Idan Roll Leads Tech Initiative to Address Israel's Mental Health Crisis
Idan Roll, former Israeli Knesset member and deputy foreign minister, has chosen to remain CEO of Code for Israel despite receiving offers to return to politics ahead of upcoming elections. Instead, he is spearheading a new call for technological solutions to support Israel's strained mental health system. The initiative invites government offices, local authorities, hospitals, nonprofits, and social organizations to submit their key challenges by July 16, aiming to develop tech-driven tools that improve service delivery and efficiency.
Mental health services in Israel have faced growing demand, exacerbated by the aftermath of the October 7 conflict, with 435,000 patients treated in 2025, a 30% increase over three years, and 3.5 million therapeutic contacts recorded. Code for Israel, founded by Yasmin Locaz and now led by Roll, mobilizes over 1,200 tech volunteers who have contributed more than 90,000 hours across 100 projects. The organization applies a "Partner Design" model, collaborating closely with stakeholders to co-create tailored solutions rather than imposing pre-made products.
Roll highlighted a successful project with Jerusalem's youth department that used social media scanning to identify signs of distress and suicide risk among teenagers not reached by traditional services, increasing early interventions sixfold. The current campaign seeks to scale such efforts by integrating government, philanthropy, nonprofits, and the tech sector to address systemic gaps. An AI assistant tool was also developed to help organizations better articulate their technological needs.
Roll emphasized the urgency of addressing the mental health crisis, especially for populations like trauma victims and IDF wounded soldiers, noting Code for Israel recently offered technological support to the Ministry of Defense's Rehabilitation Department amid budget shortfalls. He believes technology can extend reach, reduce bureaucracy, and provide early detection, creating a "digital protective shield" for vulnerable individuals.
Although Roll remains open to a political return in the future, he is currently focused on leveraging civic tech to enact meaningful change outside the Knesset. He views the collaboration between government, civil society, philanthropy, and high-tech as essential to overcoming Israel's mental health challenges and achieving systemic reform.
