Rehabilitation basket

The rehabilitation basket is a bundle of services, defined in the Mentally Ill Rehabilitation Act, 2000 (5760), and is under the responsibility of the Department for Rehabilitate of Mental Patients, in the Community, of the Mental Health Services of the Ministry of Health. The rehabilitation basket provides the Mentally Disabled with a package of services emphasizing the rehabilitation of the mentally disabled within the community rather than within the hospital. In addition, the law also defines the procedure that the patient must go through in order to obtain these services for his rehabilitation in various areas; Employment, housing, education completion, social and recreational, counseling and training for families, dental care and treatment prearrangements. 
 
Who is eligible for this assistance?

• Resident of Israel
• Over the age of 18
• Suffering from a mental disability at a rate of 40% or more according to the determination of the National Insurance Institute, under mental impairment items.

How is the rehabilitation program determined?
A patient who meets the criteria specified above is entitled to apply to one of the members of the medical staff (physician, social worker, psychologist, nursing provider) and inform him of his request to appear before the rehabilitation committee, so that it will set a rehabilitation program for him. Alternatively, the attending staff can contact the patient and offer him relevant assistance as part of the rehabilitation basket. At the inpatient wards and outpatient clinics such requests are directed to the social worker who's in charge of psychosocial rehabilitation issues, and who, jointly with the patient, prepare the necessary forms. The request is transferred to the District Rehabilitation Coordinator of the Ministry of Health, and within a short while a hearing is set to be held by the District Rehabilitation Committee.
 
District Rehabilitation Committee:
This committee consists of three professionals: Psychiatrist, social worker, occupational therapist or psychologist (at least two of whom are from different disciplines). The Committee invites the patient for a hearing in order to examine and approve the rehabilitation plan requested by the patient. Family members or other related entities may attend the hearing, at the request of the patient.
 
What does the rehabilitation program include?
The District Rehabilitation Committee is authorized to design a rehabilitation program according to the patient's preferences in a variety of areas: 
 

Employment - the rehabilitation program will include diagnostic and training services, labor market integration assistance by referral to supported employment (work at the open market, accompanied by professionals), absorption by a sheltered facility, referral to a sheltered (rehab) facility or an occupational club.
 
Housing - there's a rehabilitation continuum in terms of housing, ranging from a hostel/supportive community and down to supported housing programs housing guidance. In addition, the rehabilitee can be offered reliance and mentoring services.
 
Hostel/Supportive community - General description: The hostel consists of an apartment building or a central building surrounded by apartments within a walking distance. The hostel provides a wide therapeutic staff consisting of this facility's manager, a social worker, a house keeper, a psychiatric nurse, a cooking instructor and rehabilitation guides. 

 
The psychiatric follow - up is provided to the hostel's residents through the community mental health clinics.

The staff assigns each rehabilitee with a personal rehabilitation program tailored to his needs, abilities and wishes, in cooperation with him in in the spirit of the recovery approach, which enables a person to promote the interests he finds to be significant for him.
 
Housing guidance: Rehabilitees who are more independent and who need less guidance in the implementation of their rehabilitation program, will be guided by a guide and a professional, in sessions of up to two hours a week.

* Note: Currently the guidance is granted in an apartment owned by the rehabilitated patient, in a rented apartment or in public housing and also to a person who lives with his family.

Supported housing; a unique rehabilitation solution in which the rehabilitees live independently in the community within one-person flats or within apartment hosting several roommates. The residents run their own home and use community services: HMO, bank, shopping and leisure activities. The supported housing program provides every resident with ongoing treatment and guidance by a multidisciplinary staff: A rehabilitation guide and a social worker conduct visits of up to 5 hours each at the flats, as per a regular prearranged program. Every resident is assigned with a rehabilitation program that includes goals by which he develops. Every several months, or at the request the rehabilitee, an assessment is made, after which the rehabilitation objectives are formulated in accordance with the wishes and strengths of the rehabilitated patient.
 
Tutoring: A biweekly meeting with a tutor who visits the rehabilitated patient at his home, and assists him in developing his social skills. For example: Exploring leisure and entertainment sites, assistance in finding personal interests, helping with dealing with institutions within the community and more.
 
Reliance: Biweekly assistance in the areas of home maintenance such as cooking/cleaning and more, provided by a trained instructor who visits the rehabilitated patient at his home, with an emphasis on functionality.

 
The Rehabilitation Basket Committee approves a suitable housing solution for the patient, according to his needs and abilities. The rehabilitation concept mainly relies on a dynamic concept and optimistic concept, by which the entire housing solution constitutes a preparatory stage for the next more advanced and independent solution, and is not a permanent solution.
 
Education completion: The program includes referral to a course for completing elementary or secondary education, a Hebrew course and a computer course.

 
Supported college education: A services provided through academic institutions, including tutor's guidance in the specific studies subject, at a total of 3 hours per week. The aim of this service is to make the learning experience accessible to the rehabilitee and guide him in three main areas: Learning skills, the social area and coping with academic requirements.

 
ASHNAV preparatory program:  This a preparatory program for academic studies, designed for rehabilitees who haven't completed their matriculation exams and need guidance in developing develop their learning skills. The preparatory sessions takes place twice a year at the College of Management in Haifa, and guided professionally by the Rehabilitation Department of the National Insurance Institute, the Ministry of Health, "ASHNAV" and the College of Management.
   
Society and Leisure: The program could include referral to social clubs within both normal and special frameworks, both for recreation and for imparting social skills during leisure time.

 
"Etgarim": A program that allows rehabilitees to engage in diverse challenging activities under the guidance of an instructor. The objective of this activity is to promote self-confidence and the belief in the ability of the rehabilitee to deal with other areas of his life.
"Mifalot": This is a football team intended for rehabilitees with background and skills in the field of football. There are two teams in the Haifa and the Krayot region, led by professional coaches and rehabilitation professionals. Players who are found to be skillful can attend a coaching course later on in the program.

 
"Club House": A membership club that assists with the development of life skills and skills in the field of employment and leisure. Rehabilitees who engage in various employment settings during the morning can join the Club House" as strictly a social club.
 
Assisting with the initial equipping; after the rehabilitee is absorbed within the rehabilitation program he can receive initial help with the equipment in his apartment, provided there is a direct link between the provided assistance and the designed rehabilitation program. The application shall be made by the treatment coordinator or the professional employee as part of the rehabilitation program in which he's integrated. The assistance will be provided for five years.
 
Miscellaneous: The rehabilitation program also provides referral to dental care treatments and assistance with their funding. In addition family members of a mental patient can receive counseling and guidance on how to cope with mental illness and its consequences.
 
Arranging treatments; The Rehabilitation Committee may appoint a mental health professional to be responsible for the implementation of all the services provided under the program, and to coordinate them.
 
Changes in the rehabilitation program: The District Rehabilitation Committee shall reconsider the rehabilitation program once every six months.  The rehabilitee, or a representative on his behalf (family, caregiver) may contact the committee at any time, with a request to modify the program.
 
Appeal against the decision of the District Rehabilitation Committee:
A potential rehabilitee, who for some reason is not satisfied with the decisions of the committee, may appeal to the District Appeals Committee within 45 days of receiving the decision of the committee which examined his requests. The appeal committee must consider the appeal within 60 days of its filing.
 
* At the end of the current program, in addition to the rehabilitation basket, an option for job placement at the open market through the Rehabilitation Department of the National Insurance Institute (The service is available only for those with mental disability).