This year, as well, about one million Finns are suffering from a mental disorder. We’re here to help you change your mind.
When ill, the goal is often healing. With more than 50 years of experience, we know that you can do a lot to achieve your goals at different stages of illness and recovery.
The Finnish Central Association for Mental Health is a national organisation for people who have experienced mental health problems themselves. We offer guidance as well as courses and events that are open and free of charge for everyone, produce research, engage in advocacy work and support mental health associations around Finland. Support is provided by both experts and peers. The core of our work is strong experiential knowledge.
Our operations and services are currently only organised in Finnish. Our goal is that every municipality in Finland can easily participate in activities that support mental health and mental wellbeing. This is why we are constantly developing collaboration with our member organisations, other organisations and the public sector.
Our values
Non-discrimination: We are all equal and entitled to equal treatment regardless of person, situation, state of health, position and role.
Person first: Our operation is based on people’s expertise on their own lives and their own life solutions.
Continuous development: We keep up with the times and anticipate the emergence of different phenomena in society.
History
The Finnish Central Association for Mental Health was established by people who had experienced mental health problems themselves on 6 June 1971 in Koljonvirta Psychiatric Hospital, Iisalmi.
In the 1960s, mental health problems were still not only ashamed of, but even feared to be infectious. Patients were locked in mental hospitals, and there was virtually no mental health work.
The Finnish Central Association for Mental Health set out to improve the rights and position of mentally ill people and those recovering from the illness as well as to influence the stigma related to mental health problems. The same goal continues to guide the work of the association today.
Mental health associations
There are approximately 120 mental health associations in different parts of Finland, whose activities are centred on peer-to-peer work and practical expertise in how mental health is supported and what kinds of issues concern people in their daily lives. Some of the associations operate locally, some nationally.
Many of them have their own activity centre, which is easy to come to every day. Many associations also provide support for everyday problems in a concrete manner, from agency services to moving problems or food assistance.
Anyone can join the activities of an association, and they can also become a member of the mental health association if they wish.
