Work in Finland with substance abusers can be divided into activities aimed at prevention and recovery. This involves
- preventing use
- preventing risks, harm and problems associated with substance use
- treatment for substance abuse
Services include outpatient care, rehabilitation, therapy and housing services. Municipalities are in charge of arranging or procuring services to meet demand.
Each municipality in Finland is obliged, according to the Recommendations Concerning the Quality of Services for Substance Abusers (2002), to have a strategy for substance abuse harm prevention and to run services for substance abusers.
Prevention work in municipalities may be carried out as part of social and health services, in schools, in youth work and in recreational activities.
Organisations play a crucial role in substance abuse prevention. The largest substance abuse treatment and prevention organisation in Finland is the A Clinic Foundation.
Services for substance abusers are available as a part of general social and health care services, as special services and in the form of specialised treatment. The types of service include outpatient care, institutional care, rehabilitation and housing and support services.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for planning policy concerning alcohol, tobacco and drugs. It provides guidance and drafts legislation on preventing the harm associated with drug and alcohol abuse and tobacco.
