Mental health support Mieli starts redundancy talks

Mental Health Finland, known as Mieli, has initiated redundancy consultations that could lead to up to 20 job losses. The consultations encompass all staff members, excluding those involved in crisis services, the Sekasin youth chat, and victim counselling. The social and healthcare organization employs approximately 160 individuals in total.

Mieli disclosed that substantial and abrupt reductions in state funding for social and healthcare NGOs are compelling them to reduce their operations. State grants for organizations like Mieli are expected to drop by half during the current parliamentary term, with an additional 30 percent reduction anticipated next year. Sari Aalto-Matturi, Mieli's executive director, expressed in a statement that the funding cuts for NGOs have been particularly challenging due to the difficulty in foreseeing the extent of the changes and their specific impact areas.

The organization's funding for 2027 will not be determined until December or January, once grant proposals and decisions are finalized. Mieli indicated that it would reassess its staffing decisions if its funding outlook improves. The group's low-threshold services have gained popularity; last year, its crisis helpline managed a record number of calls, exceeding 110,000. Mieli's English-language helpline ceased operations earlier this spring.