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Mental Health Rehabilitation in the Community Law, 5760-2000

חוק שיקום מתמודדי נפש בקהילה, התש"ס–2000

Published: 2000-07-21Last amended 2024-07-18✓ Amendment status checked against the Knesset legislation record on 2026-09-09
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Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More

This English text was translated from the official Hebrew using a range of translation tools, and it undergoes ongoing checks and updates. It is not a certified translation.

Despite these checks, it may contain errors, omissions, or imprecise renderings of legal terminology and cross-references, and it may not yet reflect the latest amendments. It cannot be relied upon as a legal text.

The Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) and on the Knesset website is the sole authoritative and legally binding version. In any discrepancy, the Hebrew text prevails.

This translation is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For use in legal proceedings, request a certified Expert Legal Opinion.

Purpose§

1.

The purpose of this Law is to promote the rehabilitation and integration into the community of persons dealing with mental illness, so as to enable them to attain the highest possible degree of functional independence and quality of life, while preserving their dignity in the spirit of Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty.

Definitions§

2.

In this Law –

"regional rehabilitation committee" means a regional rehabilitation committee established under Section 13;

"occupational therapist" has the meaning assigned to it in the Regulation of Practice in Health Professions Law, 5768-2008;

"person dealing with mental illness" means a resident of Israel who suffers from a mental disorder;

"rehabilitation basket" means a basket of rehabilitation services in the fields listed in the Schedule;

"professional worker" means any of the following: a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a social worker, an occupational therapist, a nursing worker, and also any professional whom the Director General of the Ministry of Health has recognised by notice in Reshumot (Official Gazette) as a professional worker for the purposes of this Law;

"nursing worker" means a person registered in the nursing staff register pursuant to the Public Health Ordinance, 1940;

"psychologist" means a person registered in the register of psychologists pursuant to the Psychologists Law, 5737-1977;

"psychiatrist" means a physician who holds a specialist title in psychiatry or in child and adolescent psychiatry pursuant to the Physicians Ordinance [New Version], 5736-1976;

"rehabilitation" means a process directed within the framework of the community towards developing the capacities and skills of a person dealing with mental illness, so as to secure for that person the highest possible degree of functional independence and quality of life, accompanied by medical follow-up, including each of the following:

(1)the realisation of the rights of a person dealing with mental illness in the fields of housing, employment, studies and vocational training;
(2)training for the development of social skills and the utilisation of leisure time of a person dealing with mental illness;

"rehabilitation service" means a service whose purpose is to advance the rehabilitation of a person dealing with mental illness;

"rehabilitation plan" means a plan for the rehabilitation of a particular person dealing with mental illness, determined for that person by the regional rehabilitation committee in accordance with the rehabilitation basket;

"Regulations for the Determination of Disability Percentages" means the National Insurance (Determination of Degree of Disability for Work Accident Victims) Regulations, 5716-1956;

"the Minister" means the Minister of Health.

Entitlement to Rehabilitation§

3.
(a)A person dealing with mental illness who has attained the age of 18 and who suffers from a medical disability due to a mental disorder, or a person on that person's behalf, may apply to a regional rehabilitation committee for the determination of the entitlement of the person dealing with mental illness to a rehabilitation plan under this Law; the application shall be accompanied by a professional opinion of a psychiatrist establishing that the applicant for rehabilitation is in need, by reason of that disability, of rehabilitation services.
(b)A medical disability due to a mental disorder for the purposes of subsection (a) is a disability of at least 40%, determined under items 33 or 34 of the Schedule to the Regulations for the Determination of Disability Percentages, by one of the following:
(1)a psychiatrist authorised by the Minister, in accordance with the rules, tests and criteria prescribed in the Regulations for the Determination of Disability Percentages;
(2)a person authorised to determine disability percentages for the purpose of payment of a benefit under the provisions of Chapter V or Chapter IX of the National Insurance Law [Consolidated Version], 5755-1995.

National Rehabilitation Council§

4.

The Minister shall appoint a National Council for the Rehabilitation of Persons Dealing with Mental Illness in the Community (hereinafter – the Council) comprising 23 members, as follows:

(1)a representative of the Minister, who shall be an employee of the Minister's office, and who shall be the chairperson;
(2)a psychiatrist who is the representative of the organisation that, in the Minister's opinion, represents the largest number of psychiatrists;
(3)a psychologist who is the representative of the organisation that, in the Minister's opinion, represents the largest number of psychologists;
(4)a social worker who is the representative of the organisation that, in the Minister's opinion, represents the largest number of social workers;
(5)an occupational therapist who is the representative of the organisation that, in the Minister's opinion, represents the largest number of occupational therapists;
(6)a nursing worker who is the representative of the organisation that, in the Minister's opinion, represents the largest number of nursing workers;
(7)two representatives of organisations that, in the Minister's opinion, represent persons dealing with mental illness;
(8)two representatives of organisations that, in the Minister's opinion, represent the families of persons dealing with mental illness;
(9)eight Government representatives, upon the recommendation of each of the following Ministers from among the employees of their respective offices:
(a)the Minister of Construction and Housing;
(b)the Minister of Labour and Welfare;
(c)the Minister of Finance;
(d)the Minister of Education;
(e)the Minister of Justice;
(f)the Minister of Defence;
(g)the Minister of Immigration Absorption;
(h)the Minister of Industry and Trade;
(10)a representative of the Centre of Local Government;
(11)a representative who is an employee of the National Insurance Institute, upon the recommendation of the Director General of the National Insurance Institute;
(12)three representatives of institutions recognised for higher education within the meaning of the Council for Higher Education Law, 5718-1958 (hereinafter – institutions recognised for higher education), who have education in fields related to the rehabilitation of persons dealing with mental illness in the community; the representatives under this paragraph shall be selected upon the recommendation of the existing institutions, and in the absence of such a recommendation, by the Minister.

Functions of the Council§

5.

The following are the functions of the Council:

(1)to advise the Minister on the subject of the rehabilitation of persons dealing with mental illness, including on the following matters:
(a)the formulation of a multi-year national rehabilitation policy;
(b)the planning of rehabilitation services in the community and the improvement of their quality, availability and accessibility, as well as ways to advance equality in all of the foregoing;
(c)the development of education and public information programmes in the community on any subject related to persons dealing with mental illness;
(d)changes in the rehabilitation services basket;
(e)the establishment of standards for providers of rehabilitation services;
(2)to receive reports and data on the implementation of the Law;
(3)to initiate research on rehabilitation matters.

Term of Office§

6.

Members of the Council shall be appointed for four years and may be reappointed for one additional consecutive term, provided that after two consecutive terms of appointment a Council member as aforesaid shall not be appointed for an additional term for at least four years.

Restriction on Appointment§

7.

A person who has been convicted of an offence which, by reason of its nature, gravity or circumstances, renders that person unfit to serve as a member of the Council shall not be appointed to the Council.

Vacation of Office§

8.

A member of the Council shall cease to hold office before the end of the member's term of office upon the occurrence of any of the following:

(1)the member resigned by delivering a letter of resignation to the Minister;
(2)the member was convicted of an offence which, by reason of its nature, gravity or circumstances, renders that person unfit to serve as a member of the Council;
(3)the member ceased to be an employee of the Government ministry or the body that the member represents on the Council.

Removal from Office§

9.

The Minister may remove a Council member from office before the end of the member's term of office, if that member is permanently unable to fulfil the member's duties.

Validity of Actions§

10.

The existence of the Council, its powers and the validity of its decisions shall not be impaired by reason of a vacancy in the seat of a member of the Council or by reason of a defect in the appointment or continuation of service of a member.

Meetings§

11.
(a)Meetings of the Council shall be held at least four times a year; the chairperson of the Council or one-third of its members may convene an additional Council meeting.
(b)The chairperson of the Council shall convene the meetings and shall determine their dates, places and agendas, provided that the chairperson shall convene a meeting at the request of Council members, as referred to in subsection (a), within 21 days of the date of the request.

Procedure§

12.
(a)
(1)The quorum at meetings of the Council is ten members including the chairperson;
(2)where a meeting was opened with a quorum, the continuation of the meeting shall be lawful with any number of those present, provided that at the time of taking decisions at least three members were present, including the chairperson.
(b)Decisions of the Council shall be adopted by a majority of the votes of the members participating in the vote; where the votes are equal, the chairperson shall have the casting vote.
(c)The Council shall determine its own rules of procedure to the extent that these have not been prescribed under this Law.

Regional Rehabilitation Committees§

13.
(a)The Minister shall establish regional rehabilitation committees and shall determine their areas of activity.
(b)A regional rehabilitation committee shall comprise three members who are professional workers, at least two of them from different fields; one of them shall be a State employee and shall be the chairperson.

Regional Rehabilitation Committee – Functions§

14.
(a)A regional rehabilitation committee shall examine the entitlement of a person dealing with mental illness who applied to it, or whose matter was brought before it pursuant to the provisions of Section 3, to a rehabilitation plan.
(b)Where a regional rehabilitation committee finds that a person dealing with mental illness is entitled to a rehabilitation plan, it shall determine a rehabilitation plan for that person, comprising services included in the rehabilitation basket and in the scope it has determined, subject to the scope of service prescribed under Section 25.
(c)A regional rehabilitation committee may authorise reimbursement to a person dealing with mental illness of public transport travel expenses incurred in the implementation of the rehabilitation plan.
(d)A regional rehabilitation committee shall review, every six months, the rehabilitation plan determined for a person dealing with mental illness in order to assess the suitability of the rehabilitation plan determined for that person.
(e)A regional rehabilitation committee may, at any time, upon the request of a person dealing with mental illness or a person on that person's behalf, or upon the recommendation of a professional worker, amend the rehabilitation plan determined for that person.
(f)Decisions of a regional rehabilitation committee shall be adopted by a majority of the votes of the members; where the votes are equal, the opinion of the chairperson shall be decisive.
(g)A regional rehabilitation committee shall determine its own rules of procedure to the extent that these have not been prescribed under this Law.

Regional Rehabilitation Committee – Powers§

15.
(a)For the purpose of performing its functions, a regional rehabilitation committee may, after the provisions of the law have been complied with, including the provisions relating to medical confidentiality, refer a person dealing with mental illness for functional psychiatric assessment, examine that person's medical file, hear and receive expert opinions in various fields, hear the person dealing with mental illness, the family members of the person dealing with mental illness or other interested persons, and also require from the person dealing with mental illness or that person's representative any information needed by it, all as it has determined.
(b)A regional rehabilitation committee may, at any time, require information from any person concerned in the matter regarding the extent of the integration of the person dealing with mental illness in the rehabilitation plan, subject to any law.
(c)Where a person has been requested to provide information as aforesaid, that person shall respond to the regional rehabilitation committee no later than fourteen days from the date of receipt of the request, notwithstanding anything stated in any law prohibiting the provision of information.

District Appeals Committees§

16.
(a)The Minister shall establish district appeals committees and shall determine their areas of activity.
(b)Each district appeals committee shall comprise five members and its composition shall be as follows:
(1)a person qualified to be appointed as a Magistrate's Court judge, from a list drawn up by the Minister of Justice, who shall be the chairperson;
(2)three professional workers, each from a different field of practice;
(3)a public representative.
(c)The Minister may prescribe rules regarding the eligibility requirements for membership of an appeals committee, the term of office and rules for the removal of a member of an appeals committee from office.

Filing of an Appeal§

17.
(a)Against a decision of a regional rehabilitation committee under Section 14, any person concerned in the matter, as well as the Minister or a person on the Minister's behalf, may file an appeal; the appeal shall be filed within forty-five days of the date on which notice of the decision of the regional rehabilitation committee was given to the person dealing with mental illness or to a person on that person's behalf.
(b)The district appeals committee shall hear the appeal no later than sixty days from the date of its filing.
(c)The district appeals committee may confirm the decision that is the subject of the appeal, annul it or amend it.
(d)Decisions of the district appeals committee shall be adopted by a majority of the votes of the members.
(e)The district appeals committee shall determine its own rules of procedure to the extent that these have not been prescribed under this Law.

Preservation of Confidentiality§

18.

A person who has received information regarding a person dealing with mental illness in the course of performing that person's duty or in the course of that person's work under this Law shall keep such information confidential, shall act in accordance with the provisions of any law, and shall not disclose it except for the purpose of fulfilling the provisions of this Law.

Information Services§

19.

The Minister shall act to provide accessible information services regarding all matters pertaining to the rights of persons dealing with mental illness under this Law, including the rehabilitation services available to them and the providers of those services.

Amendment of the Rehabilitation Basket§

20.

The Minister, in consultation with the Minister of Finance, may by Order add to the rehabilitation basket detailed in the Schedule, and, with the approval of the Labour, Welfare and Health Committee of the Knesset, reduce it.

Experimental Rehabilitation Services§

21.

The Minister, or a person authorised by him for that purpose, may approve the operation of rehabilitation services not included in the rehabilitation basket, on an experimental basis, for the purpose of examining their rehabilitative benefit, provided that the total cost of their operation shall not exceed 5% of the annual statutory budget for rehabilitation.

Jurisdiction§

22.

A regional Labour Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear any claim whose cause of action arises under this Law.

Budgeting§

23.

The annual budget for the rehabilitation of persons dealing with mental illness in the community under this Law shall be determined within an allocation for a separate field of activity – "Mental Health Rehabilitation in the Community Law" – under the budget section of the Ministry of Health in the annual budget law; for this purpose, "field of activity" and "budget section" have the meanings assigned to them in the annual budget law, as that term is defined in the Foundations of Budget Law, 5745-1985.

Savings Provisions§

24.

This Law comes to add to the provisions of any law and not to derogate from them.

Implementation and Regulations§

25.

The Minister is responsible for the implementation of this Law, and may make Regulations in respect of anything relating to its implementation, and with the approval of the Labour, Welfare and Health Committee of the Knesset, may prescribe –

(1)with regard to the fields listed in the Schedule – the scope of the rehabilitation service to be provided, and if a particular rehabilitation service fell within the responsibility of another Minister, the Minister shall make the Regulations also in consultation with that other Minister;
(2)that a particular rehabilitation service shall be provided in exchange for payment, the amount of the payment and the manner of its collection;
(3)that rehabilitation services of types that he has prescribed shall be provided by rehabilitation service providers who meet standards that he has prescribed;
(4)the working procedures of the committees and the duty to report.

Commencement§

26.

This Law shall commence upon the expiry of six months from the date of its publication.

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LawHealthWelfare & Social Security

חוק שיקום מתמודדי נפש בקהילה, התש"ס–2000

Mental Health Rehabilitation Community Law

Community Mental Health Law

Shikum Mitmodedei Nefesh

Rehabilitation of Persons with Mental Illness

Mental Health Community Care Law

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Law

Mental Illness Community Rehabilitation

Community-Based Mental Health

Mental Health Services Law Israel