Magen David Adom launched a new pilot program to improve its response to mental health emergencies and prevent suicide. This initiative is based on the understanding that mental health emergencies, like physical ones, require immediate and professional intervention to prevent harm.
The program was conceptualized in response to the increase in patients suffering from anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and panic attacks since the October 7 attacks in 2023. It is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health and MDA. As Israel’s national emergency services organization, MDA responds to numerous calls each day for both physical and mental health emergencies. The Ministry of Health trained MDA paramedics in how to help people suffering from panic attacks or who are attempting to commit suicide.
The pilot debuted in the Tel Aviv area. Callers to MDA’s 101 emergency call center with mental health difficulties will be asked a series of detailed questions by the call center dispatcher. Cases are classified as red (high priority) or yellow/green (lower priority), depending on urgency. Immediate interventions will be handled by a crisis intervention team, consisting of a specially trained paramedic and mental health professional, supported by a telemedicine psychiatrist.
“The current situation is complex,” said Dr. Sergey Raskin, director of the forensic psychiatry department at the Ministry of Health. “The goal of this project is for the crisis intervention team, consisting of a MDA paramedic who has been trained in mental health crises and a nurse with extensive experience in mental health, to treat the incident in the field.”
“This pilot marks a significant step forward in Israel’s emergency healthcare system, ensuring both physical and mental health are prioritized,” said Eli Bin, director-general of MDA. “We look forward to expanding this essential program nationwide.”
