Sandwell African Caribbean Mental Health Foundation
Charity 1082017
Overview
Summary
Sandwell African Caribbean Mental Health Foundation appears to be a culturally specific mental-health organisation that combines recovery support with community participation, practical independence and systems-change activity. Its role is broader than clinical support: it seems to provide a trusted bridge between Black African, Caribbean and dual-heritage communities, families and formal mental-health systems in and around Sandwell. The available evidence suggests that lived experience and co-production are central to its approach, while its range of activities may help address social conditions that affect recovery.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Perry Barr
Confidence: high
The organisation's current services page explicitly identifies Perry Barr residents as recipients of its Birmingham Bereavement & Wellbeing Service. This is direct evidence of delivery in the ward, although it does not establish a physical SACMHF site there.
- SACMHF, Our Services page
The page states that bereaved carers residing in the Perry Barr area of Birmingham receive bespoke one-to-one support from a Wellbeing Worker. - SACMHF, Birmingham Bereavement & Wellbeing Service page
The service remains listed as an active SACMHF service and is delivered through Communities in Sync, a consortium of Sandwell-based organisations, with Birmingham City Council identified as manager.
Remaining uncertainties
- SACMHF's only identified physical base is in West Bromwich, Sandwell. There is no direct evidence of a SACMHF-operated physical site within Birmingham.
- The current services page limits the Birmingham Bereavement & Wellbeing Service description to Perry Barr, whereas the 2023–2024 annual report states that the service had been changed to support bereaved citizens across Birmingham. The available current evidence does not establish whether delivery remains citywide or has subsequently been focused on Perry Barr.
- The 2023–2024 annual report records an Advocates for Change partnership delivering across the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board footprint. It is not listed among the current services on SACMHF's website, so its present operational status cannot be confirmed.
- References to networking with organisations in Northfield and Edgbaston, and to collaboration with Aston University, demonstrate partnership or engagement activity but do not by themselves establish ongoing SACMHF service delivery in those wards.
- Overall, the evidence supports a Sandwell-based organisation with a material but incompletely defined Birmingham delivery reach. The district classification is a cautious interpretation of the current ward-specific Birmingham service evidence rather than evidence of a permanent Birmingham-wide operational infrastructure.
Additional evidence needed
- The 2024–2025 annual report or current commissioning documentation confirming the present geographic eligibility and delivery footprint of the Birmingham Bereavement & Wellbeing Service.
- Current information from Communities in Sync or Birmingham City Council identifying the wards, neighbourhoods or referral catchment covered by SACMHF's role in the bereavement service.
- Current project documentation from SACMHF, POhWER or Catalyst 4 Change confirming whether Advocates for Change is still active and, if so, its Birmingham delivery geography.
- Evidence of the areas in Birmingham where SACMHF conducts outreach, community meetings or home visits.
Areas of work
- Amateur Sport
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- Disability
- Economic/community Development/employment
- Education/training
- Human Rights/religious Or Racial Harmony/equality Or Diversity
- The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
Who they help
- Elderly/old People
- Other Defined Groups
- People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
- People With Disabilities
How they help
- Other Charitable Activities
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Services
- Sponsors Or Undertakes Research
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Cultural responsiveness is the organisation's organising principle
The organisation appears to be defined not simply by mental-health provision, but by providing support designed around the experiences of Black African, Caribbean and Black dual-heritage people. This may position it as a specialist source of trust, relevance and advocacy within a system where racial inequality is explicitly recognised on its website.
Why it matters
This helps distinguish the foundation from general mental-health providers: its value may lie in how it connects cultural identity, family and community with recovery.
Show evidence
“The charity's objects specify holistic and culturally responsive services predominantly for Black African, Caribbean and Black dual heritage inhabitants experiencing or recovering from mental illness.”
Source:Charity Commission“The website states that Black men are six times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.”
Source:Organisation
Recovery is treated as social participation, not only symptom management
Its model appears to link mental-health recovery with employment, volunteering, peer support, activities, family support and support for ex-offenders. This suggests an emphasis on rebuilding agency, relationships and independence alongside wellbeing.
Why it matters
It indicates that the organisation may occupy a gap between clinical services and everyday community life, where longer-term recovery can either strengthen or falter.
Show evidence
“Activities include recovery, employment, peer support, ex-offenders, volunteering, activities, carers, user forum, outreach and family support.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity's objects include supporting longer periods of good wellbeing, recovery and independence.”
Source:Charity Commission
The foundation may be developing a systems-influence role
Recent activity suggests it is not only delivering services but also convening partners and bringing service-user perspectives into research, digital-service development and regional co-production. It may therefore influence how wider services understand and respond to its communities.
Why it matters
This could make the organisation an important connector between residents, voluntary-sector partners and public systems, extending its influence beyond direct beneficiaries.
Show evidence
“The website describes a regional systems change co-production session with ACCI Wolverhampton, Tamarind Centre and Catalyst for Change.”
Source:Organisation“The website reports partnership with a Senior User Researcher from NHS England to support development of NHS online research.”
Source:Organisation
- The scale, frequency and reach of services are not stated.
- There is no evidence of funding sources, referral routes or formal partnerships with local mental-health providers.
- The meaning and measurement basis of the reported psychiatric hospital admissions figure are unclear.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports or impact data showing beneficiary numbers, outcomes and service demand.
- Evidence on referral pathways, partner organisations and the results of co-production and research activity.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Sandwell African Caribbean Mental Health Foundation provides services predominantly for Black African, Caribbean, Black dual heritage adults recovering from mental illness and the wider community. Beneficiaries reside in and around Sandwell. We offer support focused on, recovery, employment, peer support, ex-offenders, volunteering, activities, carers, user forum, outreach, and family support.
Charity objects
The relief of suffering predominantly for Black African, Caribbean and Black dual heritage inhabitants of the area of benefit experiencing or recovering from mental illness, their families, carers and the wider community, In particular but not exclusively through the provision of a range of holistic and culturally responsive services including education, training, peer support, volunteering, health information, group work, user led and social activities to support longer periods of good wellbeing, recovery and independence for the said inhabitants