Selecting and implementing evidence-based practices in psychiatric rehabilitation services in Israel: A worthy and feasible challenge

Major recent conceptual and legal advancements in Israel have generated a profound shift in the services provided for people with severe mental illness. Perhaps the most influential development has been the passage of the act for the rehabilitation of persons with a psychiatric disability in the community in the year 2000. In this paper we argue that the psychiatric rehabilitation services defined by the recent legislation lack explicit standards or criteria for selection, and thus could benefit from incorporating interventions that evidence has shown to be effective in assisting clients to achieve desirable outcomes. We propose a practical five-step plan to facilitate the implementation of these evidence-based practices including creating demand, selecting the EBPs, preparing practitioners and agencies, monitoring and feedback, and ensuring sustainability. The importance of an ongoing dialogue between stakeholders to facilitate the integration of research evidence, clinical expertise and rehabilitation values to improve the quality of service is discussed.