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22.5.2026 | PÄIHDEHUOLLON JA LASTENSUOJELUN RAJAPINNALLA - saavatko päihteitä käyttävät nuoret tarvitsemaansa tukea? NUPPU-hanke STM:n VTR-seminaari 22.5.2026, Helsinki & webinaari Katja Kuusisto, sosiaalityön professori, Tampereen yliopisto TreAdd tutkimusry...

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.

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...

16.4.2026 | The Government proposes amendments to the Act on Child Home Care Allowances and Private Childcare Allowances. The proposal would implement the Norwegian model for child home care allowance. The proposal seeks to promote the integration and labour market position of women with an immigrant background and to increase the participation of children in early childhood education and care.

22.6.2026 | The Digital Pharmacist project is piloting remote and in-person pharmacist appointments in the wellbeing services counties of Pirkanmaa and South Ostrobothnia. The goal is to strengthen clinical pharmacy competence in healthcare and social welfare services and to create operating models that counties across Finland can use.

“The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health deals with issues that affect people’s daily lives” Jani Osolanus works in visual communications at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, creating materials that help make complex societal issues eas...

“The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health deals with issues that affect people’s daily lives” Jani Osolanus works in visual communications at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, creating materials that help make complex societal issues eas...

Prevention of human trafficking The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health aims to prevent social problems caused by trafficking in human beings and to identify and help victims. The Ministry’s responsibilities include ensuring that victims of traf...

4.12.2025 | The economy of wellbeing offers tools for policy makers to secure the preconditions for a good life both for the current population and future generations. A new working paper by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) analyses how wellbeing economy practices have been integrated into decision-making in ten countries. This comparison will also help Finland create its own governance model.

Social lending Shortly The wellbeing services counties grant social loans. In Helsinki, the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division is responsible for social lending. If you would like to apply for a social loan, please contact t...

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...

Gambling Policy Programme improves prevention and reduction of harm The Gambling Policy Programme, prepared under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, sets guidelines for the prevention and reduction of harm caused by gambling up to 2030. It...

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...

Working life programmes Working life programmes The Government’s working life programmes produced concrete solutions for working life and the service system during the 2019–2023 government term. The implementation of the programmes was based on th...

Good Work Programme – Creating more appeal and staying power in the healthcare and social welfare sector Mounting service needs driven by an ageing Finnish population, higher rates of chronic diseases, evolving expectations and new technologies – ...

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.

Patient ombudspersons and social services ombudspersons Patient ombudspersons and social services ombudspersons advise and assist patients or social welfare clients in situations where they are dissatisfied with the healthcare or social welfare se...

WORK2030 - Development programme for work and wellbeing at work The implementation of the WORK2030 programme has been based on the Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government. The aims of the programme have been to reform operating practi...

27.2.2024 | Päihdehuollon ja lastensuojelun rajapinnalla - saavatko päihteitä käyttävät nuoret tarvitsemaansa tukea? Konsortio-hanke PI: Katja Kuusisto Sosiaalityön tenure track -professori, dosentti Tampereen yliopisto (TAU) Yhteiskuntatieteiden tiedekunta (...

Electronic services support the pharmacotherapy Medication list as a tool for healthcare professionals A national up-to-date medication list is under preparation. Its benefits will be based on a procedure where all essential structural medication ...

Finnish social security system The Finnish social security system includes benefits and support that protect people’s livelihoods, as well as the provision of health and social services and employment services. Social security provides income secu...

8.12.2025 | Seurantaraportti: YK:n vammaisten henkilöiden oikeuksien yleissopimuksen kansallinen toimintaohjelma (2020–2023) SOSIAALI- JA TERVEYSMINISTERIÖN JULKAISUJA 2023:24 Seurantaraportti: YK:n vammaisten henkilöiden oikeuksien yleissopimuksen kansalline...

Rehabilitation The aim of rehabilitation is to enhance the individual's functional capacity, independent coping, opportunities for participation, work and study ability as well as their opportunities for employment and continuing working. Rehabili...

Health and social services for people arriving from Ukraine On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a military attack against Ukraine. Finland is committed to helping people who have fled the war in Ukraine to Finland, also with respect to healthcare...

Services to families Services aimed at families support parents or other guardians in their efforts to ensure the well-being and good upbringing of children. Early childhood education and care Finnish early childhood education and care combines ed...

Organisations and associations as part of the healthcare and social welfare system. There are more than 11,000 healthcare and social welfare organisations in Finland (2020). There are also a large number of organisations in the fields of sports, culture and rescue services.

Benefits for front veterans and war veterans Women and men who served in Finnish wars are entitles as war veterans to certain special state benefits. Veterans' benefits are intended to support living at home and facilitate procuring services for h...

Amended legislation on health checks for children and young adults Categories: Publication date: 22.12.2025 The timing and content of health checks at child health clinics and schools, and in student healthcare and oral healthcare will be regulate...

fi sv en Biobank activities will be harmonised Biobanks are part of the research infrastructure. In biobanks, samples of human origin and related data are stored for supporting research. Biobanks operate in Finland in connection with hospital dist...

“Opportunities to build something new this hands-on in central government are rare” » At the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Laura Kuusio is developing new ways to strengthen the participation of children and young people. “I’m always looki...

Insurance The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for developing and drafting the legislation on statutory insurance, insurance companies and pension institutions. The goal is a sustainable social security and private insurance, b...

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.

fi sv en National Genome Centre Data on people's genetic makeup helps make better personalised choices, target the screening of diseases, specify diagnostics, and choose the best and most effective treatment. In Finland, the development of persona...

Occupational health care and maintaining workability The MSAH directs, oversees and develops legislation on occupational health care Employers must create working conditions that do not adversely affect the health of employees. Occupational health...

fi sv en Improving health through the use of genomic data In the next few years, the use of genomic data in healthcare will rapidly increase. In the future, decisions regarding the prevention and treatment of diseases will be increasingly based on...

The status and rights of clients and patients The status and rights of patients and social welfare clients are protected by: the Act on the Status and Rights of Patients 785/1992 (Finlex) the Act on the Status and Rights of Social Welfare Clients ...

Department for Work and Gender Equality The Department for Work and Gender Equality (TTO) guides and directs the supervision and administration of occupational safety and health, drafts legislation and policies on occupational safety and health, a...

Housing allowance The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the general planning, guidance and supervision of the housing allowance legislation. The Ministry of Education and Culture in turn is responsible for the housing supple...

National Advisory Board on Romani Affairs The task of the Advisory Board on Romani Affairs is to enhance the equal participation of the Roma population in the Finnish society, to improve their living conditions and socio-economic position and to p...

“I see myself as a kind of democracy warrior” Liisa Siika‑aho works as Director General at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in the Department for Insurance and Social Security. Her work revolves around creative problem‑solving and support...

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...

Assessment of risks associated with gambling Assessing the risks and harm caused by gambling is statutory work conducted by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The Ministry started to assess the risks and harm related to the running of gamb...

fi sv en Finnish Cancer Center FICAN The Finnish Cancer Center (FICAN) was established in 2019 to promote effective and equitable cancer care in Finland. FICAN’s mission is to implement the tasks defined in the Government Decree on the Division of...

Preventing domestic and intimate partner violence The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for planning and guiding the prevention of domestic and family violence. The aim is to prevent violence and develop the nationwide service s...

EU collaboration project to promote access to genomic data The success of the European ‘1+ Million Genomes’ Initiative relies on wide-ranging collaboration. Among the objectives of the EU project is to ensure secure, cross-border access to genomic...

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...

Income security A central feature of welfare and social security is to provide support to people in vulnerable situations. Legislation » Legislation concerning income security. Finnish social security system » The Finnish social security system in...

fi sv en Personalised medicine creates preconditions for more effective treatment Personalised medicine promotes the health and wellbeing of individuals by utilising research, new technologies and a wider range of information resources. The aim is...

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...

20.5.2026 | A new operating model and set of indicators have been prepared to promote innovation cooperation between wellbeing services counties and businesses. The aim is to provide a consistent way for the counties, and also nationally, to engage in effective cooperation with businesses.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health coordinates, develops and monitors gender mainstreaming as part of the Government’s gender equality policy. Monitoring focuses particularly on legislative drafting, economic and operational planning, budgeting, and competence development. In addition, the operational gender equality planning of public authorities is monitored.

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...

Legislation on termination on pregnancy

Nuorten työelämään kiinnittymisen ja osallistumisen taustatekijöitä sekä osallistumiseen vaikuttavia keinoja Työmarkkinoita muokkaavat erityisesti rakenteiden osalta kansainvälisten arvoketjujen merkityksen kasvu, tietotekniikan (muun muassa tekoä...

Family benefits The purpose of the benefit system for children and families is to safeguard the subsistence of the child and those responsible for his or her care, and to support the care of the child. The benefits are applied for at the Social In...

The Ministry The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (MSAH) is one of the 12 ministries in the Government. The Ministry's tasks promote the good health and functional capacity of people promote healthy living and working environments secure suff...

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...

9.5.2022 | Tutkimussuunnitelma HYVÄÄ JÄLKEÄ – JÄLKIHUOLTO SIIRTYMÄNÄ JA AIKUISTUMISEN TUKENA UUDISTUVASSA PALVELUJÄRJESTELMÄSSÄ Hyvää jälkeä -hanke on Tampereen yliopiston, Savonia-ammattikorkeakoulun ja SOS-Lapsikylän tutkimus- ja kehittämishanke. Hankkeess...

Amended legislation on health checks for children and young adults Type: Press release Categories: Publication date: 22.12.2025 Request for comments: Legislative amendment would extend right of small alcohol producers to sell their products direct...

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...

21.4.2021 | Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö EU:n 1+ Million Genomes -yhteistyöaloitteen Suomen toiminnan käynnistäminen Seminaariraportti Kuvailulehti 15.3.2021 EU:n 1+ Million Genomes -yhteistyöaloitteen Suomen toiminnan käynnistäminen Seminaariraportti Julka...

9.6.2026 | A national operating model for clinical trials (FinTrials) will be established in Finland to improve the coordination of clinical trials of medicines and clinical investigations of medical devices. The aim is to increase the number of such studies in Finland, accelerate their launch and improve patients’ opportunities to access new treatments.

Frequently asked questions about the operating models and division of duties of healthcare and social welfare personnel This page contains frequently asked questions about the operating models and division of duties of healthcare and social welfar...

2.6.2026 | The National Working Life Development Strategy to 2035 has been completed. The strategy aims to accelerate Finland’s economic growth by modernising the world of work so that Finnish workplaces become more innovative, more productive and better places to work. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and the Ministry of Education and Culture published the strategy and an accompanying implementation roadmap on 2 June 2026.

17.4.2026 | A total of 5,000 patients have been evacuated from Ukraine to EU Member States under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The 5,000th patient was evacuated to Finland. Finnish Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen and EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib met on 16 April to discuss issues such as the evacuation of patients.

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 ...

Open positions and the Ministry as a workplace On this page Open positions Trainee positions at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health The Ministry as a workplace Service relationship, working hours, pay, and general collective agreements Well-...

8.12.2025 | This year, the International Gender Equality Prize was awarded to Masha Foundation , a Ukrainian public organisation which carries out significant work to help Ukrainian women overcome the psychological consequences of war and other violence.

Earnings-related pension Earnings-related pension is paid to a person who has accrued pension according to his or her earnings either in an employment relationship or as an entrepreneur. The size of the earnings-related pension is determined accor...

15.1.2026 | The changes to be made to social assistance will, for example, strengthen the obligations of recipients to apply for full-time work and primary benefits. The overall reform of social assistance aims to clarify the role of social assistance as a last-resort and temporary form of assistance, prevent social exclusion among young people and strengthen general government finances.

6.3.2026 | The 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will take place in New York from 9 to 19 March 2026. Finland will be represented at the session by a broad-based delegation led by Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, who is responsible for gender equality issues.

12.3.2018 | SELVITYS KEINOISTA LÄÄKKEENMÄÄRÄÄMISEN JÄRKEVÖITTÄMISEKSI VIIDESSÄ ESIMERKKIMAASSA Proviisori Katrimari Kiviluoto 30.4.2016 SISÄLLYSLUETTELO KÄYTETYT LYHENTEET 1 TAUSTA .................................................................................

Kahdettatoista kertaa järjestettävät Tasa-arvopäivät kokoavat sukupuolten tasa-arvon parissa työskentelevät 7.–8.10. Espoon modernin taiteen museo EMMAan Tapiolaan. Tämän vuoden tapahtuman teema on työ, luokka ja raha. Tilaisuus tarjoaa ohjelmaa suomeksi ja englanniksi. Tapahtuman järjestää sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö yhteistyössä Espoon kaupungin, CARE4CAREER-hankkeen ja tasa-arvotoimijoiden verkoston kanssa. Tilaisuus striimataan. Etäosallistuminen edellyttää ennakkoilmoittautumista.

22.12.2025 | The timing and content of health checks at child health clinics and schools, and in student healthcare and oral healthcare will be regulated in future by government decree. Upper secondary level student health checks and preliminary health examinations for compulsory military service will be combined, and an electronic health questionnaire will be introduced.

12.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will launch a pilot project in early 2026 to test a nationwide model and indicators for knowledge-based management designed to support research, development, education, innovation and competence development in the wellbeing services counties.

14.1.2026 | Gendered vulnerabilities of boys and young men must be taken into account when planning education and health and social services. The latest report calls for a shift from gender neutrality to gender-sensitive policymaking that recognises differences between genders and identifies specific needs. It proposes that raising competence levels and preventing violence should be set as shared national goals across all work with children and young people.

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.

3.11.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a draft new act on healthcare and social welfare units that assist in investigating suspected offences involving children. The aim is to make the child-friendly Barnahus model a permanent part of the investigation of suspected offences involving children. Comments can be submitted between 3 November and 15 December.

22.9.2025 | The Government proposes to update legislation on children and young people’s health checks. Under the proposal, the timing and content of health checks in child health clinics, school and student healthcare, and oral healthcare would in future be regulated in a government decree instead of an act. The health check in student healthcare at upper secondary level would be combined with the pre-conscription health examination, and an electronic health questionnaire would be introduced. 

3.9.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is preparing a national model and indicators for knowledge-based management to support research, development, education, innovation and competence development in the wellbeing services counties. An open online event will be held this autumn to provide all stakeholders with an opportunity to join in the preparation of the knowledge-based management model.

12.5.2023 | The measures launched during the working capacity programme to create a more inclusive labour market and to employ people with impaired working capacity should be continued and developed further. The employees’ ability to work is an essential factor in the pursuit of a higher employment rate. These are some conclusions of the evaluation report on the recently completed working capacity programme.

10.12.2025 | The wellbeing services county reform is progressing towards the set objectives throughout Finland, but there are still many issues left to address. This is according to a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform made by an independent expert group.

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.

28.10.2020 | For over six months, the COVID-19 epidemic has put an unprecedented strain on people’s mental coping and wellbeing. It is important that those who feel anxious or worried seek help in these exceptional times. Sometimes it takes courage to seek help, and it is fortunate that many have been brave enough to reach out and ask for help.

22.9.2025 | The Finnish Government proposes EUR 14.8 billion in appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 0.5 billion less than in the 2025 Budget.

8.8.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of EUR 14.8 billion for the Ministry and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 475 million less than in the 2025 Budget. The funding of wellbeing services counties is not included in the appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government. Instead, it falls under the main title of the Ministry of Finance.

14.3.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health held a stakeholder event on 11 March to discuss the pandemic treaty that is currently being negotiated under the World Health Organization (WHO). The aim of the treaty is to strengthen international preparedness for pandemics and other public health emergencies. 

14.5.2020 | It is considered justified to develop a mobile application for supporting the tracing of transmission chains of the coronavirus. This becomes evident from the comments that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health invited on its proposal for a roadmap for the introduction of a mobile application.

28.6.2024 | The Government and central labour market organisations have negotiated joint equal pay measures for the period 2024–2027. The aim of the Equal Pay Programme is to further reduce the gender pay gap. In addition to the measures set out in the Programme, there are other measures underway to reduce the pay gap.

7.11.2025 | A new survey will open on Monday 10 November, giving pupils in years 5–9 the chance to share their thoughts on what is important. Their responses will help us as we prepare for the next government term.

28.5.2020 | I have launched a reform of the Act on Social Assistance and appointed a working group to carry it out. Now is the right time for reform. We have been gathering experiences from the transfer of basic social assistance to the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) over the past few years. In doing so, we have found several areas that need fixing.

18.10.2024 | Finland and Ukraine signed an agreement on bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector on Friday 18 October 2024 in Helsinki.

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...

11.12.2023 | A project at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is working on a proposal for a well-being economy steering model for Finland that would strengthen wellbeing-oriented policymaking in Finland. A workshop, organized by THL and the OECD WISE Centre on 21–22 November 2023, brought together officials from pioneering countries to discuss the functionality and application of governance practices for a well-being framework.

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...

28.12.2023 | The aim is to accelerate and streamline the administration of vaccines and to alleviate the shortage of healthcare personnel. The amendments that are being circulated for comments would allow dentists, senior pharmacists, pharmacists, practical nurses and biomedical laboratory scientists to administer vaccines. The amendments would also make it easier to organise vaccination at pharmacies’ health service points.

31.3.2023 | The comprehensive WORK2030 programme, carried out collaboratively by ministries, social partner organisations, workplaces and other experts in the field, is coming to an end. The programme identified five solutions that will help make Finnish working life the best in the world.

25.4.2024 | Amendments have been made to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Decree on Vaccinations and to the Government Decree on Voluntary COVID-19 Vaccinations in order to allow dentists, senior pharmacists, pharmacists, practical nurses and biomedical laboratory scientists to administer vaccines in future. The aim of the amendments is to accelerate the administration of seasonal vaccines in particular and alleviate the shortage of healthcare personnel.

12.1.2024 | The European Commission has adopted the EU4Health work programme for 2024. The programme aims to deliver the key priorities of EU health policy as part of the European Health Union. 

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...