Psychiatric Services in Israel: Need for a Continuum of Care Model

Abstract

Objective: To highlight the need for a continuum of care model for the delivery of psychiatric services in Israel. Conclusion: Crisis assessment teams working in the community in collaboration with community mental health clinics and inpatient psychiatric units are required. The community clinics should have the capacity for providing assertive outreach including home visits as required. General hospital psychiatric units that are able to treat both voluntary and involuntary patients are also needed. The psychiatric service needs to be responsive to special needs groups with high morbidity such as those persons suffering from first-presentation psychosis and post-partum psychiatric illness. Two case vignettes are discussed that demonstrate the need for a continuum of care model.