Mental Health Families Association

The Mental Health Families Association works for and in the name of families in Israel where one (or more) of the members of the family has a mental disability. - Family supporting family - The problems of families - Discourse & proposals The association began its activities at the beginning of 2016 and received the status of a registered association in May 2016. The basic concept of the organization is that the subject of psychiatric disability is far beyond a narrow medical issue. It has an extensive social structure (in which stigmas are shaped) and aspects of a struggle for basic human rights and availability of resources. In this framework, the family, as the permanent body that accompanies the disabled, plays a central role in obtaining and following the treatment on the one hand, and must deal with problems that also require support on the other hand. The basic concept of the organization is that the subject of psychiatric disability is far beyond a narrow medical issue. It has an extensive social structure (in which stigmas are shaped) and aspects of a struggle for basic human rights and availability of resources. In this framework, the family, as the permanent body that accompanies the disabled, plays a central role in obtaining and following the treatment on the one hand, and must deal with problems that also require support on the other hand. In the field of assistance to families, the organization conducts training courses for families. The course, which includes approximately 20 family members, is comprised of 14 three-hour meetings. The course provides information on the vitality and working of the mind in many aspects: basic medical knowledge, institutional knowledge, the role of the family, the concept of activism and its application in mental health. The overall operation of these courses operates under the fan principle, i.e. some of the graduates of the courses serve as volunteer instructors of subsequent courses (under professional guidance), as well as family escorts and activists on various subjects. The courses are free of charge. In addition, the organization has established a system of individual care and guidance for families. This is an important complement to the institutional/ governmental care of families and is administered in coordination with them. The organization has volunteer representatives in most of the psychiatric hospitals in Israel, some of them actually being official members of the administration, as well as representation in the steering committees of many families' treatment centers, and dialog with the health funds. The organization's intention is to reach representation in most institutions in the fields of treatment and rehabilitation of the mentally handicapped in Israel. In the area of policy, the organization is active and raises many issues on the public agenda. For example, the issue of housing for mentally disabled people who do not receive housing services from the state, who actually constitute the majority. Second is the issue of "who cares?” Third is the issue of multiple disabilities and double sickness. Fourth is providing for setting up teams for crisis situations to prevent police intervention as much as possible, income for detention that has a traumatic effect on the individual and his family. Further, the association is active in issues that are on the public and institutional agenda, such as reducing the number of cases of binding patients, the improving the housing options in the public welfare package. At this stage the organization has limited ability to deal with these particularly difficult issues.