Association of Mental Health Providers
Professional services
UnclaimedA London-based registered charity representing voluntary and community-sector mental health organisations in England and Wales.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Association of Mental Health Providers (AMHP) is a United Kingdom registered charity and representative body for voluntary and community-sector organisations working in mental health. Based in London, it operates primarily across England and Wales and seeks to bring the experience of non-governmental service providers into national and regional policy, service-design and implementation discussions. The organisation was known as the Mental Health Providers Forum (MHPF) until May 2017. Under both names, its role has been to strengthen the contribution of the voluntary sector to mental-health provision, improve the range and quality of services, and encourage collaboration between charities, community organisations, public agencies and government. Its work is focused less on selling a conventional product than on representation, policy influence, evidence-sharing, sector development and practical support for providers. AMHP's stated areas of activity include promoting innovation, identifying and disseminating effective practice, supporting better outcomes for people using mental-health services, and advancing recovery-oriented approaches. It has worked with members to contribute provider perspectives to national strategies, including the 2011 cross-government strategy No Health Without Mental Health. From 2014, housing for people with mental-health needs became a significant area of focus. In September 2014, the association published work describing successful housing models and helped establish a national forum on the subject. The association also participates in broader partnership structures. It leads a collaboration of voluntary mental-health organisations within the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Health and Wellbeing Alliance, working with organisations including the Centre for Mental Health, the National Survivor User Network, the Mental Health Foundation, Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. The alliance has engaged with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and Public Health England. AMHP has contributed to practical tools as well as policy work. It was involved in developing the Mental Health Recovery Star, launched in 2008 as part of the wider Outcomes Star family. The tool is designed to support conversations about recovery and progress and has been used by mental-health trusts in England, with adoption also reported by a mental-health recovery service in Queensland, Australia. In 2023, AMHP introduced a digital mapping tool intended to measure the availability of mental-health provision across England. Leadership has included Judy Weleminsky, the forum's first chief executive, Kathy Roberts, who was appointed chief executive in 2012, and Dania Hanif, identified as interim chief executive in the available reference material. The organisation's membership is composed of voluntary-sector bodies providing mental-health services in England. Its significance lies in providing a collective voice for providers that operate alongside, or in partnership with, the National Health Service and public authorities.
History
The Association of Mental Health Providers developed from the Mental Health Providers Forum, a body created to represent voluntary and community-sector organisations involved in mental-health services. Judy Weleminsky was appointed the forum's first chief executive in 2005. The organisation's purpose was to give providers a collective voice in policy and service discussions and to encourage greater recognition of the voluntary sector's contribution to mental-health care. A major practical contribution came through the Mental Health Recovery Star, launched in 2008. AMHP was involved in its development, and the tool became part of the broader Outcomes Star family. It provides a structured way to discuss a person's recovery journey and progress, and was subsequently used by mental-health trusts in England. Its reported use also extended beyond the United Kingdom, including adoption by a mental-health recovery service in Queensland, Australia. The organisation expanded its engagement with national policy during the implementation of the 2011 No Health Without Mental Health cross-government strategy. It worked with members to bring provider experience into strategy and practice discussions, supporting the development and application of approaches intended to improve outcomes for people using mental-health services. Kathy Roberts was appointed chief executive in 2012. Housing and mental health became a particular focus from 2014. In September of that year, the organisation published a report describing successful housing models for people with mental-health needs and helped establish a national forum on housing. This work reflected the association's broader interest in the social and practical conditions that affect recovery, rather than limiting its activity to clinical provision. In May 2017, the Mental Health Providers Forum changed its name to the Association of Mental Health Providers. The new name more directly described its role as a representative organisation for voluntary-sector mental-health providers. AMHP also became associated with the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Health and Wellbeing Alliance, leading a collaboration involving the Centre for Mental Health, the National Survivor User Network, the Mental Health Foundation, Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. The collaboration worked with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and Public Health England. The association's continuing work combines representation, partnership, evidence-sharing, innovation and support for recovery-oriented practice. Its membership consists of voluntary-sector organisations providing mental-health services in England, while its representative remit extends across England and Wales. In 2023, it introduced a digital mapping tool to measure mental-health provision across England. Dania Hanif is identified in the available reference material as interim chief executive, following earlier leadership by Kathy Roberts and Judy Weleminsky.
- 2023
Digital provision-mapping tool introduced
[1]The association introduced a digital tool designed to measure mental-health provision across England.
- 2017
Name changed to Association of Mental Health Providers
[1]The Mental Health Providers Forum adopted its current name in May 2017.
- 2014
Housing and mental health became a focus
[1]AMHP began concentrating more strongly on housing provision for people with mental-health needs.
- 2012
Kathy Roberts appointed chief executive
[1]Kathy Roberts was appointed chief executive of the organisation.
- 2011
Contribution to No Health Without Mental Health implementation
[1]The organisation worked with members to inform and implement the United Kingdom's cross-government mental-health strategy.
- 2008
Mental Health Recovery Star launched
[1]The organisation was involved in developing the Mental Health Recovery Star, a recovery and outcomes-support tool within the Outcomes Star family.
- 2005
First chief executive appointed
[1]Judy Weleminsky became the first chief executive of the Mental Health Providers Forum.
Products and positioning
A national representative and development body for voluntary and community-sector mental-health organisations, positioned between frontline providers, policymakers, public agencies and wider health and social-care partners.
Recovery and outcomes tool · 2008
Mental Health Recovery Star
The Mental Health Recovery Star is a structured tool developed with the association's involvement to support conversations about recovery, progress and service-user goals. It belongs to the wider Outcomes Star family and has been used by mental-health trusts in England. The available reference material also reports adoption by a mental-health recovery service in Queensland, Australia.
Digital sector-mapping tool · 2023
Digital mapping tool for mental-health provision
Introduced in 2023, this digital mapping tool is intended to measure and present the distribution of mental-health provision across England. It supports the association's broader objective of improving understanding of available services and informing planning, policy and provider discussions.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance collaboration
England · Wales
The association led a collaboration of voluntary mental-health organisations within the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Health and Wellbeing Alliance.
Outcome. The collaboration provided a collective route for voluntary-sector mental-health organisations to work with health and government agencies, including the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and Public Health England.
- 2014Housing and mental health forum
England · Wales
AMHP increased its focus on housing provision for people with mental-health needs, published a report on successful housing models in September 2014 and helped establish a national forum.
Outcome. A continuing national forum was established to support discussion of housing models and mental-health needs.
Brand decisions
2023
Launch of digital mental-health provision mappingProduct launchBackground
The association sought to improve understanding of the availability and distribution of mental-health services across England.
Action taken
It introduced a digital mapping tool to measure mental-health provision.
Aftermath
The tool added a digital evidence and planning function to AMHP's policy and sector-development work.
2017
Adoption of the Association of Mental Health Providers nameStrategyBackground
The organisation had previously operated as the Mental Health Providers Forum and sought a name that more directly reflected its representative role.
Action taken
It changed its name to the Association of Mental Health Providers in May 2017.
Aftermath
The association continued its work representing voluntary and community-sector mental-health organisations and participating in cross-sector partnerships.
Sources2 sources
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