Jerusalem, 1 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry has begun implementing the first phase of a residential home rate increase announced several months ago, allocating 35.6 million shekels ($10.5 million) from its ongoing budget to raise average counselor compensation, despite broad horizontal budget cuts imposed on the ministry.
The increase will be included in September payments transferred to residential home operators in early October, with the update amount varying by facility type, aimed at improving counselor compensation and staff stability.
A similar measure previously implemented within the ministry’s Disability Administration yielded positive results in strengthening instructional staff and improving recruitment. Building on that experience, the ministry is expanding the initiative to the broader welfare residential home network, which comprises approximately 120 facilities housing around 6,000 children and youth annually, employing roughly 3,000 counselors across 2,600 positions.