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Mental Health First Aid Centers

Revital Ordan, Psychiatric Nurse, Director of the Outpatient Ward, Mental Health Division, Ministry of Health
1 September 2025

We all experience moments of emotional distress during our lives. While many difficulties can be managed on our own or with support from close family and friends, sometimes distress becomes severe and affects daily functioning in areas such as relationships, work, eating, and more. In these cases, anyone can seek immediate help:

24/7 Emotional Support Hotlines

  • Mental health hotlines of the HMOs:
  • ERAN – Emotional First Aid: 1201
  • NATAL: for victims of trauma due to national security incidents, terrorism, and war 1-800-363-363
  • Metivta: National Religious Center for Family Counseling and Therapy *2837
  • Support Hotline for Immigrants: *3207
  • Teneh Health: promoting health among Ethiopian Israelis 04-6323544

Emergency Room Care

When experiencing extreme distress, immediate medical care may be necessary. In such cases, you can go to the emergency room at a mental health center (psychiatric hospital). The ER staff will assess your condition and provide initial treatment. These psychiatric ERs are open 24/7, year-round. No referral is needed, and the service is free of charge.

You can also go to the ER at general hospitals across the country. In this case, if you are not admitted after the evaluation, you will be required to pay the ER fee, unless you have a specific referral to the hospital from an authorized provider along with a guarantee of payment (Form 17).

We all experience moments of emotional distress during our lives. In most cases, we can cope with feelings of sadness, worry, fear, and stress on our own or with support from family and friends. However, there are times when distress can be especially severe and significantly affect daily functioning. For such situations, mental health hotlines and support services are available to provide an immediate response.

These hotlines are not a substitute for treatment but are meant to support people in extreme situations that require urgent help. It is important to draw on our inner strengths and the support of those around us to try to cope with crises on our own, but it is just as important to pay attention to ourselves, to the feelings we experience, and to seek professional help when needed. Recognizing the need for support and reaching out for help is a sign of strength and marks the beginning of the journey toward feeling better.

Who to turn to in case of mental distress

You can contact some of the centers anonymously. The volunteers or professionals at these centers will help by support calls and will be able to provide you with information about public therapy.

Mental health support centers of the HMO: the HMOs have a mental health support hotline and can provide emotional support therapy through 3 therapeutic phone calls by the professionals.

ERAN: mental health first aid, operated by trained volunteers. The hotline operates 24/7, throughout the year.

Sahar: online assistance operated by trained volunteers and accompanied by therapists from the mental health sector. The hotline operates 24/7, throughout the year, via an online chat.

Natal: trauma and resilience center for victims of hostile acts, terrorism and war-related trauma, operated by trained volunteers. The hotline operates 24/7, throughout the year.

Meitvta: national treatment and counseling for religious families.

Help and support hotline for new immigrants: operated by professionals and provides assistance in Amharic, Russian, French, Spanish and English.

Tene Briut: this hotline provides help and preliminary explanations to those who encounter difficulties in the health system. The organization that works to improve the health of Ethiopian immigrants in Israel runs it.

You can find information about other hotlines for specific sectors, such as senior citizens, Holocaust survivors, people with disabilities, and more, on the Home Front Command website.

In cases of extreme emotional distress or emergencies requiring urgent mental health care, you can go to the emergency room in your area to receive rapid initial support and an evaluation of whether hospitalization is needed. You can turn to the following ER options:

Visiting the ER at a Psychiatric Hospital

Every psychiatric hospital (also called a mental health center) has a psychiatric emergency room where you can go when immediate medical intervention is needed. These ERs operate 24/7, year-round. The goals of a visit to the psychiatric ER are:

  • Stabilizing the situation and preventing deterioration during acute episodes.
  • Providing emergency treatment and assessing the need for continued care, either in hospitalization or in the community.

At the end of the evaluation, the medical team will recommend the appropriate follow-up treatment, whether in hospitalization or community-based care.

Cost: Visiting the ER at a psychiatric hospital is free of charge. Although a referral is not required, it is recommended to consult with your HMO’s mental health hotline or your mental health provider before coming, to review the most suitable treatment options for you.

Visiting the ER at a General Hospital

Every general hospital ER has an on-call psychiatrist who will provide consultation if needed. At the end of the evaluation, the medical team will decide whether hospitalization is appropriate:

  • If hospitalization is recommended, the staff will refer you to a general or psychiatric hospital, depending on the case and your location.
  • If hospitalization is not required, they will recommend an appropriate framework for follow-up care.

Cost: This visit requires paying the ER fee. You can request a payment guarantee form (Form 17) from your HMO, which reduces the cost. If hospitalization is required, the ER fee is waived, similar to other medical emergencies.

Important

Important

If your emotional distress, or that of someone you are with, is manifested by significant physical symptoms such as chest pressure or pain, rapid heartbeat, sweating, difficulty breathing, fainting, or any other physical sign that may indicate a severe medical problem, it is essential to seek immediate medical care through urgent care centers or the emergency room, depending on the severity of the situation.

Remote Sign Language Translation Service: Sign Now IO

People with a hearing impairment and need sign language translation can download an app that allows immediate communication with sign language interpreters for any emergency call.

More information about the remote sign language translation service

Self-Help When Distressed

Before or alongside reaching out to support centers, it can help to use internal resources and simple tools that can ease difficult feelings—right here and now. Breathing and relaxation, grounding techniques, and support from people you trust can strengthen you and help you cope.

Self Mental Health First Aid

Mental First Aid Kit

During emergencies, any of us may experience distress—or come across someone who needs help. To help you know what to do in the moment, a new app has been developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Israel Resilience Authority.

The app includes calming exercises, self-help tools, and simple instructions for supporting someone in emotional distress. It can also be used without an internet connection.

Download the app: For Android | For iPhone

The app is free to use, with no registration required and no collection of personal information. Feel free to use it—and share it with others.

More on the same subject

Mental Health Hotlines of the HMOs