Addiction and dependency services increasingly handled by basic healthcare

More people seeking help for substance abuse and addiction are now being treated through Finland’s basic healthcare services, according to a new report by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

The shift offers opportunities for earlier intervention and more effective treatment guidance, THL states, but requires deliberate development of service structures, cooperation, and expertise within primary care.

The report also recommends strengthening the role of primary and occupational healthcare in addressing milder substance-related harm.