Kriisipalvelujen

Kriisipalvelujen is a Finnish term referring to a system of services designed to help people in acute personal crisis and to prevent harm. The aim is to provide immediate support, stabilize the situation, ensure safety, and facilitate access to longer-term care if needed. These services cover mental health crises, domestic violence and abuse crises, substance use emergencies, grief and trauma, homelessness, and other urgent needs.

Core components typically include Kriisipuhelin, a crisis telephone line offering confidential, around‑the‑clock access to trained counselors; Kriisikeskukset, crisis centers that provide short-term face-to-face counseling, crisis intervention, and, when necessary, temporary shelter; and mobile crisis teams that can respond at a person’s home or in the community. In addition, hospital emergency departments and psychiatric services provide crisis assessment and treatment. Access to kriisipalvelujen is usually coordinated by municipal social and health services and often involves cooperation with police and ambulance services. The services are designed to be reachable through local crisis lines, municipal service channels, and the general emergency number 112 for life‑threatening situations.

Purpose and outcomes focus on preventing self-harm and harm to others, ensuring immediate safety, and stabilizing the individual so they can be connected to appropriate ongoing care, housing support, or substance use treatment. Funding generally comes from state and municipal budgets, with NGOs playing a supporting role in some regions. Evaluation emphasizes accessibility, response times, user safety, and continuity of care.