The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (, ) is a

Finnish government The Finnish Government (; ; ) is the executive branch and cabinet of Finland, which directs the politics of Finland and is the main source of legislation proposed to the Parliament. The Government has collective ministerial responsibility an ...

ministry tasked with the planning and implementation of policies regarding the social affairs and health of the inhabitants of

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

. The ministry includes two ministers: the Minister of Social Affairs and Health and the Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services. The ministry has five departments: the Administration and Planning Department, the Department for Promotion of Welfare and Health, the Department for Social and Health Services, the Department for Occupational Safety and the Health and Insurance Department. The ministry's predecessor was founded prior to Finland's

declaration of independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...

. In the beginning, it focused on countering misery, promoting sobriety, and caring for the poor, vagrants, children and alcoholics. Healthcare was introduced to its tasks in 1968. A major reform of the health and social service system (''sosiaali- ja terveyspalveluiden uudistus'', or ''sote-uudistus'' for short) has been in the works since 2011. The reform is set to be the largest change to Finland's social and healthcare systems in the country's history. The reform has been connected to the renewal of regional administration structure (''maakuntauudistus'').

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External links

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
stm.fi {{authority control Government of Finland

Social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives fro ...