Accessing English-Language Mental Health Treatment (Psychotherapy) in Be’er Sheva

In Be’er Sheva, if you are having a mental health emergency, regardless of health care provider or level of care, you may go to the Mental Health Center 24/7 located at HaTzadik M’Yerushalim 2. Their phone number is 08-6401401.

Clalit

Option 1: This option is for mental health treatment that is covered by one’s Clalit plan (the regular plan up to platinum) at Clalit’s own mental health center. However, this treatment option may have long wait times which are due to the overall demand from Clalit members.

Steps:

1. Go to your primary care physician (PCP) and request a referral for mental health treatment, either from a psychologist or a clinical social worker. On this referral, it is CRITICAL that the PCP indicate that you need treatment IN ENGLISH.
2. Email the referral to [email protected] or fax to either Soroka (phone: 08-6400351, fax: 08-6245933) or for children and teens, to Merkaz Tal (phone: 08-6408300, fax: 08-6408316). If you need access to a fax machine, you may request to use the fax either at your PCP’s clinic or at the Olim Department Be’er Sheva (be in touch with Megan – [email protected]).
3. Pay the “hit’hayavut” fee at the office of your PCP’s clinic. The fee is different for each person depending on his health care plan, but it should be around 30-50 shekels. This paper you may simply bring with you to your first appointment – no need to fax it.
4. Arrive to your first appointment with your magnetic card, hit’hayavut form, and the referral (for good measure, although they should already have it). From there, your treatment will be decided between yourself and your psychologist/clinical social worker.

Option 2: This option may also have long wait times, but it is dependent on the availability of each clinician. It is also only subsidized, not completely covered. The first session will cost 58 shekels, and subsequent sessions will cost 139 shekels, to be paid through the office of the therapist.

Steps:

1. Choose a therapist from the following list:

Name	Address	Phone
Yanon Yair Noiman	Yad Vashem 24, Floor 12	052-9453244
Amos Paz	Yad Vashem 24	054-2218007

 

2. Call to make an appointment (leave a voicemail if the clinician does not answer). You do not need a referral from your PCP. Simply come to your first appointment with your magnetic card from Clalit and pay the requested amount.

Maccabi

Maccabi prefers that the person requiring psychotherapy calls their moked at *3555 (option 4 for English) because “our services our dynamic, and we want our customers to be sure to receive the most accurate information.”

Option 1: In general, their options are similar to Clalit’s with two options, but with Maccabi’s mental health centers (that offer free service but typically longer wait times), you need to fill out a form online or in one of the mental health clinics, and they prefer that you start the process with them on the phone (*3555). There are two mental health centers for Maccabi in Be’er Sheva: in Tet, 08-6258749 (between the hours of 8am and 12pm Sun., Mon., Wed., and Thurs.) and in Yud Aleph, 08-6867914. You may call these two centers, but again, they will probably refer you back to the moked (*3555).

Option 2: This is the subsidized option with psychologists and social workers who work in outside clinics and accept Maccabi customers. Similar to Clalit, the first session is 58 shekels and each subsequent session is 139 shekels. The amount of sessions will be determined by you and your therapist.

This is the list of English-speaking therapists in Be’er Sheva with Maccabi:

Name	Address	Telephone
Ovadia Hazan	Yad Vashem 4	054-7775606
Ariel Hen	Kakal 139, corner of Hahalutz, Old City	052-8950500
Shachar Pirsteter	Yad Vashem 24	050-8312199

 

You also do not need a referral and you pay them directly. Simply call, leave a message asking for an appointment, and wait for a call back. Come to their office with your magnetic card and pay the office directly for services.

*** The Meuchedet process for subsidized care is similar to the processes of Clalit and Maccabi.

Accessing Private Care

You also have the option of searching out private care, but please keep in mind that these private clinicians typically start at 300 shekels per session. Find below a list of local, private clinicians who are English-speakers/speak English at a high level:

Name	Telephone	Specialty
Ohad Aricha	052-5394618	Clinical social worker – private practice in Kiryat Gat, Ashkelon, and Sderot.
Racheli Rubin	050-7020632	Clinical psychologist specializing in CBT – http://cbtinisrael.com/about/
Rebecca Gavi Hain	050-3800127	Clinical psychologist – private practice in Be’er Sheva.
Miriam Wolfe	074-7146342	Clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst – private practice in Be’er Sheva.
Rachel Gang	058-7918559	Clinical social worker specializing in mindfulness – private practice in Be’er Sheva.
Laura Steibel	053-7088079	Clinical social worker specializing in CBT and group therapy – private practice in Be’er Sheva.
Naama Goren	054-6610485	Clinical psychologist – private practice in Be’er Sheva.
Dr. Bayta Blidstein	08-6422148	Clinical psychologist – private practice in Be’er Sheva.
Etta Ziv	052-4454847	Social worker/psychotherapist – private practice in Be’er Sheva providing individual and couples therapy.
Dr. Lily Degen	052-3747166	Clinical psychologist – private practice in Omer.
Dr. Yamima Osher	052-3602295	Clinical psychologist – private practice in Be’er Sheva providing individual, couples, and family therapy.

 

Other English Speaking Clinicians in Israel (who come recommended by various clinicians in Be’er Sheva):

Dr. Tzvi Shternlicht, American psychiatrist for adults and children, who provides treatment in Rehovot but not through any medical plans – 050-9525475.

Dr. Solomon Rurbeski, child psychiatrist in Beit Shemesh, who works with Clalit – 054-5226564.

Dr. Amnon Gimpel, American psychiatrist specializing in attention and concentration issues, who works in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Nes Tziona, and works with Clalit – 054-4708482.

 

Updated October 2018