Community Stress Prevention Centre Report

After the war the Community Stress Prevention Centre (CSPC) has been very active in a variety of activities focusing on rehabilitation of the Northern communities (mostly Kiryat Shmona) and empowering of the psychosocial personnel in the region. The following are highlights of projects in which we are involved.

Psychotrauma treatment As of 3rd September 2006 we have treated 286 people from Kiryat Shmona & Upper Galilee 46% are children under 18. Most of the clients suffer from anxiety and stress about 40% with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. We employ 16 therapists and 1 psychiatrist and treat the clients with state of the art treatments. 78 have completed the treatment and are now on "follow up" phase.

Psychotrauma treatment training To meet the vast needs of treatment we have trained 32 therapists. (all from the North). Participants are from the Zafad mental health unit, child psychiatry unit, school psychology services in upper Galilee, Arts therapists and social workers from the welfare services in the region. Nahariya Aspart of our on going contact with Nahariya we have trained the school psychology service and the family therapy center in the town in psychotrauma treatment and supported the hospital psychosocial staff in their efforts to build treatment capacity in the area. In total, we've trained 48 clinicians.

Education In Kiryat Shmona we are involved in a special program, The Danziger high school project. This project includes various activities: Truancy prevention, learning disability treatment, psychotrauma treatment, outdoor activities, teachers' room activities, Arts therapies and the use of art in rehabilitation and recovery, mentors and Big Brother programs, parents' programs and more. In the local elementary schools, we run a new program called "Safe Place" which includes arts and nature activities to get children back to nature and help in the process of recovery. This project will include the kindergartens in the area. Together with Rashi Sacta, we run an afternoon program called "The experiential way". This program supports Hazor, Zafed, Beit Sean, and the upper Galilee region.

Community In collaboration with the local welfare services, we opened a support program for those whose homes were destroyed during the war. We are also involved in programs for people who are blind and/or deaf. Special programs for women are currently in place. Two programs focus on coaching women who feel that the war reduced their abilities and wish to recover and lead a meaningful life. Three others are for mothers of children and other women who wish to take part in support groups. Special courses are run for parents based on CSPC parenthood in 6 channels. So far, we have 10 groups and the demand is growing. Families documenting their life in Kiryat Shmona after the war will lead to a community TV documentary. Two psychodrama groups and a joint project with a local theater group are in place. We have a bereavement support group for adults. We are participating in various community steering committee groups.

The Arab sector Based on our long standing commitment and contact with the Arab community in the Galilee, we have launched a college course for psycho social and education staff in conjunction with Mafaam and Magahr. 54 participants graduated the program and are currently working in the Arab sector. We also opened a satellite clinic where 2 therapists treat children and adults from the Arab sector. To date, we have approximately 30 clients. A clinic is also operating in Acre and we will soon have one in Nazareth. With a special allocation by UNICEF, we have supported the establishment phase of SANAD, the Arab resiliency and training center currently operating from Emek Yisrael College. Once this center is fully established, we hope to transfer there all of our activities in the Arab sector. We are thankful to all the donors who provided us with the funds and all of the many professionals who collaborate on this important task of helping the North to recover.

For more information on the centre and its programs visit: http://icspc.telhai.ac.il/main.html

Please mail your contributions for this project to the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund (at the Beth El address) with "Kiryat Shemoneh" noted in the memo line.