Who can provide mental health treatment services

A psychologist is someone who is registered in the Psychologists Registry. For registering, they must hold at least a master’s degree in psychology. Both qualified psychologists and psychologists during their residency are certified to provide diagnosis and treatment services.

Please note: Psychologists are not certified to prescribe medications. If you are unsure whether to consult a psychologist or a psychiatrist, and you haven’t been diagnosed with a severe psychiatric disorder, it is advisable to consult your family doctor or pediatrician regarding who can help you decide which professional is the right fit for your needs.

Types of psychology licenses

• Psychologists: Individuals with a license to engage in psychology and registered in the Psychologists Registry.
• Specialist psychologists: There are six specialty fields in psychology. If you need one of these areas of specialty, it is advisable to choose a psychologist whose area of expertise is that specific area:
  
  • Clinical Psychology: A specialty focused on the diagnosis and therapy of mental health disorders throughout all stages of life, addressing problems that originate from a mental source or those with primarily mental manifestations. For example, in situations of distress, difficulty or dysfunction, trauma, and more.
  • Rehabilitation Psychology: A specialty focused on diagnosis and therapy for rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities and developmental or acquired impairments, including physical, mental, cognitive, and social challenges.
  • Educational Psychology: A specialty dealing with diagnosis and therapy while focusing on health and mental well-being. Additionally, it is a specialty concerned with the optimal functioning of children and adolescents, families, educational staff, and the community, while considering the interactions between them.
  • Medical Psychology: A specialty that focuses on the diagnosis and therapy of psychological factors that cause or are influenced by illnesses or health conditions, existing on a continuum between health and illness.
  • Developmental Psychology: A specialty that focuses on the diagnosis and therapy of psychological-developmental factors in the cycle of life.
  • Social-Occupational-Organizational Psychology: A specialty focused on the diagnosis and therapy of psychological factors influencing individuals and organizations in relation to occupation, society, and organizations.
• Supervisors: This role exists in every psychology specialty. Psychologists receive ongoing training from expert supervisors who review therapy content. Supervisors guide and advise psychologists regarding the professional treatment of each patient. They also provide containment and support to psychologists for the challenges they face as therapists.

Areas of specialization recognized by the Psychologists Law

Registry of Medical Professions Licensing: Licensed Psychologists

A social worker holds a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and is registered in the Social Workers Registry. Social workers are eligible by law to engage in therapy, rehabilitation, counseling, and guidance to improve the personal and social functioning of patients and their families.

For the purpose of working as therapists in the public mental health system, preference is given to those with a master’s degree in social work (MSW) who have training and experience in psychotherapy.

The work of social workers:

• Social workers are entitled to engage in psychotherapy in the fields of their expertise.
• Specialists in providing therapy and emotional support to individuals and families facing mental health crises or disorders.
• Social workers with the knowledge and expertise to provide assistance in the realization of rights, including the continuum of care and rehabilitation.

Searching the Social Workers Registry

There are two primary criteria for being a psychiatric nurse: holding a nursing bachelor's degree and a license as a registered nurse in the State of Israel. Priority in the public mental health system is given to psychiatric nurses who have completed an advanced course in mental healthcare and earned a relevant master’s degree, or completed studies in dynamic psychotherapy, or completed training in providing behavioral-cognitive therapy.

The work of psychiatric nurses

• Providing assistance in managing and coordinating therapy to reduce and prevent symptoms and promote optimal functioning, well-being, and recovery.
• Facilitating recovery through guidance and assisting patients in making decisions about their therapy and improving their daily functioning.
• Assisting patients with medication management, including monitoring intake, identifying side effects, and scheduling follow-up examinations.
• Managing nursing care and performing professional assessments that impact the patients' intervention and rehabilitation program.
  Referring patients to appropriate caregivers for further treatments, if necessary.
• Assisting patients in exercising their rights.

Registry of nurses authorized to practice nursing

In 2024, the first class of students began their studies to become specialist psychiatric nurses. These studies require the following criteria:

• A bachelor's and a master's degree, one of which must be in nursing.
• At least two years of demonstrated experience in the mental health field.

Psychiatric nurse specialists undergo training that equips them with unique knowledge and tools for medical treatment of individuals with mental health conditions. In their work, psychiatric nurse specialists focus on the following areas:

• Examination of patients with psychiatric disorders and evaluation of their condition.
• Referral for diagnostic tests and consultation for the purpose of clarification or treatment.
• Establishing medical treatment and administrating therapeutic guidelines.
• Assisting in medication balancing and symptom treatment.
• Care coordination and collaboration with treatment facilities.
• Providing guidance and counselling to the patient and their family and promoting health and disease prevention. 

To engage in this area, occupational therapists have to meet the following criteria:

• They must hold at least a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy.
• They must complete practical training.
• They must pass the governmental licensure examination in occupational therapy.
• They hold a valid occupational therapist certificate.

The work of occupational therapists

• Occupational therapists possess a broad base of professional, academic, and practical knowledge, including specialized expertise in assessment methodologies and therapeutic interventions applicable to all domains of human functioning, while considering enabling and limiting factors in their activities and environment.
• Occupational therapists working in mental health have extensive knowledge of mental health conditions and in areas such as cognition, sensory regulation, human occupation, behavioral science, development, and emotions. This knowledge serves as the basis for working with a variety of populations across all age groups and mental health conditions. They operate within mental healthcare systems, hospitals, and the community.
• Occupational therapists develop therapeutic intervention programs that address the functional effects of mental disorders. The objective of these programs is to address medical issues, manage crisis situations, and support the exercise of rights.

Position Paper: Therapeutic Intervention of Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Frameworks

Registry of Medical Professions Licenses: Occupational Therapists with a Professional License

The following criteria are required for certification as a nutritionist or dietitian in Israel:

• They must hold at least a bachelor's degree in nutrition.
• They must complete practical training.
• They must pass the governmental licensure examination in this profession.

The work of nutritionists and dieticians

• In many cases, nutritional therapy can help manage the symptoms and implications of the mental disorder itself and the side effects of the psychiatric medications.
• The treatment can improve the quality of life and daily functioning.
• Providing Personalized nutritional therapy can prevent a decline in your nutritional status and may even help improve your physical and mental condition.

It is important to note: In the treatment of individuals with eating disorders, dietitians play a central role, and therefore, dietitians who have prior training and experience in treating eating disorders are preferred for treatment in this area.

Registry of Medical Professions Licenses: Licensed Dietitians

The following criteria are required for certification as clinical criminologists:

• They must hold a master’s degree in clinical criminology, including a thesis as common in Israel.
• They must complete practical training and pass the governmental licensure in this profession.

The work of criminal criminologists

Criminologists possess a background in psychology, behavioral science, psychopathology, sociology, and psychotherapy. All of these provide them with the foundational and clinical education necessary to integrate into the mental health system in a therapeutic or rehabilitative work.

Registry of Medical Professions Licenses: Licensed Clinical Criminologists

An art therapist must hold a master’s degree in art therapy from an institution recognized by the Council of Higher Education (CHE), which also includes practical training and meeting threshold requirements as specified in the Director General's circular. There are six subtypes of art therapy: drama, psychodrama, dance/movement therapy, visual art, bibliotherapy, and music therapy.

This field is currently (2024) in the midst of a process of regulation as a certified profession. However, the Ministry of Health allows the employment of therapists with this training in mental health treatment systems.

Animal-assisted emotional therapy (zootherapy) is a profession based on the connection between a therapist, a patient, and an animal. The Israeli Association of Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy defines this profession as including skills of assessment and identification of emotional strengths and challenges and defining therapeutic goals and their implementation through therapeutic interventions. These interventions are conducted in conjunction with animals in a way that will contribute to the improvement of the patient's mental state.

Please note: As of this writing (2024), this profession is not recognized or certified by the Ministry of Health as a therapeutic profession. However, some HMOs offer it through therapists with recognized alternative therapeutic qualifications who also hold recognition as experts by the Israeli Association of Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy.