In the wake of the implementation of the One Soul reform last April, the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department called on disabled soldiers and veterans of the IDF on Sunday to exercise their rights. A press release from the ministry made the request “with a goal of making all the information and rights that [disabled soldiers and veterans] deserve accessible.”
Since the launch of the One Soul reform, the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department has gone forward with a number of new services for disabled soldiers and veterans, particularly those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The IDF’s disabled have benefitted from the reform through improved recognition and expansion of benefits and rights, along with treatment and support for those suffering from PTSD, the release states.
The Defense Ministry initiated the program in response to Itzik Saidian, an IDF veteran who suffered from PTSD, lighting himself on fire in protest of the inadequate treatment that IDF soldiers and veterans receive.
"We are here for your benefit"
One Soul has led to a number of significant changes. Some notable components of the reform include Defense Ministry health committees now operating under the supervision of hospitals, veterans receiving more funding to purchase medical vehicles and accessible apartments and an expansion of the Rehabilitation Department’s call center so that those requiring assistance do not have to wait as long.
In addition, soldiers and veterans requiring mental health treatment now have a plethora of treatment options to choose from. They can also get a free referral to a doctor who can issue a medical cannabis license if necessary, according to the Rehabilitation Division’s website.
“We are here for your benefit.”
Defense Ministry
“Over the years you have given from yourselves,” the release told veterans. “We are here for your benefit.”
To find out more about what rights are available and how to exercise them, the Defense Ministry advised people to call 8150*.