Reflecting on 2025 and Looking Ahead to 2026
Dania Hanif
Published: December 18, 2025
As we close out 2025, we want to offer our heartfelt thanks for your continued support, dedication, and hard work. The past few years have brought extraordinary challenges, yet you have remained steadfast in your commitment to the people and communities we collectively serve. Your resilience and leadership continue to drive our mission forward. This…
Read moreReflections on My First Month as Interim Chief Executive
Dania Hanif
Published: July 8, 2025
As I complete my first month as Interim Chief Executive, I find myself reflecting not just on the past few weeks, but on a much longer journey. I’ve been part of the Association of Mental Health Providers for over nine years. During that time, I’ve worked across the breadth of our mission – supporting members,…
Read moreThe Impact of the Cost-of-Living Crisis on Mental Health
Dania Hanif
Published: August 7, 2024
Over the past decade, austerity measures have inflicted profound economic hardship on communities and individuals, exacerbating systemic inequalities and leading to the closure of crucial support services in health, education, and community engagement. This has triggered a sharp rise in poverty and an increase in mental health issues across society. The COVID-19 pandemic has further…
Read moreDeveloping positive engagement between commissioners and the VCSE provider sector
Dania Hanif
Published: November 20, 2023
Commissioning within the public sector is changing, especially in the context of Integrated Health and Care. Place-based commissioning is effective for ensuring more effective outcomes for people on a more localised basis, but it should be recognised that commissioning approaches vary across the country. The role of the VCSE within communities is widely recognised as…
Read moreNational Suicide Prevention Strategy Response
Dania Hanif
Published: September 12, 2023
To coincide with Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September, the Government has published its long-awaited National Suicide Prevention Strategy. The Strategy, published 11 years since the last, delivers “a firm commitment to see the number of suicides in England decrease within two and a half years at the very latest.” At a time when we…
Read moreNational Partnership Agreement – Right Care, Right Person Response
Dania Hanif
Published: July 26, 2023
The Government, today, has published a new national partnership agreement (NPA) aiming to support mental health care, “with potential to free up to a million hours of police time”. This has been concerning for us and our membership of mental health charities (VCSE) providing services for several reasons. First and foremost, it is essential that…
Read moreSilver Lining in the Social Care Cloud - Reflecting on the Next Steps to Put People at the Heart of Care
Dania Hanif
Published: April 17, 2023
Almost 18 months since the publication of the People at the Heart of Care: Adult Social Care Reform White Paper, the Government, on 4 April, published the next steps policy paper as part of its reform process. However, with the reform having stalled since the initial series of announcements and abovementioned White Paper, we thought…
Read moreThe Association launches campaign calling on action to support mental health charities
Dania Hanif
Published: March 9, 2023
Association of Mental Health Providers warns of ‘the perfect storm’ as research reveals a 50 per cent rise in people presenting with increasing needs 9 March 2023: After more than 10 years of austerity, and the cumulative impact of pandemic and cost of living pressures, the Association of Mental Health Providers, the national voice for…
Read moreThe Association launches the first national picture of mental health service provision
Dania Hanif
Published: March 8, 2023
8 March 2023: The Association of Mental Health Providers (The Association), the national voice of mental health charities providing services in England and Wales, has created the first ever complete picture of mental health service provision across England via a freely available interactive map. By combining data from the Association’s members and other mental health…
Read moreThe Association's Response to Government's Announcement on Major Conditions Strategy
Dania Hanif
Published: January 24, 2023
Today, we have learned that the long-awaited Mental Health Plan will no longer be published and has instead been incorporated into a wider Major Conditions Strategy. At a time when we know many people’s mental health is worsening and the demand in services continues to rise, a dedicated cross-government strategy focusing on mental health is…
Read moreThe state of mental health: Government must support Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) mental health service providers
Dania Hanif
Published: December 12, 2022
12 December 2022: With yet another report highlighting the effect of the cost of living on mental health, and the House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee report confirming the extent of the funding gap in adult social care, the Association of Mental Health Providers, the national voice of VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise)…
Read moreNational Stress Awareness Day
Dania Hanif
Published: November 1, 2022
Whilst a small amount of stress can help some people to thrive, being overwhelmed by stress can negatively affect our mental health and wellbeing. National Stress Awareness Day falls on Wednesday 2 November this year. It is a day to highlight the ways in which stress affects us and what we can do to manage…
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