Anush - the Israeli Association for Mental Health, the largest organization in Israel in the field, which provides rehabilitation and treatment services to more than 15,000 mentally challenged, will close between 12 and 16 of its approximately 50 social centers in the country by the end of the year - this is what Israel Hayom learned ".
Those who will mainly pay the price are the residents of the periphery, because most of the centers that will be closed are in areas far from the center of the country, but the association warns against the closing of all centers later this year.
At a time when the public service is collapsing, and thousands of people who have already gone through all the recognition processes required by the National Insurance are waiting for many months to receive service, this is a step that has critical consequences for the ability to rehabilitate them and allow them to integrate into the community.
CEO of the Anush association, Dr. Hela Hadas, photo: Tomi Harpaz
There are currently about 250,000 mentally disabled people registered in Israel.
The Law on the Rehabilitation of the Mentally Handicapped in the Community, enacted in 2000 and considered at the time to be one of the most advanced in the world, anchored the right of the mentally handicapped recognized as having a disability of 40% or more to be rehabilitated in the community.
The law entitles the mentally disabled to rehabilitation services in areas such as housing, employment, completion of education, society and leisure, and care coordination.
In addition to that, if in the past the mentally disabled spent many years in a psychiatric hospital, sometimes even without a real medical need, the law actually makes it possible to shorten the length of hospitalization and start a rehabilitation process for patients living in the community as well.
The person in charge of implementing the law is the Ministry of Health, which purchases the rehabilitation services from various companies and associations - and Anush is one of them.
Inadequacy to the growing demand
If at its inception the Law on the Rehabilitation of the Mentally Handicapped was considered groundbreaking and progressive, then in the last 15 years there have been more and more criticisms of its implementation, and that in its current outline it does not fit the reality that has taken shape - in which many more people, especially young people aged 18-30, are selling by the authorities as suffering from a mental disability and seeking rehabilitation services.
About six months ago, the World Health Organization published a report, which stated that one in four people will be diagnosed with a psychiatric illness during their lifetime. This is a dramatic figure that also reflects the reality in Israel.
About six months ago, the World Health Organization published a report that stated that one in four people will be diagnosed with a psychiatric illness during their lifetime. This is a dramatic figure that also reflects the reality in Israel. In humanity, and this is just an example, hundreds of people are waiting in line to receive rehabilitation services, and according to estimates, there are thousands All the associations and companies in the field are waiting.
These are those who have already gone through the entire arduous and exhausting bureaucratic procedure in order to receive disability percentages and a disability allowance, and are entitled to a rehabilitation basket from the Ministry of Health.
However, in the last year they simply cannot receive the services that should prevent them from returning to psychiatric hospitalization, because the entrepreneurs cannot cope with the load.
One of the main reasons for the collapse - and the State Comptroller also warned about this in the past - is the Ministry of Health's remuneration system vis-à-vis some providers.
The method, which has not changed in all 22 years of the law's existence, does not match the cost of the service with the needs of the population and the growing demand, and is rewarded for each patient and not for the operation of the entire center.
As a result, operating the centers is more expensive than the Ministry of Health pays, which causes them losses and the inability to continue operating.
In the Anush association, as mentioned, they agreed to close 12-16 centers in the hope that the move will lead to a change in the remuneration system.
However, so far they have not received an explicit commitment from the ministry, and the association warns that not changing the method could lead to the closure of all treatment centers later this year.
This step may cast doubt on the other providers, and withdraw Israel in everything related to the integration of the mentally challenged into the community.
Comments
The Ministry of Health chose not to address some of the questions that "Israel Today" addressed to it - including the preparation for the expansion of the crisis due to the closing of the centers, the planned response to this and an explanation of the differences in compensation between the providers - and said as follows: "For the avoidance of doubt, the Ministry of Health did not order the closing of the centers. We are in contact with the suppliers, including the Anush association, about the compensation method. As soon as a gap is discovered that needs to be fixed, this will be arranged in an equitable manner with the relevant service providers."
"We did not order the closing of the centers."
Ministry of Health, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The Anush association stated: "We regret that in the reality we live in, mental health services suffer from under-budgeting and investment, to the point where social activity - which is a significant part of the rehabilitation process for those dealing with mental illness - is in danger of closing in some centers.
"We hope that the Ministry of Health will act correctly and allow them to receive the services they need in order to rehabilitate and integrate as vital and productive partners in society."
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