Comptroller Engelman: "Immediately correct the deficiencies in the implementation of the One Soul reform for war wounded and all disabled IDF soldiers"/State Comptroller's Office
The State Comptroller's report published today (Monday) shows that only about a third of the Defense Ministry budget earmarked for the One Soul reform went to disabled IDF soldiers, and only about 14% of the budget allocated to combatants with PTSD reached its intended purpose. The report, prepared before the outbreak of the "Iron Swords" war, examined the satisfaction of disabled IDF soldiers with the Rehabilitation and Implementation of One Soul Reform by distributing satisfaction questionnaires to those rehabilitated. According to the responses to the questionnaire, disabled IDF soldiers gave the division a score of only 53 out of 100.
In May 2021, after the unfortunate case of Itzik Saidian, the state decided on a "One Soul Reform" – aimed at significantly improving the treatment and rehabilitation provided to disabled IDF soldiers and the defense establishment. The reform's budget for 2021-2022 was NIS 1.5 billion, of which NIS 300 million was for a one-time budget.
The Comptroller's report shows that the cumulative budgetary performance of the reform budget during these years amounted to about NIS 443 million, the percentage of which is about 30% of the total budget approved. The cumulative budget performance rate out of the reform's current budget, excluding the one-time budget (which was about NIS 1.2 billion), was about 38 percent. Budgetary performance in the areas of response for people coping with post-traumatic stress disorder was low, amounting to about NIS 66 million out of NIS 461 million – that is, only 14% of the budget – due to low rates of utilization of rights by disabled IDF soldiers.
Itzik Saidian. The state decided on one soul reform following his case/Reuven Castro
The comptroller's report also examined compliance with the timetables for the implementation of the reform, which was planned to be implemented by July 2022. The report shows that more than two years after the government's decision, the reform as planned has not been completed in three core areas:
anchoring benefits in legislation – all benefits except for vehicles and housing have not yet reached a final version, and the process of amending the Disability Law has not yet been completed.
Responding to post-trauma patients – tasks related to the composition of the medical committee, recognition of comorbidities suffered by post-trauma victims and updating the test book have not been completed – tasks whose completion may significantly facilitate the stage of recognizing post-trauma victims.
ICT systems – the establishment of a new ICT system for the Rehabilitation Division has not been completed.
Failure to complete the tasks in these areas impairs the ability of the Rehabilitation Department to bring about a significant improvement in the treatment and rehabilitation provided to disabled IDF soldiers.
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Meeting with shell-shocked people of the "Don't abandon combatants in the field" association (Archive)/Avi Rokach
In 2022, about a year after the implementation of the One Soul reform began, there was an increase of about 50% in the volume of requests for recognition of disability. During that year, the Rehabilitation Department treated about 60,20 disabled people with a disability level of 15% or higher, including about 300,2023 with head injury or mental injury or post-traumatic stress disorder. As of May 7, approximately 800,7 disabled IDF soldiers are recognized for PTSD.
Despite the increase in demand, the utilization of the rights of the disabled is very low. Thus, for example, only about 6% of the IDF disabled population with head injury or mental injury or PTSD exercised their entitlement to mental health treatment for disabled children and family members, and only about 2021% of this population exercised their entitlement to mentoring services for children with disabilities. In addition, in order to meet the needs, in the second half of 2011-23, the addition of personnel standards to the Rehabilitation Department was approved. As of May 63, only 95 of the 66 approved positions (6%) were staffed.
The State Comptroller distributed questionnaires of satisfaction with the attitude and service of the Rehabilitation Department among some 000,28 disabled IDF soldiers. The responses show that 74% of the respondents responded that they are not satisfied at all or slightly satisfied. In addition, the responses to the questionnaire indicate that a high percentage (80%-74%) of respondents are not aware of the personal benefits basket or are aware of only part of it, and a similar rate of respondents (79%-<>%) are unaware of the basket of benefits for family members or part of it. This state of lack of awareness may prevent disabled IDF soldiers and their families from receiving mental health and other treatment.
State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman / Documentation on social networks according to section 27A of the Copyright Law
The Defense Ministry's response: "Since the reform was launched, and even more so in the past three months, employees of the Rehabilitation Department have been working night and day to provide new and veteran disabled IDF soldiers with the best care and service. As evidence, the substantial improvement in the satisfaction of disabled IDF soldiers with the response provided by the Division as indicated by the results of the Government Satisfaction Survey. With regard to the survey presented in the Comptroller's report, we believe that a reform of this magnitude should be examined over time. The Ministry of Defense is currently working with the Ministry of Finance in order to obtain the tools required to meet this important task, with an emphasis on a significant increase in manpower standards."
Adv. Idan Kaliman, Chairman of the Disabled IDF Organization: "For years we have been crying out about the need for reform and in recent years for its immediate implementation, and have encountered the wheels of bureaucracy in the legislative process, while abandoning the wounded without providing immediate assistance to the existing deficiencies. Now we are shown what a country at war looks like that behaves like a country in a sleepy routine. The huge surge of IDF wounded that is coming before us requires rapid preparations in order to thoroughly correct the depth failures – both in the infrastructure of the Rehabilitation Division and in quick legislation. The government must fulfill its moral and moral obligation to the wounded and pass a government decision in the upcoming session, to implement the reform immediately even before it is passed by legislation – this is the order of the day."
- More on the subject:
- State Comptroller
- State Comptroller's Report
- Comptroller's Report
- Combat shock
- Post-trauma
- Itzik Saidian