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25.9.2026 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is gathering parents’ and other custodians’ views on how children use social media and whether its use should be restricted. The results of the survey will be used by a working group that was set up to find ways to protect children from the harmful effects of social media. The survey is available from 25 September to 11 October, and it is open to all parents and other custodians of children under 18 years of age.

17.8.2026 | Wellbeing services counties have introduced over 600 new operating models to speed up access to care, streamline services and expand the opportunities for using digital services. These reforms were implemented under the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland.

Gender mainstreaming Gender equality can be promoted through targeted measures, such as promoting equal pay or combating violence against women, and by taking gender perspective into account in all decision-making and preparation. Integration of g...

3.2.2023 | Genomstrategi Innehåll Inledning ................................................................................................................................................. 3 STRATEGISKT MÅL 1: Finland utnyttjar sina unika förutsättningar i ...

Reform encourages both parents to take family leave The Family leave reform entered into force on 1 August 2022. The number of parental leave days will increase and there will be more flexibility for parents to take leave. The reform aims to incre...

15.5.2023 | Enligt den externa utvärderingen har programmets prioriteringar och mål svarat bra på utvecklingsbehoven i arbetslivet. Programmet har varit ett bra stöd för utvecklingsverksamheten och svarat bra särskilt på de utmaningar som covid-19-pandemin medförde. Programmet var en viktig del av arbetsplatsernas pågående reformarbete för att främja kontinuerligt lärande.

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...

Amending the Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is preparing a government proposal for amending the Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data (555/2019). The Act will be amended in...

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...

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...

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...

Strategic and Financial Management Unit The Strategic and Financial Management Unit assists and supports the Permanent Secretary and is in charge of developing the Ministry’s strategic leadership. The Unit is responsible for advancing and developi...

General social security benefit The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is preparing a general social security benefit. The benefit would include a basic allowance for living, an allowance for housing costs and a discretionary allowance as last-...

“A career path can start in unexpected places – mine began as a Habbo Hotel moderator” Taina Pahkamaa‑Huusko has worked at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health since 2010 in a wide range of administrative roles. In her current position as Exe...

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 Duties a...

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...

Contact information Department for Clients and Services in Healthcare and Social Welfare / APO Clients and Personnel Unit / ASI Janette Grönfors, Senior Specialist Department for Clients and Services in Healthcare and Social Welfare / APO, Clients...

Wellbeing services counties will be responsible for organising health, social and rescue services Wellbeing services counties will be responsible for organising healthcare, social welfare and rescue services in Finland. There are 21 wellbeing serv...

Tobacco and nicotine policy The Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health directs and develops Finland’s tobacco and nicotine policy, the aim of which is ending the use of tobacco and other nicotine products. The goal has been confirmed in the...

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...

Provisions will be laid down on the principles according to which the inclusion of services, methods and and forms of work in the range of services and their removal will be implemented in public healthcare and social welfare. The possibility of enacting provisions on a national actor who can make a binding decision on the inclusion of the method in the range of public services will be investigated.

International and EU cooperation on gender equality Gender equality is one of the priorities of Finland’s EU and foreign policies. Finland promotes gender equality across various policy areas both in the EU and globally. Finland’s gender equality ...

European cooperation on market surveillance Application of product legislation The Expert Group on Machinery (MD EG), which deals with issues related to the application of the Machinery Directive, operates under the Machinery Committee of the Euro...

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s assessment of the combined impacts of government proposals, taking into account fundamental and human rights. The assessment memorandums are prepared annually as part of official duties and published in the Government Project Register Hankeikkuna.

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...

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The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health directs, monitors and coordinates preparedness for incidents and emergencies in healthcare and social welfare.

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...

Support and benefits The Finnish social protection system includes various forms of financial support and benefits designed to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to take part in working life and society in general. Children and parentho...

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...

Senior Civil Servants As the most senior public official at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Permanent Secretary directs and is responsible for the Ministry’s activities. The Under-Secretary of State assists the Permanent Secretary i...

National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Cancer is a common disease in Finland. The number of cancer deaths in the country has fallen considerably over the past decades, and as many as two out of three people with cancer recover from the disease. Howeve...

EHDS Regulation The EHDS Regulation is an EU regulation that improves citizens’ control over their personal health data and provides healthcare professionals with access to patient data, regardless of where patients live or receive treatment. The ...

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...

Department for Steering of Healthcare and Social Welfare The Department for Steering of Healthcare and Social Welfare is responsible for the general steering, planning and development of healthcare and social welfare in Finland. The Department for...

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-...

COVID-19 disease in Finland Shortly Since July 2023, COVID-19 has been classified as a monitored communicable disease instead of a generally hazardous communicable disease. Vaccinations continue to be the most important way to protect against seri...

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...

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...

Project on medicines and financial base of pharmacies The Government Programme includes numerous entries related to medicines and pharmacies. These entries will be implemented in a project titled ‘Medicines and the financial base of pharmacies’ in...