title: The Amitim program: an innovative program for the social rehabilitation of people with mental illness in the community.
abstract: The Amitim program, founded by the Israeli Ministry of Health and the Israel Association of Community Centers (IACC), is an innovative social rehabilitation program of people with mental illness in the community. This article presents the program's basic concepts and work principles, and aspects of the coordinator's work in the field. It also explains the unique social rehabilitation mechanism comprised of integrating people with mental illness into the general populations of consumers of community center services. Their integration into the regular classes and activities of the community center is compatible with the work principles of the community center which views itself as open to all strands of society, catering to their various needs. Hence, it is also responsible for the leisure time of people with mental illness. To this end there is a professional program coordinator in the community center, who serves as a mediator between the participants in the program and the community. The coordinator guides and supports the participants as needed while they are integrating into a class or activity. This guidance and support is based on recovery principles which believe in man's strength and ability to navigate his life and realize his aspirations. At the same time, the coordinator organizes awareness activities, open to the community at large, with the aim of reducing the stigma regarding people with mental illness.
authors.affiliation: Amitim Program, The Israel Association of Community Centers (IACC). Liorhal@Bezeqint.net
authors.forename: Galit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Halperin
authors.forename: Talya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boz-Mizrahi
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007557:Israel; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D011287:Prejudice; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D012951:Socialization