Welfare State Research
Head of Unit Pasi Moisio
The unit
- Studies the structures of the welfare state, in particular the healthcare and social welfare service system and social security.
- Produces research-based knowledge to support decision-making and expert work.
- Researches and anticipates service needs and develops and maintains the financing model for wellbeing services counties on a research basis.
- Promotes the development of an integrated and effective overall system of healthcare and social welfare services and social security through its research.
- Supports legislative drafting and evaluates the impacts of legislation.
The unit is divided into four teams.
Social Security and Services
Team Manager Eeva Nykänen
The team studies social security and related benefits and services. It produces research-based knowledge for different stages of decision-making, for evaluating the effectiveness and impacts of policy measures, and to support expert work, the population, and the scientific community. Key focus areas include research, evaluation, and expert support related to social security and its reforms, research and evaluation of services and benefits for people in a vulnerable labour market position, and quantitative impact assessment and microsimulation of policy measures.
Funding for Wellbeing Services Counties
Team Manager Liina-Kaisa Tynkkynen
The team is responsible for statutory tasks related to the needs-based financing model for social and health care and service need forecasting. It studies resources in social and health services in terms of funding, personnel, and service needs. The team evaluates the financing of the system, particularly from the perspectives of needs-based allocation and incentives. It anticipates service needs and produces various system-level scenarios, including analyses using the SOME model. In addition, the team studies ways to forecast workforce availability, adequacy, and the attractiveness and retention of the social and health care workforce.
Effectiveness and Equity
Team Manager Sonja Lumme
The team focuses on the effectiveness and equity of the social and health care system. It studies the needs-based allocation of service use and how system structures affect equity. The team also examines the potential of digital services to replace traditional services and their impact on resources and workforce adequacy. It supports system development through research on health care governance and the implementation of social and health policy, as well as through international comparisons.
Operating Models and Processes
Team Manager Emma Kainiemi
The team studies service production, service integration, management, and the organisation of work in social and health services. It examines evolving operating models, digital services and tools, and the opportunities offered by digitalisation and artificial intelligence. Monitoring and evaluation of digital social and health care include tracking the development of digital services, information systems, and information management. Research topics also include management practices, self-managed teamwork, and different models of work division. The team produces research, monitoring, and evaluation data on changes in professional work and competence requirements.