The Yehuda Abarbanel Mental Health Center is the best known psychiatric hospital in Israel. The center was founded in Bat Yam in 1944 by the British Mandate authorities, and was transferred to the Ministry of Health with the establishment of the State of Israel.  The center is named for Don Yehuda Abarbanel, a Portuguese rabbi, Jewish philosopher and physician in the Middle Ages. We provide hospitalization and ambulatory services to approximately one million people in Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Holon and Bat Yam. Approximately 300 patients coping with mental illness from adolescence to seniors are currently hospitalized.

We work within a multidisciplinary treatment team, made up of doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, criminologists and expressive arts therapists, all with experience and expertise in the field of mental health.

We are academically affiliated with the Tel Aviv University medical school, and receive students of medicine from Bar Ilan University, Ariel University and Tel Aviv College as well. In addition, our center prepares students in all mental health fields and maintains high professional standards.

 
The center provides comprehensive care: medical, psychological, and rehabilitation interventions aid in coping with and managing complex mental illness. We perceive the disease as one aspect of a person's life, and believe that there are ways to cope with the disease and hope for recovery.

We believe that treatment should not be focused exclusively on the individual but rather see the benefit of a systematic approach involving the family as well in the treatment and recovery process.  In 2013 we established a consulting and support center for families (MATAL) to help the family during the hospitalization and discharge of a family member.

We believe in the importance of continuity of care from the hospital to the community and discharge patients with referrals directly to community outpatient clinics.

Beyond the existing services of any psychiatric hospital we offer a number of unique services:

Psycho-geriatrics department

National Autistic department

"Brosh", a rehabilitation unit modeled on residential treatment programs.

Evaluation services of the capabilities of persons with mental illness.

Unique services in the area of clinical criminology.

The Friends of Abarbanel Association aims to benefit patients and families of the center. For donations, volunteering and further information, please contact the Association by telephone: 03-5552784 or fax:

General Information

Contact Information:

Telephone: 03-5552610

Email: peniot@abr.health.gov.il

Visiting hours:

Family visits take place within as well as outside the various departments. The nursing staff must be notified regarding all visits.

Cigarette smoking:

Smoking in the hospital wards is forbidden. Smoking is permitted outdoors on the hospital grounds.

Clothing:

Available to patient hospital clothing. Usage of private clothing is possible with responsibility of the patient and the family. In case of personal items brought to the patient the nursing staff must be notified.

Toiletries:

Personal toiletries can be used within the ward excluding razors. Scissors and sharp items.

Valuables:

The hospital is not responsible for valuables left in the possession of patients.

Each patient has a night table that can be locked and the key remains with the patient.

Money and valuables should be placed in the hospital safe. At discharge the patient should be sure to remove his/her valuables and money from the hospital safe.

The hospital is not responsible for personal items used daily by the patient.

The hospital is not responsible for items not deposited for safekeeping in the hospital safe.

Release:

Post releasing from hospitalization the patient will continue to be supervised within the outpatient clinics connected to the hospital, or will be directed to a clinic near his/her residence.

Prior to release the patient will be Informed about the outpatient clinics and the medication by the ward staff.

Medical records:

Medical records can be obtained by contacting Mrs. Ruti zemach. For an appointment and guidelines for retrieving medical records call 03-5552610.

We wish you fast recovery.

Additional information can be obtained from the ward staff.

Sincerely,

Medical Center Management and staff