Trauma Organizations Demand Mental Health Care in Coalition Agreements Ahead of Elections
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
A week before Israeli elections, trauma and resilience organizations are urging party leaders to include mental health and trauma care in coalition agreements. They warn of a national resilience crisis and demand guaranteed budgets for resilience centers, a dedicated support center for reservists' families, and sustained funding for academic resilience programs. The groups also propose a system to evaluate and improve local authorities' crisis preparedness.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Trauma organizations are demanding mental health care be included in coalition agreements before Israeli elections.
- They warn of a crisis in national resilience and seek guaranteed budgets for 14 local and one national resilience center.
- A dedicated support center for reservists' families is requested due to increased emotional strain.
- Organizations call for sustained public funding for the 'Resilience in Academia' initiative serving over 100,000 students.
- A program to assess and improve local authorities' crisis preparedness is also proposed.
With one week remaining until the Knesset elections, trauma and resilience organizations, led by the Israeli Coalition for Trauma, have appealed to party leaders demanding that mental health and trauma care be enshrined in the next government's foundational principles and coalition agreements. The appeal was joined by the Forum of Reserve Soldiers' Wives, the National Union of Students, and the Organization of Victims of Hostile Acts.
The organizations are warning of a crisis in the national resilience system and have presented four key demands. Foremost among these is securing the budget for the continued operation of resilience centers, citing uncertainty regarding funding for 2027 and fears of significant cuts. According to the organizations, Israel currently operates 14 local resilience centers and a national center serving 220 municipalities lacking a local facility. They state the national center has treated over 20,000 trauma survivors, coordinates mental health care for festival survivors, and operates a treatment hotline during routine and emergency times.
Another demand is the establishment of a dedicated center for the families of reservist soldiers, offering diagnosis, guidance, and individual, couple, and family therapy. The organizations explain that prolonged service rotations and the transition between combat and civilian life increase emotional strain on these families, while existing services are fragmented and insufficient.
In higher education, the groups are calling for guaranteed public funding for the "Resilience in Academia" initiative, which was initially established with philanthropic support. Data presented shows that this initiative has set up 22 resilience centers and provided services to over 100,000 students and staff.
Furthermore, the organizations seek to advance a program to assess the preparedness of local authorities for crisis situations, using a "Resilience Readiness Mark for Authorities" model. This model aims to identify gaps in preparedness and develop action plans. The organizations urge the incoming government to adopt these measures upon its formation to ensure continuity of care and strengthen mental health support for citizens.