Clalit and Enosh Launch First Dedicated Mental Health Stabilization Home for Teens in Netivot
Clalit Health Services, in collaboration with the Israeli mental health nonprofit Enosh, inaugurated a specialized mental health stabilization home for adolescents in Netivot on Monday. Named "Nitzanim," the facility serves as an alternative to psychiatric hospitalization for youths aged 12 to 18 facing acute mental health crises. This initiative responds to a significant rise in mental health distress among minors, with Clalit reporting a 31% increase in under-18 patients seeking emergency mental health care and a 19% rise in anxiety and depression medication use in the first half of 2026 compared to the previous year.
The Nitzanim home, operated by Enosh, offers a supportive, home-like environment with professional staff including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, art therapists, educators, and guides. It provides up to three months of intensive care aimed at stabilizing mental health, preventing deterioration, and facilitating a gradual return to school, social activities, and eventually military or national service. Treatment includes individual and group therapy tailored to adolescent challenges, with family involvement and educational continuity emphasized.
Dr. Tzahi Ben-Zion, Clalit’s chief psychiatrist for the southern district, highlighted the home as a new opportunity for teens to receive care without distancing from family and community. Enosh CEO Dr. Hila Hadas praised the home as a vital addition to mental health care alternatives in Israel, especially in the southern region, enabling intensive treatment without full detachment from daily life. Hadva Amona, Clalit’s southern district manager, emphasized the importance of recognizing and addressing the growing mental health challenges among youth, particularly following the October 7 terror attack, which increased demand for mental health services.
The home aims to be a place of healing and hope, offering teens a supportive environment to regain strength and reintegrate into their communities. Clalit and Enosh hope that increased awareness of such alternatives will encourage timely intervention and reduce the need for hospitalization.
