projects....

Accessibility statement for the stm.fi website The website of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health at stm.fi is subject to the provisions of the Act on the Provision of Digital Services (available in Finnish). Under the Act, public online ser...

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health provides overall guidance and prepares legislation on student health care in secondary and higher education.

Roma policy in Finland The overall objective of Finland’s National Roma Policy is to promote the inclusion, participation and equality of the Roma in different spheres of life. The policy programme is a comprehensive action plan, prepared in coope...

The mission of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is to safeguard people’s functional capacity, livelihoods and services so that we can live in a stable, equitable and sustainable society.

Publications Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is a publication series that supports the Ministry's management, communications on the Ministry's content matters as well as the strategic management of the Ministry's administ...

29.5.2017 | Finland has made much progress in gender equality work. Our long history in promoting women's rights goes back to 1906 when Finland became the first country in the world to grant women full political rights.

Responsibilities of ministers in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health In Petteri Orpo’s Government, two ministers are responsible for matters falling within the mandate of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Minister of Social Security...

fi sv en National Mental Health Strategy 2020-2030 The National Mental Health Strategy and Suicide Prevention Agenda 2020–2030 are based on long-term preparations and broad-based collaboration. The starting point is the comprehensive approach of m...

Substance abuse and addiction prevention Shortly The goal of substance abuse and addiction prevention is to reduce harm and promote health, wellbeing and safety. The wellbeing services counties organise substance abuse prevention and provide healt...

3.12.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced in Åland.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman The Finns Party Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman is responsible for all other matters covered by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, ...

The principle of organising prenatal screening tests to find out whether the pregnancy is developing normally is that all pregnant women are offered voluntary, free-of-charge, uniform and high-quality screening tests and, when necessary, further tests on an equal basis.

Information on cookies on the website Cookies are small text files that are saved in your browser when you visit a website. The purpose of cookies is to maintain certain user preferences (e.g. language) for a certain period of time. In this way, y...

Korona-tiedonhallintaratkaisujen ohjausryhmä STM053:00/2020 Development Basic information Completed Project number STM053:00/2020 Case numbers VN/10058/2020 Set by Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Term/schedule 14.5.2020 – 31.5.2022 Date of a...

Preparation of EU matters Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) The EPSCO Council, which brings together ministers from all EU Member States, decides on EU cooperation in employment, social policy, health, consumer...

Register and information system descriptions When the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health processes personal data in the Government’s shared information systems , the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Prime Minister’s Office are join...

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s principles of a safer space The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health adheres to the principles of a safer space. The safer space principles refer to common practices and approaches that aim to make a space ...

Limited interaction with the tobacco industry According to Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), which Finland ratified in 2005, the Contracting Parties must, in setting and implementing their public health pol...

Children, youth and families The MSAH is responsible for family policy as well as maintaining and developing the welfare of children, youth and families jointly with other ministries. The MSAH's scope of responsibility is particularly concerned wi...

Development of working life Thriving staff and work communities, together with safe work environments, form the basis for a sustainable working life and productivity. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is developing working life in accordan...

Actions to reduce the use of tobacco and nicotine products The key actions to reduce the use of tobacco and related products are: as high product prices as possible (price and tax policies) smoke-free environments banning tobacco product marketing...

User's rights and requests for personal data When you want to know what data we store about you and who processes your data, you can check the data we have collected about you and update it, if necessary. You can submit a request to check your per...

Frequently asked questions Why the family leave reform is needed? Currently, parents take family leave unevenly. This is especially detrimental to the position of women in the job market and their income, which has both short- and long-term effect...

Child welfare Shortly The objective of child welfare is to guarantee children’s right to a safe growth environment, development and special protection. The aim is to provide support at the earliest possible stage at schools and maternity and child...

Maternity and child health clinics Maternity and child health services are offered for all pregnant parents, families that are expecting a baby and children before school age and their parents. The functions of the maternity and child health clini...

Services for older people Shortly Wellbeing services counties organise health and social services for older people. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities have published a quality recomme...

Services and benefits for old people Shortly Social security for older people consists of healthcare and social welfare services and income security. The responsibility for organising these services lies with wellbeing services counties, which ass...

The WHO Pandemic Agreement aims to strengthen international preparedness for pandemics and other public health emergencies.

5.1.2022 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced in Åland.

Legislation on services and benefits for older people This page lists the key pieces of legislation on services and benefits for older people. Below you will find them by topic and also links to more detailed guidance. Health and social services I...

9.4.2026 | 1 ADI-ROM(2025)26 Restricted Strasbourg, 9 March 2026 COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON ROMA AND TRAVELLER1 ISSUES (ADI-ROM) 13th meeting Strasbourg, 1-2 April 2026 Explanatory Memorandum Recommendation to the member States on desegregation and inclusion po...

Occupational safety and health (OSH) The MSAH prepares and develops legislation and policies on OSH and deals with international cooperation in this field. The ministry also guides the occupational safety and health work of the The Finnish Supervi...

Radiation protection In Finland, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has supreme authority in supervising compliance with the Radiation Act, and it directs the protection of the public, workers and patients from harmful radiation. The Minist...

Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriössä valmisteltiin hallituksen esitysluonnosta sosiaali- ja terveystietojen toissijaisesta käytöstä annetun lain tietoturvallisia käyttöympäristöjä koskevien vaatimusten muuttamisesta. Muutoksen tarkoituksena on mahdollistaa suomalaisten rekisteritietojen käyttö kansainvälisessä tutkimusyhteistyössä tietoturvallisesti.

The Advisory Board for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the national coordinating mechanism for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Its function is to promote national implementation of the Convention and to take into account the rights of persons with disabilities in all aspects of government. The Board operates under Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. It consi...

Frequently asked questions concerning child welfare in Finland In Finland, child welfare services are based on the Child Welfare Act (417/2007) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Finnish Treaty Series 59–60/1991). The Child Welfare ...

Occupational safety and wellbeing at work Shortly The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for legislation, policies and international cooperation related to occupational safety and wellbeing at work in Finland. The aim is to ensur...

30.12.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The restrictions on food and beverage service businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced across the region of South Savo and in the region of North Karelia.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health steers and develops chemicals legislation, which also covers colourants and auxiliary ingredients used in tattoos and permanent pigmentations.

Gender mainstreaming Gender mainstreaming is a strategy for promoting gender equality, and it means that the gender perspective is taken into account in all decision-making. The Gender Equality Unit of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health coo...

Violence against children and its prevention The authorities work to prevent violence against children in many ways and in broad cooperation with various parties. The key national plans coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health incl...

16.12.2021 | The Government has amended the decree that restricts the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The restrictions on food and beverage services businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced in the whole of Lapland and the Hospital District of South Savo.

Data Protection Contact information Data Protection Officer Data Protection Officer Lassi Kauttonen The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Department for Communities and Functional Capacity tietosuojavastaava.stm(at)gov.fi Controller The Minis...

Occupational accidents and occupational diseases The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for developing and preparing the legislation concerning insurance against occupational accidents and diseases. The workers’ compensation insu...

International examples to help Finland create governance model for wellbeing economy 4.12.2025 8.46 The economy of wellbeing offers tools for policy makers to secure the preconditions for a good life both for the current population and future gene...

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen The National Coalition Party Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen is responsible for matters covered by the Department for Insurance and Social Secu...

Social services The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for Finland’s social policy and prepares legislation on social welfare. Social welfare covers promoting social security and wellbeing and taking care of social welfare duties...

Work ability programme The aim of the work ability programme was to eliminate obstacles to the employment of people with partial work ability and develop services to support the work ability of people with partial work ability The work ability pro...

Secondary use of health and social data A separate law has be laid down on the secondary use of health and social data (Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data). The purpose of the Act is to facilitate the effective and safe processing ...

Sosiaali- ja terveystietojen toissijaisesta käytöstä annettua lakia (toisiolaki, 552/2019) korjataan hallitusohjelman mukaisesti.

18.2.2026 | 1 Joint conference statement Roma and Sinti Women in the Public Sphere: Turning Voices into Change 3 December 2025 I. Core values of equality and human rights We, the participants of the multi-country conference “Roma and Sinti Women in the Public...

Lastensuojelulainsäädäntö uudistetaan pääministeri Petteri Orpon hallituksen ohjelman mukaisesti.

Legislation on termination on pregnancy

Pääministeri Petteri Orpon hallitusohjelman mukaisesti ehkäistään sosiaaliturvan väärinkäytöksiä ja edistetään Kelan ja muiden viranomaisten välistä tiedonvaihtoa sekä Kelan tiedonsaantioikeuksia.

7.9.2023 | Ukrainan presidentin puolison Olena Zelenskan kutsusta Kiovassa järjestettiin presidenttien puolisoiden kolmas huippukokous 6.9.2023. Huippukokoukseen kokoontui myös EU-maiden ja WHO:n Euroopan alueen maiden terveysministereitä, jotka allekirjoittivat tilaisuudessa julkilausuman.

Toteutetaan EU:n eurooppalaista terveystietoaluetta koskevan asetuksen (EHDS) täytäntöönpanon kannalta tarvittavat muutokset sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon asiakastietojen käsittelystä annettuun lakiin (703/2023, asiakastietolaki) sekä siihen liittyviin muihin lakeihin. Samalla tehdään kyseisiin lakeihin eräitä muita välttämättömiä muutoksia.

Hankkeessa selkiytetään sote-alan tutkimustoimintaa koskevaa lainsäädäntöä kartoittamalla nykysääntelyyn liittyvät korjaus-, muutos- ja yhteensovittamistarpeet sekä toteuttamalla niiden edellyttämät toimenpiteet.

5.12.2025 | Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 2024 Under Article 8 of the Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 ASSESSMENT ECDC ASSESSMENT Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 20...

5.12.2025 | 1 Classified as ECDC NORMAL Appendix 10 - Country follow-up to ECDC PHEPA recommendations Following the PHEPA mission conducted in your country, the final ECDC assessment report includes a series of recommendations aiming at supporting your countr...

3.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has published the Non-Violent Childhoods Action Plan for 2026–2033 aimed at preventing all forms of violence against children. The plan, which will be implemented at the government level, is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Lanzarote Convention and national statutes that require all forms of violence against children to be combated.

13.2.2026 | Together Against Cancer – Human-Centred Cancer Prevention and Care National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Finland National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Contents Summary 3 Strategic objectives 5 Current situation and operating environment 6 Cancer in Finl...

2.6.2023 | SUOMEN SÄÄDÖSKOKOELMAN SOPIMUS SARJA Julkaistu Helsingissä 31 päivänä toukokuuta 2016 (Suomen säädöskokoelman n:o 398/2016) Valtioneuvoston asetus 27/2016 vammaisten henkilöiden oikeuksista tehdyn yleissopimuksen ja sen valinnaisen pöytäkir- jan v...

17.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a draft government proposal that seeks to prevent intentional misuse of social welfare benefits, reduce incorrect social welfare payments and promote information exchange with the Social Insurance Institution (Kela). Statements may be submitted until 28 January 2026.

14.5.2024 | IY O CP LI BR EF SETUK SUOSIT NTÖÄ JA ÄYTK- LIT I IKKA PO T SEKÄ LMÄ I IV ISTE TUTKI USTM LANUPS LASTENSUOJELUN SOSIAALITYÖN JA NUORISOPSYKIATRIAN YHTEISTUTKIMINEN JA - KEHITTÄMINEN LÄNSI- JA ITÄ-SUOMESSA VUOSINA 2021-2022 2023 / / HANKKEEN VASTUU...

31.10.2025 | Healthcare and social welfare 2040 vision Views and proposals of Ministry of Social Affairs and Health officials regarding needs for changes to the healthcare and social welfare service system Permanent Secretary Veli-Mikko Niemi In “Healthcare an...

5.2.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has closed down its Russian-language website at stm.fi. Information on healthcare and social welfare will be available in Russian on the InfoFinland.fi website.

11.6.2025 | The Nordic ministers for health and social affairs and the Nordic and Baltic ministers for digitalisation have issued a joint declaration on artificial intelligence (AI) and the rights of persons with disabilities. 

27.6.2025 | The President of the Republic has approved the new amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) at the national level. The Finnish Parliament adopted the IHR amendments in its plenary session on 18 June 2025. The IHR are an international legal instrument to prevent, protect against, control and provide a public health response to the international spread of communicable diseases.

22.9.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has today published three memorandums assessing the combined impacts of the Government’s changes to social security during this parliamentary term. The memorandums focus particularly on the impacts of the comprehensive reform of social assistance.

15.5.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has launched extensive network collaboration to bring together Finnish expertise in digital health with a view to promoting exports in this sector.

21.5.2025 | The employment rate of registered nurses and practical nurses is high, with more than 90 per cent of graduates finding work in the social welfare and health care sector. Unemployed nurses cannot be relied on to respond to the future labour shortage in the sector. People who have sought employment in other sectors represent the most significant resource of unutilised workforce. Some relief can also be provided by pensioners for whom working is increasingly common.

9.4.2025 | Prime Minister Orpo’s Government has set an objective of adjusting public sector activities to ensure that the national economy is on a sustainable footing. At the moment, it looks like it will be difficult to achieve this objective over the next few years though. The decision-makers in the wellbeing services counties are in a key role here. Reaching fiscal balance in general government finances is essential.

27.2.2024 | Sovittua hoivaa: omaishoitosopimus omaishoitajan ja työntekijän yhteistyön käsikirjoituksena (SOHO) 1. Tarkoitus ja tavoitteet 1.1 Tutkimushankkeen merkitys suhteessa nykytietämykseen sekä tutkimukselliset lähtökohdat Tässä hankkeessa selvitämme, ...

10.12.2025 | Sosiaalityöntekijöiden paikka ja saavutettavuus hyvinvointialueiden aikuissosiaalityössä AISAPA-hankkeesta (Sosiaalityöntekijöiden paikka ja saavutettavuus hyvinvointialueiden aikuissosiaalityössä 2023–2024) • Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön rahoi...

23.9.2024 | As outlined in the Programme of Petteri Orpo’s Government, the Government will implement a central government productivity programme to support the Government’s objective for sustainable public finances.

24.6.2024 | Throughout the month of June, we are celebrating International Pride Month. The theme of Helsinki Pride this year is ‘Peace and Hope’. We all have the right to peace. We all have the right to hope. They have been selected as this year’s theme for a good reason.

Esityksessä ehdotetaan säädettäväksi uuden hallintotason, hyvinvointialueiden, perustamisen ja toiminnan kannalta keskeiset lait: laki hyvinvointialueesta, laki sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon järjestämisestä, laki pelastustoimen järjestämisestä, Uusimaa-laki, niiden yhteinen voimaanpanolaki, hyvinvointialueiden rahoituslaki sekä eräät muutoslait.

19.3.2026 | Lapsinäkökulmainen arviointi ja työskentely vanhempien vaativissa erotilanteissa –hanke (LATVE) Valtion rahoittaman sosiaalityön yliopistollisen tutkimuksen (VTR) seminaari, sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö 20.3.2026 Merja Laitinen, professori, Lapi...

27.2.2024 | Tutkimussuunnitelma Teemu Rantanen / 1 Vuoden 2023 yliopistotasoisen tutkimuksen hankehaku Tutkimussuunnitelma MONITOIMIJAINEN SOSIAALITYÖ VANKILASTA VAPAUTUVAN TUKENA DIGITALISOITUVASSA YHTEISKUNNASSA (VAPAA) 1 TARKOITUS JA TAVOITTEET 1.1 Tutkimu...

27.2.2024 | 1 LATVE - Lapsinäkökulmainen arviointi ja työskentely vaativissa erotilanteissa Tutkimussuunnitelma: Tutkimusryhmä & Prof. Merja Laitinen, Lapin yliopisto (Lay) 1. Tarkoitus ja tavoitteet 1.1 Tutkimushankkeen merkitys sekä tutkimukselliset lähtöko...

9.5.2022 | 1 Monikielisyys ja kielellinen haavoittuvuus sosiaalityön digitalisoituvilla kentillä (SOSKIELI) Konsortiohankkeen osapuolet: Åbo Akademi ja Helsingin yliopisto Vastuullinen tutkija (PI): VTT, dosentti Camilla Nordberg 1. Tutkimuksen tarkoitus ja ...

4.5.2025 | Koronaviruspandemia ja sosiaalityö – glokaalit haasteet ja ratkaisut Tutkimussuunnitelma 13.11.2020 PANDA-tutkimusryhmä Prof. Timo Harrikari Lapin yliopisto 2 1. TUTKIMUSHANKKEEN TARKOITUS JA TAVOITTEET ...............................................