Mission Statement
The ICAMH/Hadassah Clinic for Addiction and Mental Health is committed to advance the treatment of addiction and mental illness through comprehensive training, innovative therapeutic methods, measurement-based care, and effective collaboration with established medical institutions, thereby making a significant impact on public mental health in Israel and the world.
The ICAMH/Hadassah clinic is the region’s only community mental health clinic for addiction and double diagnosis. The clinic is a partnership between the Hebrew University, Hadassah University Medical Center as well as its Psychiatry department, and the ICA. ICAMH/Hadassah clinic employs an evidence-based bio-psychosocial treatment model, offering pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, and social care and support. Evaluation and diagnosis, individual, group, and family therapy, and assistance throughout the rehabilitative process is also offered. The clinic also offers integrative and multifaceted therapies provided by license clinicians as well clinicians in training in an ambulatory setting. In addition, the Clinic offers a dedicated treatment track for addiction, one of only two in the country.
The ICAMH/Hadassah clinic serves the community at large. The location of the Clinic at Mount Scopus, across the road from the Hadassah University Medical Center and adjacent to the Hebrew University campus, is ideally positioned to provide essential addiction and mental health treatment services to a diverse community, including individuals from varied socio-economic backgrounds who may have limited access to such care.
The Clinic Goals
The ICAMH/Hadassah Clinic was established to accomplish the following five goals:
Leadership in Addiction Treatment
Our clinic was established to lead the field of addiction treatment and dual diagnosis in Israel. We are dedicated to professional training, advancing research, and developing national policies in this area. This leadership is demonstrated by training professionals, enhancing research in addiction therapy, and developing comprehensive national policies to address and mitigate these issues effectively.
Seeing the Patient, Appreciating the Change
Our clinic’s vision is to provide every patient with high-quality, effective, and accessible psychological treatment. We strive to offer a multidisciplinary and evidence-based therapeutic response to individuals struggling with addiction and dual diagnosis, combining professionalism with compassion. The treatment is aimed at seeing the patient as a whole and creating significant behavioral and psychological changes. Additionally, the clinic promotes research and evaluation processes to assess the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.
Multidisciplinary Training and Guidance Center
The clinic operates as a training center, providing guidance and serving as a knowledge hub in addiction treatment. It offers training to diverse professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, and clinical researchers. This training center aims to equip professionals with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively address addiction issues across various contexts.
Implementation of Measurement-Based Care Approach
The clinic is based on the therapeutic model developed at the ICA Clinic in Netanya, serving as the foundation for its therapeutic approach. All professionals at the clinic—including senior staff and interns in psychology and social work—are trained in this model before they start working, ensuring a professional and quality response for patients. This model provides a theoretical foundation that is supplemented with intense and rigorous data collection, as data concerning each patient and their treatment outcomes are collected periodically. This continuous evaluation process allows us to improve the treatment that our Clinic provides and assess its efficacy. In addition, it allows us to further develop evidence-based treatment protocols.
Collaboration with Hadassah Medical Center’s Psychiatric Department
The clinic operates as part of the psychiatric framework of Hadassah Medical Center. The professional team at the clinic, including senior staff and interns, works under the joint responsibility of the heads of relevant disciplines (psychiatry, psychology, social work) at Hadassah Medical Center.
These goals underscore the clinic’s deep commitment to revolutionizing addiction treatment by employing a multifaceted approach that merges extensive professional training, cutting-edge therapeutic methods, and robust partnerships with well-established medical institutions. By focusing on comprehensive training, the clinic not only enhances the skills and knowledge of current and future healthcare professionals but also ensures that these practitioners are well-prepared to implement the latest and most effective treatment strategies. The adoption of innovative therapeutic methods and a measurement-based care approach, underpinned by the latest research and tailored to individual needs, allows for more effective management and recovery outcomes, thereby setting new standards in addiction care.
Furthermore, the clinic’s active collaboration with leading medical institutions like Hadassah Hospital enriches its treatment modalities through shared expertise and resources. This synergy facilitates a holistic treatment environment that is both supportive and efficient, enhancing patient care and recovery processes. Such initiatives not only elevate the clinic’s role in the medical community but also significantly contribute to public health in the region by addressing and mitigating the complex challenges associated with addiction and dual diagnoses. This proactive approach ensures that the clinic not only treats individuals but also positively influences broader community health outcomes, making a lasting impact on the overall well-being of the population.
Therapeutic Services in the Clinic
The clinic offers a diverse array of treatments and services, each tailored to meet the unique challenges of its clients:
Individual Psychotherapy
Starting from age 18, this service provides personal therapy for individuals grappling with addiction and dual diagnoses. It focuses on addressing the complexities of each patient’s situation through customized therapeutic interventions.
Group Therapy
These sessions are designed to foster a supportive community environment where individuals can share experiences and learn from each other. Group therapy aids in building social skills and reducing feelings of isolation.
Psychiatric Follow-up and Medication Management
This service ensures that patients receive comprehensive psychiatric care, including regular assessments and medication management to stabilize mood and treat psychiatric symptoms.
Psychological Assessments
The clinic conducts thorough neuropsychological and psycho-diagnostic evaluations. This includes assessments of intelligence, personality, and attentional functions, providing a detailed understanding of a patient’s cognitive and emotional state.
Family and Couples Therapy
This service helps to repair and strengthen patient relationships, addressing the interpersonal dynamics that may affect or hinder the recovery process.
Personal Mentorship
Patients are supported by personal mentors who help them to achieve their therapeutic goals, providing guidance and support throughout the treatment process.
Occupational Therapy
Focused on enhancing executive functions, this therapy helps patients improve their ability to manage daily tasks and responsibilities, thereby boosting their independence and self-efficacy.
Social Support and Rehabilitation Planning
Patients receive comprehensive social support and assistance in building a personalized rehabilitation plan, aimed at reintegrating them into society successfully.
These services are delivered by licensed psychiatrists, clinical and rehabilitation psychologists, social workers, family/couple therapists, and occupational therapists. These services are also delivered by psychiatry and psychology interns and graduate and undergraduate students from various training programs, all under the supervision of licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. The specific therapeutic plan and treatment types for each patient are determined after the intake process, involving discussions between the therapist, supervisor (if the therapist is in training), senior psychiatrist, and the clinic director. This collaborative approach ensures that the clinical needs identified are effectively matched with the available services at the clinic, thereby optimizing treatment outcomes and ensuring that each patient receives the most appropriate care.
Diagnostic Services in the Clinic
The clinic provides comprehensive diagnostic and assessment services, which include:
Psychodiagnostic Assessment
This encompasses diagnostic evaluations that cover intellectual and personality assessments. These evaluations are crucial for understanding the individual’s mental health status and personality traits, which are essential for tailoring subsequent treatments.
Neuropsychological Assessment
This assessment involves assessing cognitive functioning and socio-emotional behavior, which is vital for identifying any cognitive impairments or emotional and social interaction difficulties that may not be apparent through conventional psychiatric evaluations.
The clinic’s robust diagnostic and assessment protocols not only serve to identify individual health needs but also play a crucial role in enhancing the overall quality of mental health care provided. By implementing thorough initial screenings and detailed assessments, the clinic ensures that each patient’s treatment is precisely tailored to their specific conditions and needs, which significantly enhances treatment outcomes. Each assessment is meticulously designed to gather extensive data about a patient’s psychological and neuropsychological state, allowing for a deep understanding of the patient’s unique challenges and strengths. This approach supports the development of personalized treatment plans that are both effective and empathetic, reflecting the clinic’s commitment to patient-centered care.
The meticulous process of summarizing findings and providing detailed recommendations helps bridge the gap between diagnosis and treatment. This seamless integration ensures that both patients and referring doctors receive clear, actionable insights that can directly inform ongoing care strategies. Furthermore, the clinic’s commitment to confidentiality and ethical standards in handling and storing sensitive medical information underlines its dedication to patient privacy and trust. The ability to archive diagnostic materials for an extended period also facilitates longitudinal studies and continuous improvement in treatment practices.
Overall, the impact of these diagnostic services extends beyond individual patient care. By refining diagnostic accuracy and enhancing the responsiveness of treatment plans, the clinic significantly contributes to the broader field of addiction and mental health, setting a standard for clinical practice and patient care.
