Mental Health Treatment Services

Treatment through the HMOs

The HMOs offer a range of treatments for various emotional disorders and distresses, as well as varying levels of dysfunction. Normally, all mental health services are provided and funded by the HMO. Treatment provided in HMO clinics or in clinics and programs of the HMO service providers such as hospitals, organizations and NPOs. If the treatment is not provided in HMO clinics, it is important to make sure that you have prior authorization from the HMO (Form 17).

Cost: the service is provided free of charge or for a low quarterly fee.

Types of treatment

• Mental health support hotline: HMOs operate a hotline both during normal times and during emergencies.
• Crisis intervention: HMOs offer a series of 3 telephone support calls with professionals who will help cope with various crises.
• Treatment in HMO clinics: mental health care practitioners such as a psychiatrist or psychotherapist operate alongside and in conjunction with the staff of family physicians and pediatricians, nurse and other clinic staff. More on mental health care in clinics
• Treatment at mental health clinics: treatment in a multidisciplinary clinic of the HMO or provider such as outpatient clinics of hospitals, organizations or NPOs. In this clinic, treatment is provided by several professionals in various fields including psychiatry, psychotherapy, social work, nurses (long-term care), occupational therapy, art therapy, and more.
• Psychotherapy with an independent therapist: treatment provided by independent therapists who work in their private clinics, in-network with the HMO. The service is partially subsidized and there is a deductible for every session. For itemization of costs on the Kol Habriut website (Hebrew).
• Crisis Team: a multidisciplinary, rapid, short-term and intense therapeutic response that is provided in the patient’s home to stabilize a severe state of mental health and prevent psychiatric hospitalization.
• Assertive Community Treatment (ACT): intense multidisciplinary treatment that is provided in the patient’s home for a defined period of time to stabilize their mental health and prevent psychiatric hospitalization. The treatment includes a package of services that are provided more intensely than crisis teams but less than psychiatric hospitalization. Crisis team: a multidisciplinary, rapid, short-term and intense therapeutic response that is provided in the patient’s home to stabilize a severe state of mental health and prevent psychiatric hospitalization.
• Psychiatric day treatment: intense therapy designed for patients in an acute state that is designed to prevent psychiatric hospitalization. In outpatient treatment, the patient arrives at a program that serves as a therapeutic environment, 3-5 times a week, with each treatment day lasting 6 hours. Outpatient treatment includes a multidisciplinary individual and group therapy as well as various activities. Alongside outpatient therapy that treats all mental health conditions, there are special outpatient therapies to treat eating disorders, complex PTSD and postpartum depression. More on day treatment (Hebrew)
• Balancing homes: for anyone experiencing an acute mental health crisis, to prevent hospitalization in a psychiatric hospital and to heal in a homey, warm and supportive environment in the community. The treatment involves various medical, psychological and social approaches to be provided by a multidisciplinary team and counselors who accompany the patient throughout the day. The treatment is contingent upon a referral and approval of the insuring HMO and in-network of the balancing house as a HMO provider. List of balancing homes (Hebrew)
• Psychiatric home hospitalization: an alternate to psychiatric hospitalization in a hospital. Psychiatric home hospitalization allows people who are experiencing an acute mental health crisis to receive intense multidisciplinary treatment at home with the assistance of the primary care provider. The primary care provider is largely a family member, partner or close friend who lives with the patient. Receiving treatment at home, in a familiar and supportive environment, can help generate positive feelings such as calmness, choice and control, alongside the preservation of the patient's self-identity as well as their functional, psychological, social and occupational continuity, all of which will contribute to recovery and a quick return to function. The treatment is contingent upon a referral and approval of the insuring HMO.

Emotional therapy at resilience centers

Resilience centers provide a therapeutic response, to any person experiencing anxiety and dysfunction due to the security situation. The therapy is provided by licensed professionals who specialize in trauma therapy.

The centers provide individual, group and family therapy by telephone, Zoom or in person at the therapeutic centers across the country. Initial service is provided by telephone at *5486, after which you will be referred to a hotline in your area of residence. You can also directly call these numbers to obtain information in the following languages:

• Hebrew: 04-690-0603
• Arabic: 04-770-2649
• English: 04-770-2651
• Russian: 04-770-2650

Cost: the service is provided free of charge.

Psychiatric hospitalization

Psychiatric hospitalization is designed for any person coping with acute disorders or mental health disabilities that prevents them from screaming at home due to one of the following reasons:

1. The individual is a danger to himself, to someone else or to the environment.
2. Disorganized behavior or lack of judgment that causes the person to neglect themselves and results in severe dysfunction.
3. Severe symptoms at a level that requires intense treatment and observation.

Psychiatric hospitalization may involve a psychiatric hospital or the psychiatric ward in a general hospital. More on psychiatric hospitalization (Hebrew)