Niemikoti Foundation briefly in English
History
- Niemikoti Foundation was founded by the City of Helsinki in 1983
- Social context: The big change in mental health care structure in Finland. Closing down mental hospitals (20 000 psychiatric hospital beds 1980, now 5200-5500)
- Niemikoti Foundation was founded in order to offer services to people in out-patient care
- Sopimusvuori association in Tampere played an important role as an example in Finland
Task
- Provide social psychiatric and preventive mental health services in Helsinki
- Enhance the mental, physical and social skills of clients, enabling them to live as independently as possible
Funding:
- City of Helsinki, clients
Services
- Housing services
- Workshops
- Day Centres
- Vocational training
Criteria for becoming a client:
- Mental health problems
- Residence in Helsinki
- Adult
- ”Nurse-patient relationship” required
- Motivation
Portrait of a typical client:
- Male
- Over 40 years of age
- Long term psychiatric patient
- Schizophrenic
- Limited social network, lonely
- Lack everyday skills, needs support and guidance
- No alcohol or drug abuse, not aggressive
Future challenges:
- New type of clients
Clients with double diagnosis and aging clients - Funding
The strict economical situation of the City of Helsinki, the Slot Machine Association’s new policy - Personnel
The estimated shortage of qualified workers in the close future
Personnel:
- Educational background in social or health care
- Nurses, practical nurses, social workers, occupational therapists etc.
- Number of staff: 102/2015
