The registration of the legislation on the contents of the service offered in day centers gives the welfare areas a lot of room for maneuver in terms of the implementation of the service.
From July Since 2023, welfare areas have had an obligation to organize a day center service for people who use substances problematically. According to the Social Care Act, the day center service must include support for essential everyday activities and social guidance. The service must be free of charge for its users and it must be possible to do business while intoxicated and anonymously. The purpose of the law reform is to improve the identification and outreach of those in need of help and to provide immediate care.
Day centers of services registration in the Social Welfare Act and the subsequent organizational responsibility improves the situation of the homeless and those who use substances problematically in many welfare areas. At the same time, in localities that already had a functional coverage of day center services organized by the municipality and the third sector, the service menu of day centers may be narrowed. In addition, the legislation's very narrow recording of the contents of the service offered in day care centers gives the welfare areas a lot of room for maneuver in terms of the implementation of the service. The new situation is also related to the fact that the welfare regions cannot grant organization grants for statutory activities.
The third in the STEA-assisted day centers organized by the sector, since the beginning of this year, activities have started to be directed to a non-statutory service. An example is Sininauha Foundation's Helsinki day center Illusia, where there have been 200 visitors per day at its peak, with an emphasis especially on weekends, when there have been no other similar services. Well over half of the visitors have been people experiencing homelessness. In the case of Helsingin Illusia, the change in the law has meant that from the beginning of 2024, services that support basic needs (shower, laundry, rest room) have been cut and the contents of the operation and human resources have been directed specifically to activities that strengthen inclusion.
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Day care centers must have the opportunity to wash and rest.
From the beginning of 2024, there will not be a single day center in Helsinki that is open every day and enables anonymous transactions. The revised legislation does not specify the opening hours of the day center service in more detail, but the welfare area must, according to the guidance of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, plan and implement social and health care in terms of content, scope and quality as required by the needs of the customers. The legislation also does not define the contents of essential everyday activities, but the government's proposal to amend the Social Welfare Act and the Health Care Act includes a mention of the possibility of eating, washing and resting.
We hope that the welfare regions, despite their tight economic situation, organize services corresponding to the essential basic needs of a group of people in a very difficult position, not only in accordance with the letter of the law, but also in accordance with the spirit of the law. In addition to counseling and guidance, there should be an opportunity to wash and rest, for example. Services that support basic needs have a big impact on the well-being of those who need the services and the readiness to receive other help.
Sonja Varonen
head of low-threshold operations
Antti Kaajakari
project manager, Home for all project
Blue Ribbon Foundation
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