The City Department of Health and Social Welfare carries out activities tied to social welfare, namely community care for citizens who due to unfavourable personal and social reasons and circumstances are not in a position to independently meet their basic living needs and activities tied to improved health care accessibility and quality in the city territory and providing  a health care standard that is above the standard provided by the state.

The goal is to protect and improve the quality of life, as well as, physical and mental health of Rijeka citizens. In the realization of these goals the Department cooperates with various institutions, associations and other legal entities.

This is an outline of the more important activities carried out by the qualified personnel of the Department:

• Implementation of the Social Programme of the City of Rijeka,
• Accommodating inhabitants in buildings intended for emergency housing,
• Implementation of the Psychosocial Protection Programme (for vulnerable population categories),
• Implementation of the Health Protection Programme,
• Implementation of the Animal Protection Programme,
• Implementation of education and promotional activities tied to health and social welfare,
• Coordination of activities tied to the participation of the City of Rijeka in the WHO project titled the European Healthy Cities Network and the Croatian Healthy Cities Network,
• Coordination of activities tied to the Interest Groups within the Rijeka Healthy City Project,
• Coordination of activities tied to the participation of the City of Rijeka in the Action: Cities and Communes-Friends of Children,
• Coordination of activities of the City of Rijeka tied to the implementation of the National Population Policy,
• Administrative and technical activities for the Coordination Board of the City of Rijeka dedicated to the fight against addiction,
• Following health and statistical as well as any other relevant socio-economic and socio-demographic indicators, determining the citizens’ needs,
• Project and programme evaluation,
• Drawing up strategies and action plans of the City of Rijeka aimed at the protection of vulnerable citizen categories (people with disabilities, older people, etc.)
• Co-financing of premises refurbishment and support to the health care institutions when purchasing equipment
• Support for professional training of personnel and for the organization of professional conferences in the field of the health and social activities,
• Providing financial and material conditions for work and monitoring the business operation of health and social institutions founded by the City of Rijeka (Psychiatric Hospital “Lopača” and Child Centre “Tić”)