Services and Benefits for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder shows up in different ways in different people. Each person has different strengths and weaknesses and needs professional help that is tailored to their specific needs. Everyone agrees that the first few years of life are the best and most effective time to improve function. Also, the earlier therapy and support start, the bigger the improvement in quality of life and social skills.
This page lists all the benefits and services that parents and children with ASD can get. Our goal is to make this important information easy to find, to help you get what you are entitled to, to point you in the right direction to get your benefits, to make it easier on families to raise a child with ASD, and to promote truly equal opportunities in Israeli society.
NOTE
NOTE
Getting certain benefits depends on having an official diagnosis of ASD.
National Insurance Institute benefits and allowances
- Disabled Child Allowance: parents of a child who was diagnosed with ASD are entitled to receive 100% disabled child allowance, from the time the child is 91 days and until the age of 18 years 3 months. This eligibility is automatic, regardless of the level of function and severity of the ASD, and has several basic criteria specified on the National Insurance website (Hebrew).
More information about the disabled child allowance on the National Insurance website (Hebrew) - Disability Allowance: an allowance that is paid for children aged 3 and older who were diagnosed with ASD and who require significant amount of help in comparison with their peers throughout the day, to perform actions such as dressing and undressing, eating, bathing, personal hygiene and independent mobility at home. Eligibility for this allowance is reviewed by tests of function, dependency and performance of actions in comparison with their peers. If you have a child who meets the conditions, you can submit to the National Insurance branch an “application for a re-examination of the recipient of a disabled child's allowance", as well as supporting opinions and relevant medical documents. A written application should be added to receive retroactive allowance, with the relevant medical documents attached.
More information about the disability allowance on the National Insurance website (Hebrew) - Disability Benefits Card: a child with ASD who receives a Disabled Child Allowance is also entitled to receive a disability card that provides various benefits, such as exemption from waiting on lines, exemption from payment for an escort, discount on public transportation, discount when entering attractions and museums, etc.
More information about the disability beenfits card on the National Insurance website (Hebrew)
HMO
- The Child Development Centers of the HMO can diagnose and treat children under the age of 18 who show signs of ASD.
- Through the HMO, kids with ASD are entitled to three non-medical sessions every week. These can be occupational therapy, speech pathology, physical therapy, psychology, or social work.
- Not having to pay a deductible for some HMO services.
- Be able to get general anesthesia for free dental care.
- Offering funding for helpful talking tools like voice output communication devices, picture boards, or tablets that are made for kids with ASD who can not talk.
Welfare and social services
The Ministry of Welfare and Social Security is responsible for community and out-of-home treatment of children and adults with ASD under the Social Services Law for People with Disabilities. To receive these services, you must undergo a Get to Know You process in the Welfare and Social Services Department in your place of residence. Children who have undergone the process and received recognition are entitled to receive a series of benefits, including:
- Inclusion in a rehabilitative day care center (Hebrew) that corresponds with the child’s needs (up to the age of 3).
- Inclusion hours for toddlers with ASD who are in regular day care centers or family home care centers who require the assistance of another person (under the age of 3).
- Assistance in funding a tutor during the afternoon (for children aged 3 and older).
- Subsidy of participation fees in summer camps and vacations.
- After-school activities.
- Out-of-home residences.
Education
Under the Special Education Law, kids with special needs can get free adapted school services from the time they are 3 years old until they are 21 years old. There are different educational frameworks you can choose from, such as being included in regular classrooms or having your own special education frameworks. Parents of children younger than 3 can choose private care, like a nanny or a family-run daycare, or they can go to the Ministry of Welfare for help finding regular daycare or a rehabilitative daycare for their child.
Children with ASD are also eligible for a number of other benefits and reliefs, such as:
- Changes to tests: students with special needs have the right to changes to tests and other assessment tasks that are a normal part of school.
- Individual education plans: every pupil with ASD in special education or in regular education are entitled to an individual education plan every year.
- Transportation to school: toddlers under the age of 3 that are placed in rehabilitative day care centers, and pupils aged3–21 who are entitled to special education services are entitled to receive transportation to and from their school.
Other benefits
Parents whose children get the disabled child allowance are eligible for extra benefits, such as:
- Discount in the water bill.
- Discount in property taxes.
- Discount in income tax (credits)
- Discount in purchase tax - real estate license.
- Discount in the Bezeq phone bill.
- Disabled parking badge and exemption from vehicle license fee.
- Tax breaks for taking money out of a provident fund early.
- Approval to hire a foreign worker to care for a child (for people who need regular supervision and help for most of the day because of a medical condition).
- Absences from work for parents to personally transport the child (under the Sick Days Law).
Parents of children who receive the a disability allowance are entitled to receive all of the benefits of the disabled child allowance, in addition to a discount in the electricity bill.
In conclusion, it is important to remember that every one of the rights mentioned herein depends on specific criteria. Check individual eligibility with relevant officials, and if assistance is required to exercise the rights, you can contact associations and organizations that specialize in supporting people with ASD and their families, such as ALUT, Oti, Effie, Beit Ekstein.
Assisted in the preparation of the article: Ido Michaeli-Assor, speech pathologist, Autism Department at the Ministry of Health and director of the "Shavim" Center in Jerusalem.