JDC recently launched this unique portal that integrates digital services, validated interventions, self-help resources, referrals to assistance centers and knowledge about resilience and mental health to respond to the growing need and demand for emotional support.
Efrat Stern, Executive Director of JDC-Israel Unlimited: "The current reality, alongside the shortage and variety of mental health care assistance, requires us to build creative and innovative solutions. Therefore, we established the Nafshi portal, which allows every person to find the appropriate solution s/he needs. Our hope is that through this platform, large segments of the population will be able to access mental health support that builds resilience and strengthens their well-being. I thank our partners in developing the portal – the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and Otef-Lev of the Chamal Ezrahi civilian command center."
Since the outbreak of the Iron Swords War, Israelis across the board have been dealing with a national crisis that is causing tremendous emotional distress. The lack of interventions and access to treatment has caused a large gap between a growing need for mental health support and the assistance that is currently available. In response, the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) recently established "Nafshi" – a customized digital hub offering more than 400 diverse resources and solutions that have been professionally verified. The platform allows for personalized searches according to individual parameters, such as age, population groups and type of assistance required and provides online access to assistance, educational content, help centers, and self-help tools regardless of the availability of mental health therapists.
Among other features, Nafshi's support resources, include: crisis hotline information in various languages, emotional first aid assistance in response to wartime, directed assistance for trauma victim survivors from October 7th, trauma-informed emotional pet therapy, special treatment centers for children, support centers catered to the religious and ultra-Orthodox communities, unique support groups for mothers and soldiers, as well as a mental support hotline geared to victims from the Bedouin sector.
Website: Nafshi
Efrat Stern, Executive Director of JDC-Israel Unlimited: "Our goal is to reach 80% of the general population by expanding the scope, range and accessibility of mental health support, along with developing supportive infrastructures, which will broadly promote resilience and strengthen well-being at the community, family and individual levels."
This article was written in cooperation with JDC