As we enter the new year and reflect on both the challenges and the resilience we've witnessed, we’re grateful for the opportunity to share some early updates from our ongoing efforts to accelerate trauma healing in Israel.
Mapping the Landscape of Trauma Care Our research team is working diligently to identify and map the ecosystem of trauma services across the country. So far, we have cataloged 357 organizations providing trauma health services and collected detailed data on 246 of them. We’ve also initiated meaningful partnerships with 93 of these organizations.This landscape includes a wide variety of entities including 200 NGOs, 170 clinics under ~32 institutions (government, NGOs, and HMOs), 130 tech companies.At this stage, our focus is on researching specific populations such as the Re’im Festival Survivors, Veterans and Soldiers, Children and Teens, and specific diagnoses such as Trauma/PTSD, Addiction, and Suicide. In future phases, we plan to expand our research to additional vulnerable groups, including displaced populations, women, immigrants, refugees, the elderly, Haredi and Arab Israelis, those with physical injuries. Our preliminary findings will be available by the end of October 2024, with the mapping expected to be 70% completed by early January 2025, as planned.
Prioritizing Impact Areas We have been working with experts and have identified eight imperatives to accelerate trauma healing in Israel. We are already in the process of developing project plans for two of these imperatives: a National Psychoeducation Campaign and a dashboard for Public Health Surveillance. Partnerships will be critical to turning these plans into impactful action, and we are inviting organizations to join us in this effort.
Advancing the Field We are committed to documenting our findings on trauma healing and sharing these learnings with anyone that can benefit from them. Here are a few examples of the way we have done this:
Briefing the First Lady, Michal Herzog: We had the honor of briefing First Lady Michal Herzog on our work and the situation on the ground. Her dedication to mental health has been a beacon of hope, and we’re pleased to share the details of that briefing with you here.
Our Website and Resources: Our website has been recently updated with new insights, research reports, and a blog where we share the latest on trauma health in Israel. We invite you to explore our articles and resources - for example, on the Hidden Heroes (Children of Reservists) and our Intro the Israeli Health System.
ICAR Collective in the Media: We’re proud that our work was recently highlighted by Daniel Goldman in his Jerusalem Post article, “Speeding up trauma healing is a national imperative.” Prof Eyal Fruchter published articles in Israel Hayom, both in English and in Hebrew, on how to cope with the ongoing trauma; and Gila was interviewed on Scott Kahn’s Orthodox Conundrum podcast, where she discussed the challenges of addressing trauma in Israel and shared how we at ICAR Collective are rising to meet them.
If you’re interested in learning more about examples of where we’ve already made a difference, we invite you to read the case examples at the bottom of this email.
Our Deepest Gratitude
We want to express our heartfelt thanks for your partnership and engagement with our mission. Together, we can build a movement to heal trauma and restore lives across Israel. Your participation is invaluable in making this vision a reality.
In honor of the upcoming Rosh Hashanah, Gila has shared her reflections on our wounds, our responsibilities to ourselves and each other, and on the importance of finding joy amidst sorrow. You can read her reflections in English or in Hebrew.
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, we wish you and your loved ones a meaningful and safe holiday. May the hostages return home, our soldiers remain safe, and the wounded heal swiftly and completely.
Case Examples of Our Impact
The NATO Science for Peace and Innovation Programme At the most recent NATO conference, as part of a delegation of five Israeli scientists, Prof. Eyal Fruchter of ICAR Collective and Prof. Shlomo Mendlovic of Shalvata Mental Health Center presented the critical need to redefine PTSD prevention in the context of ongoing conflicts. Prevention methods must evolve to address the continuous trauma experienced in protracted conflicts, such as in Israel and Ukraine. Prof. Fruchter emphasized the importance of keeping individuals functional, highlighting how ongoing support systems can help people remain engaged in their lives and communities. As Prof. Fruchter points out, “Our objective is not just to avoid PTSD or depression but to ensure people can stay connected to their lives. Functionality is the cornerstone of mental health in ongoing trauma situations.”Read more on our website - in English or in Hebrew.
Employment After Trauma On July 30, we had the privilege of organizing a roundtable discussion in partnership with Joint-Tevet and NATAL. Participants from organizations such as Maccabi, Clalit, the Day After Fund, the Taub Center, Matnasim, the Ministry of Health, and the Haredi Coalition all took the time to bring their unique perspectives to the table with only one goal in mind: accelerating the return to employment to protect the health, productivity and security of our nation.
Bringing Resources and Expertise to the Field ICAR Collective advised philanthropists on how to allocate $10Mn USD of funding in the field of Mental Health. Below are two examples of programs having incredible impact in the field:
HOMIYAH ICAR Collective identified HOMIYAH as a priority program to accelerate healing in the country. The data-driven protocols and "train the trainers" program for therapists provide tools to support not only those diagnosed with PTSD, but also those affected by trauma without a formal diagnosis. The program prioritizes personalized, tailored trauma care, recognizing that one-size-fits-all approaches are ineffective, and was founded by Professor Shlomo Mendlovic of Shalvata Mental Health Center in collaboration with Columbia University's Professor Yuval Neria. By training 180 clinic managers who then return to their communities to teach others, HOMIYAH has indirectly trained over 1,500 therapists across Israel.
XR Health ICAR Collective helped bring tech solutions which would have otherwise not been accessible in Hebrew to the Israeli market by connecting the XR Health team with philanthropists committed to advancing mental health. XR Health will provide 300 reservist households with a VR headset to facilitate treatment for both the reservist and his/her family. The goals of the program are to 1) support reservists who have disruptive symptoms, but are not diagnosed with PTSD, 2) generate data on how the use of VR technology between therapy sessions could decrease patient recovery time compared to traditional 1-1 therapy and 3) assess if it could reduce time spent with the therapists allowing them to treat more patients.The program has attracted significant interest, with over 1,000 families expressing interest and 150 already registered, highlighting a strong demand for innovative mental health interventions. In just a short period, platform utilization is at an impressive 100%, with participants engaging at least twice a week, indicating that the program is offering meaningful and impactful support. Early outcomes are promising. In an “Only in Israel” twist, some reservists were called back for duty in Gaza and brought their VR devices into the field, using them to manage stress and trauma in real-time. This adaptability in high-stress environments underscores the program’s unique value and its potential.
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