All publications
The Association’s publications, reports, guides and briefing papers, newest first. Open any of them to read the full version; the PDFs are free to download.
Naomi Graves
Mental Health Social Care: The Missing Piece in Policy Reform
Mental health social care is not merely an adjunct to health services. It is a distinct and foundational part of how society supports people living with mental illness, deep distress or complex psychosocial needs. It seeks to enable people to live full and meaningful lives in their communities, not just to treat symptoms but to
Read more PDFNaomi Graves
Responding to the Mental Health Strategy for England Call for Evidence: A Practical Guide for our Members
The Government’s call for evidence on the new Mental Health Strategy for England is looking for practical examples of what helps people stay well, access support earlier, avoid crisis, and live well in their communities. Mental health charities are uniquely placed to provide this evidence. Across the country, charities are already delivering the kind of
Read more PDFNaomi Graves
Neighbourhood Mental Health Centres Pilot Programme
Early learnings from the VCFSE Sector, to inform the development of Neighbourhood Health The NHS 10-Year Plan, Fit for the Future, sets out three priority strategic shifts for health and care in England: towards neighbourhood-based care, prevention, and digitisation. The Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre pilot programme (also known as Community Mental Health Centres) sits squarely
Naomi Graves
Charity Commissioning Charter
The current commissioning climate isn’t working. We need a step change towards more equitable, mutually beneficial working practices between commissioners and Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) mental health service providers. Where commissioners and providers can work together to ensure that local need is met by the right services in the most effective way.
Read more PDFNaomi Graves
Inquiry into Children and Young People’s Mental Health – Summary of Our Key Recommendations
In February 2026, the Health and Social Care and Education Committees launched an inquiry into children and young people’s mental health, exploring the mental health support available to children and young people in community, health and education settings. As the national voice of over 300 mental health charities in England and Wales, we represent approximately
Association of Mental Health Providers
The Fair Pay Agreement – A Summary Briefing
The Fair Pay Agreement (FPA) is one of the most significant reforms to adult social care in a generation. The Association of Mental Health Providers strongly supports its ambition to improve pay, workforce retention and long-term stability across the sector. However, in our response to the consultation, we were clear that for mental health and
Read more PDFElla Dunthorne
Improving Mental Health Care and Support
Ahead of the parliamentary debate taking place on World Mental Health Day, 10 October at 1:30pm, we have published a new briefing with key recommendations for MPs. We are urging MPs to prioritise the nation’s mental health and the critical role of the VCSE (Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise) sector in delivering mental health care
Read more PDFElla Dunthorne
Tackling inequalities faced by minority groups in mental health through the Personalised Care Programme
People from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities living with poor mental health and/or illness encounter barriers in accessing personalised mental health care, including Personal Health Budgets (PHBs), which are crucial for their safety and recovery. The Tackling Inequalities in Mental Health through the Personalised Care Development Programme is a partnership between the Association of
Ella Dunthorne
Reserved: The Importance of Financial Reserves in Building Resilience in Mental Health Charities
In recent years, the combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising operational costs has significantly impacted mental health charities, leading to a sharp increase in demand for their services while simultaneously causing a decline in overall income. This briefing paper explores the current state of charity reserves in light of these developments, highlighting the financial
Dania Hanif
The Impact of the Cost-of-Living Crisis on Mental Health
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
Ella Dunthorne
Our Manifesto for Better Mental Health
The pandemic and cost of living crisis have led to a rapid increase in the prevalence of mental health needs and demand for mental health services across society. Recent figures estimate that 1 in 6 adults experience a common mental health disorder, like anxiety or depression, in any given week. We know that mental health
Dania Hanif
Developing positive engagement between commissioners and the VCSE provider sector
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
Greg Woolley
Research: Not-for-profit enterprise & workforces with mental ill-health
For the past three years the Association has been a national partner to Enterprise Development Programme (EDP), funded by Access – the foundation for social investment. This program supports charities and social enterprises based in England looking to identify, test, implement or scale trading models to deliver their missions and help them become more sustainable.
Hayley Alton
Mental Health Sustainability Programme: Final Evaluation Report
Close to three years ago, conversations about how to best to support the mental health provider charities that were struggling with the start of Covid-19 and lockdown began, and the idea of the Mental Health Sustainability Programme emerged. Over the course of the Programme’s formal 2-years in operation, we have supported more than 100 small
Ella Dunthorne
Mental Health Social Care: What it is, why and how it matters for Integrated Care
This report considers the key role of social care for people living with mental health distress and mental illness. The report has been prepared by the Association, on behalf of the Mental Health Social Care Policy and Oversight Group, for the Department of Health and Social Care. The Policy and Oversight Group brings together partners
Ella Dunthorne
Developing the Mental Health Social Care Workforce
Increasing pressures on the mental health social care workforce and difficulties in some parts of the sector offering social care related support due to workforce issues are well-known. Although the Community Mental Health Framework is a significant opportunity, it also presents challenges for the sector which require careful planning informed by up-to-date intelligence. Developing the
Association of Mental Health Providers
Covid-19 Vaccine Briefing
The following questions have been raised by members and we hope the responses outlined in this briefing, which have been drafted after taking legal advice, provide some clarity, These recommendations are by no means exhaustive nor conclusive as the details of the legalisation currently are very high level. Uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine is currently
Dania Hanif
Governance During Covid-19 in VCSE Mental Health Sector
The last year has brought with it many challenges for organisations working in the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector and constituted as charities. These organisations have continued to deliver essential mental health and wellbeing services to people in crisis – for both those whose mental illness or poor mental health pre-dated the COVID-19
Dania Hanif
Digital Inclusion in Mental Health – A Guide to Help Increase Choice and Improve Access to Digital Mental Health Services
This guide aims to help mental health service providers ensure all individuals in need of mental health services have choice in the care they receive, and nobody is excluded due to a lack of digital access, confidence or skills. In the wake of COVID-19, the use of remote or digital mental health services was accelerated
Dania Hanif
Peer Support: Working with the VCSE Sector
Association of Mental Health Providers, NSUN, and Mind have jointly produced a thought-piece outlining how voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) organisations can meaningfully contribute to the provision of peer support in mental health; and offer practical examples of the diverse ways in which this is already happening. We argue that the knowledge, skills,
Dania Hanif
COVID-19 and the VCSE Mental Health Sector
COVID-19 and the VCSE Mental Health Sector, is a live briefing document based on the experiences of our members and outlines the impact of the pandemic on their services and the people that they work with and for. Our conversations with members have enabled us to gather live intelligence and information on the challenges that
Dania Hanif
Supporting Mental Health in Communities During Covid-19: Bringing VCSE and Statutory Services Together
The global coronavirus outbreak is putting the mental as well as physical health of people around the world under strain. For people with existing mental health difficulties, this may be especially pronounced, at a time when mental health services are stretched and coping with higher sickness absence due to the virus. Across the UK, voluntary
Dania Hanif
More Than a Number
People living with severe mental illness have a 15-20 year shorter life expectancy than the general population, are more at risk of becoming overweight than average, and are at a far higher risk of physical illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. More than a Number finds that people with severe mental illness received little
Dania Hanif
A Time to Quit
People living with severe mental illness have a 15-20 year shorter life expectancy than the general population, are three times as likely to smoke, and are at a far higher risk of physical illnesses such as lung diseases. This also puts people more at risk from coronavirus. A Time to Quit finds that people with
Dania Hanif
Arm in arm: The relationships between statutory and voluntary sector mental health organisations
Commissioned by the Association of Mental Health Providers, the Centre for Mental Health report Arm in arm, warns that voluntary and community organisations face numerous financial barriers including reductions in local government funding, short-term and ‘more for less’ contracts, unpredictable and delayed decision-making, and the unintended consequences of national policies. Smaller organisations are particularly at
Dania Hanif
Closing the Employment Gap Toolkit and Scoping Review
Supported by the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance, The Association has been working with the Young People’s Health Partnership to develop a toolkit on Closing the Employment Gap for Young People and support a scoping review of evidence. Young people’s mental and emotional wellbeing can significantly affect their ability to apply for, obtain and maintain
Dania Hanif
Whole Prison, Whole Person
Supported by the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance, The Association has been working with partners’ Clinks and Nacro to develop a report on how a holistic approach can support good mental health in prison. The Whole Prison, Whole Person report sets out the key principles and recommendations towards developing a whole prison approach to good mental
Dania Hanif
Building a VCSE Consensus on Health and Work
As part of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance, Association of Mental Health Providers (leads of the Mental Health Consortium) has been working in partnership with UK Health Forum, Race Equality Foundation, and the National LGB&T Partnership in conducting a scoping and consensus building exercise to: Recognise what health and disability-focused organisations in the Voluntary Community
Dania Hanif
Race, Mental Health and Criminal Justice: Moving Forward
A joint briefing, ‘Race, mental health and criminal justice: moving forward’, from social justice charity, Nacro, Clinks, Association of Mental Health Providers and Mental Health Foundation as partners in the Mental Health Consortia, and the Race Equality Foundation has found that voluntary sector practitioners and service users from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds
Dania Hanif
Social Investment in Mental Health – An Introduction for Providers
In partnership with Big Society Capital, we have developed an introductory guide, Social Investment in Mental Health, on the basics around social investment. If you would like to know more, or if you’d like to discuss broader ideas in which social investment could be used to create better outcomes in mental health, please get in touch with
Dania Hanif
Demonstrating the value of the voluntary and community sectors
Voluntary and community sector (VCSE) organisations are frequently asked by funders to demonstrate the economic value of their work using limited evaluation budgets or from their own data and resource. Even where VCSE organisations are not asked to formally evaluate, they still want to understand what impact they make, what ‘added value’ they bring and how that can help in design and delivery. This paper has
Dania Hanif
More than Shelter – A Literature Review
This literature review, by Centre for Mental Health in association with MHPF and Royal College of Psychiatrists, reviews evidence about the provision of supported housing services for people with mental health problems in England. The report highlights the significant links between housing and mental wellbeing, indicating that factors such as overcrowding, insufficient daylight and fear of
Dania Hanif
The Interface Between Dementia and Mental Health
This review, by the MHPF and the Mental Health Foundation, aims to to explore the relationship between dementia, mental health and mental health problems. The main finding of this review is that co-morbidities are underdiagnosed in people living with dementia, not extensively researched and therefore not understood fully. The relationship between dementia and mental health problems is
Dania Hanif
Dementia, Equity, and Rights Report
Dementia has historically not been associated with equity and rights, as it is a term used for a range of different conditions that physically affect the brain and often referred to as an organic brain disease. And even though anyone can develop dementia, some groups have higher prevalence rates and experience greater disparities in the care
Dania Hanif
Mental Health and Housing
This report draws on the expertise of people living and working in supported accommodation settings across England, and presents their views of both building and service related issues. The report focuses on five approaches to providing supported accommodation: Care Support Plus – High Level Integrated Support Homelessness Complex Needs Low-Level Step Down Later Life The report makes several recommendations in relation
Dania Hanif
No Health Without Mental Health: A Call to Action
The signatories to this statement recognise there is an urgent need for coordinated action, starting from the earliest years in life, that will improve the mental health and wellbeing of the population year on year, and the life chances and recovery rates of people who experience mental health problems. To this end we pledge to
