From the start of the war, the rehabilitation department of the Ministry of Defense has been overwhelmed with injured military and security personnel seeking help. The majority of these victims, about 95%, are reservists under the age of 30. Among these victims, a significant number have developed psychological problems such as difficulty sleeping, anxiety, depression, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
According to Limor Lurie, head of the rehabilitation department, she predicts that by the end of the year, the number of new cases in her department will reach 20 thousand. Out of these cases, approximately 8 thousand will require psychological or psychiatric assistance. To accommodate this growing number of victims and provide them with adequate care, the department’s budget has been increased by 1.9 billion shekels to a total of 7.3 billion for this year.
As part of this increase in funding, there is a focus on improving access to psychological and psychiatric care for victims. This includes hiring more psychiatrists experienced in treating combat-related mental disorders and increasing their rates to 700 shekels per case. Additionally, emotional therapists have been recruited to provide support to injured service members as they cope with their trauma. A total of 400 emotional therapists have been hired for this purpose.
To further enhance holistic support for victims of conflict, therapy dogs have also been introduced into the rehabilitation process. So far, 155 service dogs have already been given to victims for therapy purposes and another 140 are currently being trained. These measures aim to provide comprehensive care and support to those who need it most as they work towards recovery from their injuries.
The Ministry of Defense is committed to ensuring that all injured military and security personnel receive the necessary support throughout their recovery journey. With an increased budget and specialized staffing in place, hope remains that even more soldiers can receive timely assistance as they battle through their physical and mental challenges caused by conflict.