Mental health services in Israel: current state and future directions.

This paper reviews the current state of Israel's mental health system during a period when it may be possible to bring about significant change. It analyses its strengths and weaknesses, including the heavy influence of the psychiatric hospital and the lack of necessary community programs. The author stresses the need for an integrated planning process, based upon a vision of what the mental health system should look like and who it should be serving, and discusses how this process could occur.