Several months ago, Israel’s Ministry of Defense designated Herzog Hospital as the official centre for Jerusalem, the surrounding areas and the south of Israel, to treat soldiers suffering from mental health/PTSD problems. With the onset of the war, the Ministry has asked us to immediately open and begin receiving discharged soldiers who need help.
The Ministry of Defense has a special category which identifies individuals who were so seriously affected psychologically by their army service that they need mental health counselling. This applies to soldiers, policeman, security personnel, and all those who have served in the defence of Israel. Veterans of Israel’s various wars, dating back to the Yom Kippur War, can be so severely traumatized by what they experienced that it can affect them and their families for the rest of their lives.
Now, with the current war, so many soldiers have had friends killed, and have seen firsthand the atrocities done to women, children, and the elderly in communities in the south. As a result, there will be many, many people needing mental health support.
Herzog Hospital’s Ministry of Defense Comprehensive Center will include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and all auxiliary staff. The Center will provide group and individual therapy on short-term and long-term basis.
The Center will be helping those who fought in past wars, as well as those fighting now.
During this critical time, YOUR help is needed to reach this goal — we cannot do it without you.