National Advisory Board on Social Assistance

Appointed by the Government and operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the National Advisory Board on Social Assistance is tasked with monitoring cross-government collaboration and implementation practices in the field of social assistance as well as with offering proposals on matters relating to social assistance. The Advisory Board has a membership drawn from such entities as the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Kela and the social welfare sector of the wellbeing services counties.

The current term of the Advisory Board began on 15 June 2023 and will run until 31 May 2027. The Board will convene four times in 2024. 

During its current term, the Board has been directed to focus on

• how to define reasonable housing costs
• the process related to reducing the basic amount of social assistance.

Chairperson
Liisa Siika-aho, Head of Department, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health     

Deputy chairperson
Eveliina Pöyhönen, Director, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

Members

• Mikko Horko, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 
  • Pekka Paaermaa (deputy member), Senior Specialist, Legal Affairs, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
• Jukka Mattila, Budget Counsellor, Ministry of Finance
  • Outi Luoma-Aho (deputy member), Budget Counsellor, Ministry of Finance
• Tuomas Kallio, Senior Officer for Legal Affairs, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
  • Eveliina Vainikka, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
• Pasi Pajula, Head of Centre of Expertise, Kela
  • Jenni Mäkelä (deputy member), Chairperson of the Appeals Management Centre, Kela
• Jussi Tervola, Head of Research, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
  • Minna Kivipelto (deputy member), Head of Research, National Institute for Health and Welfare
• Anne Qvist, Director of Adult Social Work, City of Helsinki
  • Johan Ehrman (deputy member), Senior Social Worker, City of Helsinki
• Sami Salmivirta, Regional Service Manager, Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland
  • Soile Merilä (deputy member), Director of Social Work, Wellbeing Services County of Southwest Finland
• Elina Anttila, Head of Department, Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa
  • Mari Selin-Kivenvuori (deputy member), Service Manager, Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa
• Leena Mämmi-Laukka, Director of Health Services, Wellbeing Services County of North Ostrobothnia
  • Leena Pimperi-Koivisto (deputy member), Director of Social Services, Wellbeing Services County of North Ostrobothnia
• Olli Riikonen, Senior Adviser, Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities
  • Sanna Lehtonen (deputy member), Director, Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities
• Anna Järvinen, Senior Specialist, SOSTE Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health
  • Esa Iivonen (deputy member), Chief Specialist, SOSTE Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health

Experts

• Marja-Leena Valkonen, Benefits Manager, Kela
• Jaana Heinonen, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
• Anu Kangasjärvi, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

Secretariat

• Ritva Liukonen, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (Chairperson of the Secretariat)
• Mirva Salmela, Service Area Director, Wellbeing Services County of North Ostrobothnia 
• Kirsi Toukoniemi, Organisational Social Worker, Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa 
• Petri Lemettinen, Senior Legal Counsel, Kela
• Susanna Polvi, Technical Secretary, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health