The Israel Prison Service operates a variety of treatment settings and programs enabling interested prisoners and detainees to receive drug-abuse treatment with the goal of ensuring successful reintegration into the community and reducing recidivism.
The following is a brief description of the various drug-abuse treatment programs:
“HERMON” Drug-Abuse Treatment Center
“Hermon” Drug-Abuse Treatment Center was inaugurated in 1998 (after a similar center in “HaSharon” was relocated to “Hermon” Prison) and is the largest treatment program of its kind in Israel, capable of accommodating 320 participants at a time. "Hermon" Center is presently the leading program within the Israel Prison Service. " Hermon " Center provides professional services on two levels: physical withdrawal and psychological rehabilitation, thereby offering a comprehensive drug-abuse treatment. "Hermon" Center consists of eight treatment units.
A multi-disciplinary professional staff has been selected for the operation of " Hermon" Center. This staff is comprised of Psychiatrists, Physicians (Narcologist) specializing in substance abuse and dependence, Psychologists, Social Workers, Clinical Criminologists, and Educational Personnel. “Hermon” Center operates within a modern newly-built prison architecturally planned and designed as a rehabilitative environment for prisoners. Prisoners from all prisons are referred to “Hermon” Center after undergoing a professional evaluation. Treatment duration: 6-18 months. Some units will offer short-term treatment while others long-term treatment, depending on the remaining period of incarceration and personality features of prisoner. The treatment process in the various units consists of a combination of different treatment techniques and modalities such as groups, individual intervention, therapeutic community principles, family treatme, education, N.A., sports, employment training, etc., with emphasis on community after-care.
MAGASH Tzalmon Program ("Magash" is the Hebrew acronym for Treatment and Rehabilitation Unit)
Established in 1997 and located in Tzalmon Prison.
Treatment process consists of group therapy dealing with a variety of issues, individual therapy as needed, N.A., educational and employment activities, family activities, with emphasis on preparing the patient for community after-care and reintegration into the community after release. This program operates according to modified principles of the therapeutic community model.
Capacity - 40 beds
Treatment duration - about 9 months
“DAMON” Drug-Abuse Treatment Project
This project was established in 1998, located in Damon Prison and serves special custody prisoners who by nature of their custody status cannot participate in regular drug-abuse treatment programs offered to the general prison population. This project provides physical withdrawal and psychological-behavioral treatment designed to achieve long-term drug abstinence.
Capacity - 54 beds
Treatment Duration - 6-12 months
MAGASH Negev Program
This is a treatment program in the South of the Country (the Negev) to which prisoners are transferred to achieve stabilization, re-socialization and re-integration into society upon their release. Physical withdrawal is achieved either by medication or by total abstinence from drugs under professional supervision. Psycho-social therapies aim at improving the personal, social, and occupational functioning of the prisoner in order to achieve long-term drug abstinence and prevent recidivism. Relapse prevention techniques are also taught.
Capacity - 40 beds
Treatment Duration - 9-12 months
MAGASH Women's Program
This is a drug-abuse treatment program for women located within the only women's prison in Israel (Neve Tirtzah). This program is housed in a new building which was completed in 1995, and the program was inaugurated in the same year. Women prisoners are placed in this program after undergoing physical withdrawal in a detoxification program or in Project Lev, whenever necessary. The program provides a comprehensive drug-abuse treatment which includes intensive psychological treatment, focusing on improvement in personal, social, and family functioning, employment skills, and successful reintegration into the community after release. The program offers two levels of treatment intensity which range in duration from 6 to 12 months. The staff consists of substance abuse treatment officers, social workers, and education officers. This program is capable of accommodating 20 participants at a time.
"Drug-Free" Facilities and Units
There is a certain percentage of the prisoner population who withdrew from or never used drugs. In order to prevent those prisoners from exposure to negative pressure from other prisoners, which may cause the non-users to start using drugs, IPS provides special areas which are particularly controlled for drugs. In order to reinforce the motivation of those prisoners not to use drugs, IPS provides self-help and social and educational activities in these units, as well as special privileges. Almost every prison has such a unit, and some prisons have more than one.
Project Lev
This program, which operates in various prisons and was developed by IPS, places addicted prisoners in the same cell with those who have successfully withdrawn from drugs and who can offer emotional and social support to those who are withdrawing physically and mentally. The basis of the project is mutual assistance under professional direction and supervision. Besides the peer-support elements of this program, there are other supportive activities such as groups and education. The purpose of this program is to achieve physical withdrawal and to provide basic skills for maintaining abstinence from drugs. Some of the participants may be referred to more advanced programs upon completion of the program.
Narcotics Anonymous Groups and 12-Step Program
IPS has authorized NA to organize self-help and mutual-support groups in its prisons. Addicts on the way to abstinence and those who already abstain from drugs receive assistance from ex-addicts who have long been drug-free. The groups meet weekly or more often with NA representatives who convey the message of N.A. and hope of success by means of support and sharing experiences. Twelve-Step Programs are also operated within prisons, either by prisoners who have learned the 12 steps of N.A. or by ex-addicts from the community.
The 18-Step Program
The program is aimed at prisoners who want to discover their religious tradition. This program adds six more steps to the 12-Step Program, or elements of religious life in order to respond to the spiritual needs of some prisoners who have renounced drugs.
Health Improvement Workshop
The principal objective of this workshop is to convey the message that being drug-free is advantageous to health and that anybody can do it, whether on his own or with help. The emphasis is on teaching basic concepts of physical and mental health, and on the idea that abstinence from drugs has significant health benefits for the abuser. This workshop is conducted in various prisons.
Ambulatory Treatment in Prison Clinics
In every prison there is a Narcologist (physician) who diagnoses and refers prisoners to the various drug-abuse treatment programs. As the need arises, medication is given (including decreasing dosages of a drug substitute such as Methadone) to stabilize the prisoner who experiences withdrawal symptoms, accompanied by psycho-social intervention designed to improve the inmate's functioning and prepare him for other forms of intervention. The concept which IPS strives for is that, upon entering prison, every drug-abusing prisoner will undergo examination by a narcologist to assess his/her condition and needs and to offer a treatment plan in accordance with the patient’s needs and motivation.
Methadone Treatment
This drug-substitute treatment is provided to prisoners who have been diagnosed as being addicted to opiates and who are not fit at present for any other drug-abuse treatment. This treatment is given in accordance with stringent criteria in line with the Ministry of Health’s guidelines and directives. This treatment is provided in two methods:
1. Maintenance Program - in which the patient receives a particular dose of Methadone, according to individual need, for the purpose of stabilizing him/her physically and mentally, while beginning to gradually working with him/her on preparation for rehabilitative goals and in some cases even referral to one of IPS’drug-abuse treatment programs.
2. Detoxification process - in which the patient is given gradually decreasing doses of Methadone until withdrawal is achieved.
“Shalhevet” Project
This project is designed for prisoners who have undergone drug-abuse treatment within IPS to convey their personal stories to high school students (grades 10th to 12th). In these meetings, the prisoners present a short theatrical play which serves as a starting point for presenting their personal experiences with drugs and crime and the suffering and chaos caused as a result.
Prisoners participating in this program have gone through long-term drug-abuse treatment within IPS and, in addition, have completed a special preparatory course designed to train them for this project. While those prisoners participate in the Shalhevet Project they continue to take part in drug-abuse treatment activities. This project is carried out on the grounds of high schools, and is a part of the comprehensive drug-abuse prevention program in schools.
“Sela Eitan” Project
In this project, prisoners who have completed any drug-abuse treatment program are followed-up after release from prison by professional staff. This follow-up is done through periodic contacts by phone which include supportive conversation and advice including referrals and otherwise.
Toxicological Laboratories - Urinalysis for Detection of Drugs
Urinalyses are performed in order to detect presence of drugs in prisoners and detainees and to identify the need for treatment and administrative action during incarceration. Within IPS, there are five independent toxicological laboratories which process over 40,000 urinalyses per year for screening purposes. The IPS also operates a more accurate urinalysis machine for the purpose of verification of positive results obtained by screening labs.