About Katef Chama Katef Chama provides supplementary services to those offered by the State framework. Our Mission is to implement innovative community services for all Kind of chronic patients' family members. Our goals : To upgrade functioning of weaker groups at the community,  by generating heterogenic support centers,that offer relatively low cost programs for the families. To conduct community prevention programs by detecting family members at risk. To increase employment capacity throgh creation of Vocality soluions. The unique Methodology we use at the support centers, are based on  NatureTherapy and BasicPh Models which are a major factor that makes the defference for the famelies and for the community. Our methodology empowers the families, by meeting them in places of ability in life,rather than in places of disability. We assume that resiliency building with Nature therapy methods, leads to better communication skills, better family and social support and better efficiency in copping with stress.  Katef Chama centers, offer programs which create Social support, establishes Self help, Promotes Economic empowerment and community Leadership

Organizational Strategy:

Katef Chama concentrate on projects that:

• Demonstrate innovative approaches with measurable results.
• Help at-risk populations stabilize their lives and become more Self-sufficient.
• Build strong communities by creating economic vitality and cultural enrichment.

Organizational Structure

Board of Trustees:

.Katef Chama is managed by a board of Trustees 
 The volunteer Board's responsibilities include:determining policy, establishing targets
and following upon the execution of Board decisions.

Board members:
Mrs. Rachel Karni, Internal Auditor and Chinese Medicine therapist
Director of Havazelet and Hashomer Hatzair foundations.
Prof. Amnon Boehm, Ph.D, head of Faculty of Welfare and Health Studies at
 Haifa University, Board member of Hosen organization for at risk youth.
Mr. Moshe Tarshsish; Internal Auditor .
Mr. Said Kizel; Pharmaceutical Representative,
Board member of Enosh Organization for mentally ill patients.
Mr. Chanan Shaul; financing and community manager
Board member of Tefen democratic school.
Mr. Oren Efrati; Quality Engineer Marketing and Application Engineer.

Audit committee:
Mrs. Nurit Mor. Financial Manager
Mrs. Dolly Mandalovitch; Pharmaceutical Representative, Board member of Goshe patient's organization
Mr. Chayim Eliyahu, Security Officer, Regional council

Management:
Mrs. Ziv Efrati; Medical equipment representative, Nature Therapy Group Counselor.
A member of the JDRF council.

:Consultants
Mrs. Avital Bet Ner; Legal risk and ENE, former judge, arbitrator and mediator.
Mrs. Meirav Granot; Senior Citizens Programs Developer and Group Counselor.
Mr. Micha Gilad; Social Worker, Hydro therapist and nature therapy Group Counselor.

:Staff
freelance professional manager ( Psychotherapist
Freelance Drama & Art Therapists, Nature therapy group councilors.

Cometees:
The Professional department is responsible for the development of programs according to the participant's needs, marked in studies published by researchers from the academic world, or identified in surveys that the organization runs amongst the families. The professional department is responsible for the supervision of the professional staff that works with the families.
The community outreach department is responsible for the development of collaborative relationship with local authorities, social and community workers, Patients' organizations, grassroots organizations and other sources

Volunteer's involvement:
Volunteers are involved in program development and legal counseling.

Acummulated Experienc
A project of 5 groups was held during 2007-2008,
and an evaluation process was made with written responses from participants..

The Ministry of Welfare decision, to participate in funding the Ta'am Hachaym project this year,
reflects the continues success of this project.

The work demonstrated by the katef Chama staff, before it was established as an Amuta,
contributed to the accumulated experience as well;
most of the staff worked as a team of group counselors in a 3 years program 
that was held in the north and south of Israel, funded by the Coalition of Trauma during 2006-2009.

Target population
Arabs and Jews Parents, partners, offspring's and siblings, residents of the peripheral regions of Israel. 40%  are families whose income is below the median income in the community.

There are 1,725,870 chronic patients registered in Israel by the National Ministry of Health,
200,000 of which are children.
The national security office reported, that the number of general disability allowances receivers
increased in 2008 by 3.5% to 197, 300 peopl
At the same year, the four Sick Funds of the Ministry of Health reported of 1,825,700 Chronic patients.
We think that with the new Laron low, which  allows general disability allowances receivers to work,
will effect dramatically on the data from national security in the next years.

With chronic illness in the family, the attention of society turns mainly towards the patient; disregarding the fact, that the illness damages the family member's status,
livelihood and social life too.
The findings shown in the WHO, ILO and UNESCO papers,
setting new principals of the Community Based Rehabilitation model,
The Disabled- People- Family study (Gilad 2008), and other studies that mapped the Top Needs
of family members, pointing out that this is a vulnerable population,
under risk of poverty, depression and  social exclusion.
A Study most recently published shows that morbidity and mortality rates
 are increasing amongst the family members (Baron 2009).

Most Chronic patients who recive allowances are not registered by the welfare offices and recives no special services. The majority of the families do not even know the rights they do have at the national security
; rights that in translation to cash - could be alocated to Well Being issues at the family's budget.

Katef Chama provides services that benefit families whose income is below the median income in the community,
but encourage anticipation of families who are not registered at the welfare offices as well.
We  make sure that the groups operation will be funded by varied sources,
including the participant's share according to their finance ability.

According to the Israeli Central Bureau of statistics, 55% of chronic patients resides in peripheral regions.
The organization therefore focuses it's efforts in the peripheral regions of Israel.

Parents and partners of chronic patients are most affected by the stressful issues that the families face.
Among health allowance receivers, 56% are married, 23% reside with their parents.

Distribution:

30% of general disability allowances are given due to mentally illness

24.9% are given due to internal illness, and 20% are given due to neurological illness. (Wasserstein &Prior 2004.

These receivers are seldom considered as people with disabilities –

But firstly they are chronic patients, whose illness deeply affects their family's lives.

 

Blog - Katef Chama for Chronic Patients' Families