Department of Social Work

Emotional support – Helping patients and families cope with the emotional impact of illness
and hospitalization, reducing distress, and strengthening their ability to manage difficult
circumstances.

Systemic support – Serving as a liaison between the patient, their family, the medical staff, and the community.

Patient rights – Providing information and assistance to eligible patients in accessing their
rights (for example, dialysis patients, cancer patients, or those requiring full-time nursing care).

Our services emphasize each patient's personal strengths, working to build emotional resilience
and a sense of independence, and to help patients find balance within their new routine.

Our social work staff are skilled at identifying needs and providing interventions that reduce distress and prevent unnecessary suffering for patients and those around them.

Our team also helps train the hospital’s broader multidisciplinary staff — clinical, nursing, and other healthcare personnel — on relevant social and emotional issues.

In pursuit of excellence across all areas of our work, the Social Work Department continually updates its practices with innovative treatment methods and professional tools, for the benefit of our patients and the quality of their care.

The Social Work Department is committed to preserving human dignity and the sanctity of life,
with a focus on promoting patient’s optimal health and quality of life.

Our team strives for excellence and the highest professional standards, while upholding the medical center's procedures and policies. We see every patient as an individual, and tailor our support to the diverse needs of the populations we serve.

Our Social Work Department offers support to all patients at the hospital and their families, with particular focus on:

• Patients facing serious, terminal, or chronic illness, or disability
• Populations with specific needs — children, the elderly, those without support networks, lone patients, Holocaust survivors, individuals struggling with addiction, and people experiencing homelessness
• Women during pregnancy and the transition to parenthood, women who have experienced miscarriage, and women referred to the Pregnancy Termination Committee
• Individuals affected by mass casualty incidents, as well as the broader population during national emergencies
• Trauma patients — including survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and car, workplace, or home accidents
• Underprivileged populations, including foreign workers and individuals without residency status
• Children, adults, and seniors facing mental health challenges

• Emotional preparation for complex medical treatment, including surgery and invasive testing — including preparing and supporting children before surgery
• Helping patients and families build the functional, emotional, social, and behavioral skills needed to cope with illness and hospitalization
• Appointing a guardian when urgent medical decisions require approval
• Guidance on appointing a healthcare proxy under the Dying Patient Law
• Providing patients and families with information about their rights and the services available at the hospital and in the community
• Discharge planning, whether returning home or transitioning to alternative care in the community — such as rehabilitation, residential care, nursing homes, or hospice
• Operating an information center and providing psychosocial support during emergencies and mass casualty incidents
• Coordinating referrals to relevant community and welfare organizations to help patients and families reorganize their lives

Hospitalized patients eligible for a disability pension or stipend — including for a disabled child — receive priority support to help expedite a decision from the National Insurance Institute. This service is provided by social workers throughout the hospital’s departments and institutes.

The Department of Social Work trains students from the School of Social Work at the University of Haifa and Mivchar College. The department also runs a learning center for students, offering opportunities to deepen their professional knowledge alongside group supervision during their training.

Our social workers take part in regular staff meetings, continuing education, and external studies based on their areas of interest and expertise. Mayanei HaYeshua’s management actively supports collaborations, conferences, and seminars on a range of topics for the wider community.

General and psychiatric consultation — Odelia Sharon, M.S.W., Social Services Administration

Obstetric ER, Delivery Rooms, Maternity Wards A & B, and NICU — Haya Kukis, M.S.W.

Pediatric Services, Pediatric Intensive Care, and High-Risk Pregnancy — Michal Cohen, M.S.W.

Internal Medicine — Shoshi Rotlevy, B.S.W.

Gynecology and NICU — Linor Darshan, B.S.W.

Dialysis and Bariatrics — Sherry Barit, B.S.W.

General Intensive Care, Cardiology, Surgery, and Orthopedics — Lee Rosenthal, B.S.W.

Our social workers are also available across clinics and institutes; consultations can be requested directly by staff.

Ministry for Senior Citizens: *8840

Holocaust Survivor Welfare Fund: 03-6090866

National Insurance Institute advice service for the elderly: *9696, 02-6463400

Public Acceptance Commission for the State Health Law: *5400

Association for Patient Rights in Israel: 03-6022934 (Sun–Thu, 10:00–14:00)

Emergency hotline for victims of domestic violence: 1-800-220-000