Wellbeing services counties

There are 21 wellbeing services counties in Finland. They provide the following services in their region:

• health services
• social services
• rescue services

Each municipality belongs to a wellbeing services county, except for the City of Helsinki, which produces its own social and health services. This means that it does not belong to any wellbeing services county.

The wellbeing services counties receive their funding mainly from the state. They also receive money from client and user fees. The wellbeing services counties do not collect taxes from their residents.

Tasks of the wellbeing services counties

The tasks of the wellbeing services counties include

• primary health care
• specialised medical care
• social welfare
• services for children, young people and families
• mental health services
• substance abuse services
• services for the disabled
• pupil welfare
• rescue services.

In addition, the wellbeing services counties are responsible for social welfare and health care centres, hospitals and rescue departments.

You can influence what happens in the wellbeing services county

The wellbeing services counties are self-governing. The highest decision-making power is exercised by the county council. Its members are elected every four years in county elections. You can influence what happens in your wellbeing services county by voting in county elections.

You can also submit an initiative on a matter concerning your wellbeing services county. In addition, each wellbeing services county has a council for the elderly, a council for the disabled and a youth council through which you can exert influence.

Where does the wellbeing services county receive its funding?

The wellbeing services county receives its funding mainly from the state. In other words, the counties do not collect any separate tax from the inhabitants in the area.