Meital
Center for Counseling and Support of Families
of Those Coping with a Mental Illness

The benefits of involving family in the treatment planning of those coping with a mental illness have been well established. Still, the family is often forgotten and left confused, frustrated, and alone while dealing with the difficulties of caring for a family member with a mental illness. The stress of coping with a mental illness in the family coupled with the stigma, both from within and outside of the family, can cause damage and distress to the family unit and to the individual family members

With these challenges in mind, Meital, the Center for Counseling and Support of Families of Those Coping with a Mental Illness, was established. In 1999, as a now-integral part of the Center for Mental Health in Be'erSheva, Israel, this unique center opened its doors and began providing services for families coping with mental illness

Meital focuses on assisting and accompanying families through the entire process of diagnosis, treatment, and coping. Services help families to acquire and build the tools necessary in dealing with a mental illness in the family and strive to meet the family's needs on all levels: emotional, mental, and physical as well as at the personal, communal, and societal levels. The dedicated and professional staff of Meitalprovide a wide range of services, including individual counseling, group counseling, and workshops for families. Meital also holds regular lectures, both in Hebrew and in Russian, on topics of interest to the families

Very uniquely, Meital also established a Family Forum which consists of family members who have been through the process of coping with a mental illness in the family for an extended period of time. From their vast experience, the Forum functions within the Center for Mental Health to change, improve, and rethink local and governmental policies that impact those dealing with a mental illness. Their strength and resilience exemplify the ability of families to deal with and overcomethe difficulties they face as a complete family unit

Meital also established a service called "Soul Bird" which offers support services for children of parents who are struggling with a mental illness. Soul Bird assists the parents in developing and strengthening more effective parenting and communication skills in order to continue caring for their children while caring for themselves. Soul Bird holds many activities for families throughout the year

Evaluation studies conducted over the past few years at Meital and around the world reference the family from the beginning and the importance of addressing the family's needs including giving the family significance in treatment in a secure environment while building an effective treatment partnership with treatment professionals; this not only assists the client in recovery but also his or her family and the professional team. It is known that this impacts the clinical symptoms of the client, raises the chances that he or she will be medication compliant, and paves the road for a more successful recovery and rehabilitation. It can decrease disruptions to daily functioning and the number of hospitalizations by 20-50%. Meital's work with families promotes physical and mental health, assistance for the entire family to continue living their lives while effectively and healthfully coping with their family member's mental illness