Mental health rehabilitation in Sámi
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Mental health rehabilitation in Sámi is intended for persons aged 18–67 with mental health issues who speak Sámi or need rehabilitation that is adapted to Sámi culture. The aim of this rehabilitation is to help you understand the challenges brought by symptoms of trauma and mental health disorders and to improve your resources, functional capacity and daily life management skills.
The rehabilitation course is free of charge.
Who is the rehabilitation course for?
Mental health rehabilitation in Sámi is intended for persons aged 18–67 who have been diagnosed with one of the following:
- mild to moderate depression
- an anxiety disorder
- bipolar disorder
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other chronic symptoms associated with trauma.
This rehabilitation course is suited for adults aged 18 or over
- who have completed the initial stage of their treatment or whose situation has otherwise stabilised
- who are in good enough condition to be able to fully participate in the rehabilitation course
- who need diverse rehabilitative support and guidance in the long-term
- who need support for their studies or work or to return to school or work
- who have difficulties navigating social situations or managing their daily lives.
Mental health rehabilitation in Sámi is not suited for persons
- whose condition is still being reviewed and whose rehabilitation needs cannot be assessed yet as a result
- whose symptoms are so severe that participating in rehabilitation is not a good option or beneficial for them
- who have an acute substance abuse problem.
Aim of rehabilitation
During this rehabilitation course, you will get
- information on factors that affect your wellbeing and ability to function
- support for expanding your resources
- advice on finding ways to manage that is tailored to your life situation and the challenges you face in your daily life
- support from the other participants and community members and a stronger sense of participation in your community.
How rehabilitation works
The service provider for the mental health rehabilitation course in Sámi is Coronaria Kuntoutuspalvelut Oy Oulu.
The rehabilitation lasts for 12 months and comprises
- 12 individual sessions
- 5 group sessions with the other participants
- 2–3 network sessions with your care provider or other actors involved in your daily life
- 2 community sessions with the other participants and your family members or friends
- 2 individual follow-up sessions after the course.
The sessions will be held on the service provider’s premises, remotely or in an environment that is familiar to you, such as your home, workplace or school or outside in nature or where you carry out your recreational activities (hobbies).
Group sessions can be replaced with individual sessions if there are not enough participants or if a participant feels that the group they were originally placed in is not a good fit and the service provider cannot transfer them to another group.
The service provider will contact you before the rehabilitation course begins.
Mental health rehabilitation in Sámi is offered on a trial basis. The trial is scheduled to end on 30 June 2027.
The aim of the individual and group sessions is
- to promote understanding of the symptoms of and the challenges you face due to your mental health disorder
- to improve your social interaction skills and emotional skills and help you manage better in your daily life
- to help you transfer the skills you learn during the rehabilitation to your daily life and community.
The individual and group sessions also offer you the opportunity to get support from your peers and share your experiences with others.
The aim of the network sessions is
- to help you get to know different actors and their responsibilities and to ensure that different perspectives are taken into account when the rehabilitation is implemented
- to achieve efficient and confidential cooperation between different actors
- to let you know which actors involved in your daily life you can contact. A follow-up rehabilitation plan will be drawn up with these actors if necessary.
The aim of the community sessions is
- to give you information on mental wellbeing and how you can improve it
- to offer you peer support and a stronger sense of participation and agency in your own community
- to help you learn to identify what resources your community can offer and its significance
- to give you information on the activities of local support networks.
Community sessions also offer you the opportunity to get support from your peers and share your experiences with others.
Language of the rehabilitation
At least one Sámi-speaking expert will participate in the implementation of your rehabilitation. We will arrange for an interpreter who speaks the same Sámi language as you do if Finnish or a Sámi language that is not the Sámi language you speak is used during the rehabilitation course.
You can speak Finnish or both Finnish and Sámi during the rehabilitation. You do not have to be able to speak a Sámi language to participate in this rehabilitation. You can apply for this rehabilitation also because you want to participate in rehabilitation that takes the special characteristics of Sámi culture into account.
The experts involved in your rehabilitation
The rehabilitation programme will be planned and managed by a specialist and either a psychologist, psychotherapist or registered nurse who has an educational background in psychiatric care or work with mental health patients. In addition, 2 of the following experts will participate in the implementation of your rehabilitation programme:
- a social worker, Bachelor of Social Sciences or rehabilitation instructor
- an occupational therapist or physiotherapist
- some other expert with a vocational qualification from the field of social welfare and healthcare.
How to apply
You need a medical statement B (B-lausunto) or some other statement on your health issued by a doctor to apply for mental health rehabilitation in Sámi. The medical statement B or health statement must state what disorder you have that qualifies you for rehabilitation, what kind of rehabilitation is recommended for you and what its goals are. The medical statement B or health statement must be dated within the past year.
After you get your medical statement B or health statement, do as follows:
- Complete the application form for discretionary rehabilitation KU 132 (PDF, in Finnish). The application form is also available in Northern Sámi Guorahallanvuloš veajuiduhttin (KU 132sme), Inari Sámi Kuorâttâllâmmiäldásâš vajodittem (KU 132smn) and Skolt Sámi Tuʹmmjemvärrsaž säursmâttmõš (KU 132sms).
- Save the blank form to your device. Do not fill in the form directly in the browser because some of the information may not be saved that way.
- Open the form with Adobe Reader and fill it in.
- Tell us in the application which service provider’s rehabilitation you want to participate in. The service provider for the mental health rehabilitation course in Sámi is Coronaria Kuntoutuspalvelut Oy Oulu.
- Save the completed application form on your device. Note that the application must be in PDF format.
- Send the application in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish).
- Log in to OmaKela and select Tee hakemus (File an application). You can submit your application also via the MuKela e-service available in Northern Sámi, the MuuKela e-service available in Inari Sámi or the MuuKela e-service available in Skolt Sámi.
- First select Sairastaminen ja kuntoutus (Sickness and rehabilitation). Then select Kuntoutus – tee hakemus (Rehabilitation – Submit an application). Finally, select Harkinnanvarainen kuntoutus (Discretionary rehabilitation).
- If you send your application to Kela in OmaKela, you do not need to sign it.
- If you have supporting documents, send them via OmaKela after you have submitted your application. If they are paper documents, you can photograph them.
- Send us a copy of your medical statement B or the other statement on your health your doctor has issued to you as a supporting document with your application.
- Visit OmaKela to see if Kela has made a decision on your application. We will also send the decision notice to the rehabilitation service provider. This tells the service provider that Kela will pay for your rehabilitation, and the service provider will reserve a place for you on the rehabilitation course.
If you cannot use OmaKela, mail your application to Kela. Save the form to your device and fill it in after saving it. Print out the completed form and send it and any supporting documents to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
If you need help with completing the application or you have other questions about the mental health rehabilitation course offered in Sámi, please send us a request for contact by email to saame@kela.fi. Write your name and phone number and your questions in the email. Please also let us know if you need service in one of the Sámi languages. A Kela expert or an interpreter will contact you within 2–3 working days (Monday to Friday).
Kela will start processing applications for mental health rehabilitation in Sámi on 11 March 2026. However, you can submit your application to us before that.
If Kela grants you rehabilitation, the service provider will call you within 2 weeks of the day when you get a positive decision notice from Kela.
Apply for rehabilitation
Submit your application and supporting documents online.
Let us know if you cannot attend rehabilitation
Remember to tell Kela immediately if you cannot participate in the rehabilitation course. Let us know that you have to cancel by sending a message to us in the OmaKela e-service or by calling our customer service number for rehabilitation clients.
We recommend that you also contact the service provider to let them know you have to cancel.
Check if you can get travel cost reimbursements
You can get reimbursement for the costs of your trips to and from the rehabilitation facility.