Services for people with intellectual disabilities of Eteva and Kårkulla to continue as part of the new wellbeing services counties 

“This is first and foremost an administrative change, which we hope will be visible to the current residents and service users of Eteva and Kårkulla as little as possible,” says Disability Services Project Manager Anu Autio from the Western Uusimaa wellbeing services county.  

At the start of 2023, the Uusimaa region will be divided into four wellbeing services counties and the City of Helsinki. At the same time, the current special care districts for people with intellectual disabilities, Eteva and Kårkulla, the latter which serves Swedish-language clients in continental Finland, will be abolished. As part of the legislative change, the responsibility for organising the services for people with intellectual disabilities currently provided by the special care districts will be taken over by the new wellbeing services counties.  

“The employees, properties and services of housing services and work and day activities will be integrated into the new organisation, but the content of the services will remain unchanged,” states Autio. 

The integration of the housing services and work and day activities of Eteva and Kårkulla into the wellbeing services counties will not require any action on the part of clients or their loved ones. 

“Clients who have homes at current housing services units will continue to have homes at the same units following the integration, surrounded by familiar neighbours and personnel. Work and day activities will also continue as before,” says Disability Services Project Expert Anu Mattila from the Western Uusimaa wellbeing services county. 

For more information, please visit: https://www.espoo.fi/en/support-everyday-life/kepa-uusimaa(external link)