Substance abuse prevention in Ostrobothnia

RDI Platform: Smart Well-Being

Language: Finnish

Project description

The project aims to develop and strengthen well-being management and coordination at the intersection of municipalities, the welfare area, and regional actors. Additionally, it seeks to enhance preventive substance abuse work and implement early support methods. The development efforts will focus on the work methods and leadership of professionals in the region. While the target group for client work is the working-age population, the benefits extend to all age groups. The goal is to create a new model for preventive substance abuse work in Ostrobothnia by strengthening cooperation between actors from the perspective of client and service guidance, as well as to establish a strong foundation for well-being management. The project receives funding from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s health promotion budget.

Goals

1. Strengthening well-being management and coordination with a focus on preventive substance abuse work
   • A sub-objective is to create a multi-actor model for preventive substance abuse work, using the region’s well-being report and plan as a foundation.
   • Establish a clear decision-making model for well-being management and preventive substance abuse work in the region.
2. Enhancing and streamlining cooperation between the welfare area, municipalities, universities, and organizations
   • Define collaboration methods, roles, and responsibilities among stakeholders.
   • Ensure professionals are familiar with the region’s actors.
3. Streamlining client guidance to the appropriate services
   • A sub-objective is to standardize substance abuse service pathways in Ostrobothnia.
4. Identifying high-risk groups for addiction diseases at an earlier stage
   • Strengthen professionals’ expertise through training.Improve professionals’ methodological skills and provide more tools to address concerns.
   • A regional methodological toolkit for Ostrobothnia, tailored to local needs, has been created and implemented in a multi-actor setting.
   • Improving the methodological skills of professionals and increasing the tools to raise concern.
   • A methodological toolkit for Ostrobothnia has been created and implemented on a multi-stakeholder basis, taking advantage of the needs of the region

Results

1. Preventive substance abuse work has a clear multi-actor collaboration structure, supported by data-driven management.
2. Preventive substance abuse work is coordinated and goal-oriented in the region.
   • The division of labor and collaboration are smooth, clear, and coordinated.
   • The decision-making model and multi-actor approach create structures for practical collaboration, as well as for planning goals and activities.
   • The action plan is based on data-driven management and guides collaboration between stakeholders, highlighting priorities.
3. The competence level of professionals increases.
   • Professionals in various services and organizations can address concerns at an earlier stage.
   • New effective methods have been selected, implemented in the region, trained, and incorporated into social and health care study programs.
   • Awareness of regional services and actors has increased.

4. Multi-actor collaboration and mentoring in substance abuse work have increased.

5. Client guidance has improved.

6. In the long term, the well-being and health of the region’s residents will improve, and health disparities among the adult population will decrease.