ACTION MENTAL HEALTH
(LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS
The Directors present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March
2023. The Directors have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities..
statement of Recommended Practice appliGable to cliarities preparing their accounts in
accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland
(FRS 102) in preparing these accounts.
CONSTITUTION
Action Mental Health (AMH) is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered under
N1005568, governed by the Articles of Association. The company is recognised as a charity
and is registered under NIC100753 and is recognised as a charity by HM Revenue & Customs
under reference number XN 47959.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The AMH board is comprised of up to 15 Directors as set out in the charity's Articles of
Association. Directors may serve for a maximum of 3 terms of 4 years, save for Serving
Directors who, having served 15 years, must be re-appointed on an annual basis. Directors
are recruited to the Board through an open recruitment and selection process, although
4 Directors may be co-opted annually. The Governance Manual guides the work of the Board,
which includes an induction programme for Directors, Terms of Reference for Committees and
roles and responsibilities of office bearers.
AMH decisions on strategy, policy and material capital expenditure are taken by the full Board
and it ensures the Strategic Plan guides the Executive over a three year time span. Day to day
decision making is under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer, Mr D Babington, with
regular reporting to the Board, Finance Committee, Audit and Risk Cornmittee, Nominations
and Remuneration Committee, Therapeutic Services Committee, Innovation and Strategy
Committee. The Chief Executive Officer of AMH directly manages the Senior Management
Team and they ensure targets in the annual Operational Plan are achieved.
In line with corporate good practice AMH has an Audit and Risk Committee comprising of two
independent and three Board members and il meets at least three times a year., the Chief
Executive Officer and Director of Business Support also attend, with the external auditors
present when appropriate. Usually each year a Directors, Conference is held to enable the
Board and all managers to assess progress and consider the future.
During the year the Board worked through a number of actions resulting from the Governance
Health Check started in late 2021 including revising the Governance Manual; the Charity
Commission Northern Ireland provided consent for the revised Articles on 27 November 2022
and they were subsequently lodged with Companies House. Experience from Covid resulted
in many Board and Committee meetings being conducted remotely and this has continued to
facilitate attendance and engagement. The Board and Finance Committee met 6 times, the
Audit and Risk Committee, Nominations and Remuneration Committee, Therapeutic Services
Committee and the Innovation and Strategy Committee each met on 4 occasions. Due to
significant uncertainties about the future of ESF funding ending on 31 March 2023 the Board
decided not to hold a Directors, Conference until there was greater clarity about the future and
Directors were reassured that that there was a Strategy already in place for the period 2022-
2025. Throughout the year a number of audits from DfE and others such as the ETI provided
reassurance to the Board.

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Continued
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (Continued)
In order to support the response to the loss of ESF funding and subsequent uncertainties the
Board established a Transition Steering Group of 4 Directors to work closely wilh the SMT on
contingency planning for the future. This included providing oversight of a bid to the new UK
Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which was being commissioned by the Department of
Levelling Up Housing and Communities at Westminster.
The Nominations and Remuneration Committee consider pay levels for all staff, and possible
Cost of Living increases on an annual basis and the annual accounts are available on the
website,. the Committee seeks approval from the full Board for any increases in staff salaries.
In 2013 the Committee commissioned an extensive independent review of all staff salaries
which benchmarked them against other locally based charities, sectors and National Joint
Council (NJC) scales and the recommendations were implemented in full. The only adjustment
to this was in response to the Covid pandemic and the Board commissioned a further
independent salary review to ensure the rates properly reflected market trends and this led to
uplifts for most staff in January 2022. The Pay Policy Statement sets out the Board's approach
to salaries and is on the AMH website. In respect of the Chief Executive Officer the Committee
commissions independent advice which includes benchmarking against comparable roles in
the sector.
In order to provide effective services AMH is involved in a number of partnerships with other
charities in Northern Ireland such as the Supported Employment Services (SES) consortium,
co-led by AMH and the Cedar Foundation delivering the Workable employment programme
commissioned by the Department for Communities,. the SES consortium also submitted a
successful bid for the new UKSPF for 2023-2025. AMH contributed to a range of other
committees and partnerships such as the Mental Health Strategic Reform Board, Belfast City
Council VCSE Advisory Panel, the Department for Economy Investment for Growth and Jobs
Programrnes Monitoring Committee for EU Infrastructure Funds, with the Chief Executive
Officer holding appointments on all these Committees, AMH also provides the secretariat for
the All Party Group on Suicide at the Assembly.
DIRECTORS
The Directors of AMH are its trustees for the purposes of charity law. The Directors who served
the charity during the year are as noted on Page 1.
Mrs A Craigan, Ms N Kerr, Ms S Cooke, Ms R Kelly and Messrs. E Fee, HWR Kohner, D P
McAuley, W A McKeown, J L C Thompson DL, P Fitzsimmons (resigned with effect from 22
February 2023), D M McKeown, S W Robinson, J McAdams and Prof G Lynch all served.
A register of Directors, interests is maintained, with regular review and update, in order for the
Board to be aware of any potential conflicts of interest,. the issue of potential conflicts is a
standing agenda item at the start of all Board and Committee meetings. None of the Directors
had any material interest in contracts with the charity during the year.

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RISK STRATEGY
A risk register is maintained in relation to all material risks posing a threat to AMH. The register
is reviewed regularly by the Audit and Risk Committee and at all Board meetings to ensure
systems and procedures are established to mitigate those risks identified and to minimise any
potential impact on the charity.
In managing the reserves, the Board is guided by their Investment Policy and its objective is
to generate a return in excess of inflation over the long term whilst generating an income which
could be available to support existing services and new projects. The Reserves Policy of AMH
is to hold six months of planned expenditure to ensure continued financial security and to
provide for contingencies. A diversified spread of investments is maintained and the two
investment providers are required to meet with the Finance Committee once a year to discuss
performance, risk and adherence to the Investment Policy's ethical criteria.
PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES
Key risks and uncertainties currently affecting AMH are set out below.,
Funding
The ESF 'Working it Out, programme ended on 31 March without any equivalent or
follow-on programme available. AMH had lobbied intensively for Irany months for
resources but this was made difficult by political uncertainty and no Nl Executive in
place., there was only the prospect of some Department of Health transition funding
which failed to materialise. Whilst AMH did secure some funding through the UKSPF
with a successful bid with SES partners it provided significantly reduced funds for a
different group of clients and only a srnall number of AMH'S current clients were eligible
to transfer across to the new programme and this new funding is only available until
2025. Existing match funding from the 5 Health and Social Care Trusts was retained
and that at least will enable some support to be provided to a reduced number of the
most needy existing clients.
As a result, AMH has been implementing contingency plans due to the loss of ESF
funding and introduction of the UKSPF programme, all of which is having significant
impacts for clients, staff, service delivery and facilities. The aim is to ensure AMH is
put on a sustainable financial footing as quickly as possible and this includes
considering new funding models and more new collaborative funding opportunities.

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Continued
PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES (Continued
Delivery of Services
Throughout the year there has been a prevailing uncertainty about support for the
mental health sector and the Third Sector and this is likely to continue for the
foreseeable future., this is additional to concerns about the loss of ESF funding.
Evidence of this is the fact that plans to fund the Mental Health Strategy for the first
year have fallen very short of what was agreed and the same is likely to happen in
coming years yet this is against a backdrop of rising demands for mental health support
due to Covid and the Cost of Living crisis.
The Board continues to be concerned about AMH'S ability to deliver agreed outcomes
with the pace and scale of recent reductions and adjustments required in services with
increasing demand combined with difficult recruitment and retention. Although AMH
responded swiftly and effectively to the Covid pandemic the current situation is
arguably more serious. The Board has been monitoring progress closely and is
delighted that all client needs and funders, requirements have been met so far but will
continue to work closely to support the SMT to deliver in these difficult circumstances.
In response to the bleak outlook the Board is focussed on considering different and
more creative ways to support clients and will persevere with digital transformation by
building on existing experience with appslchatbots and collaborative working to embed
digital expertise in AMH.
The Board recognises these key risks and uncertainties and operates so as to minimise the
threat posed to the charity by adhering to the highest procedures and standards and working
closely with independent experts as required to mitigate the risks.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Action Mental Health
AMH'S vision is for a SOGiety which actively values and supports people on their journey to
positive mental health and the mission is to make a positive difference to people's mental
health and wellbeing. The mission is delivered by living and working to our values of Passion,
Empowerment, Excellence and Respect.
AMH is a voluntary organisation which continues to support people's mental health and well-
being across the region through vocational training, supported employment options, personal
development, therapeutic interventions, health and well-being programmes and resilience
building. The Directors have given due regard to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's
guidance on public benefit in respect of its objectives and activities. AMH'S Objects and
activities undertaken in relation to them are below.,
To pmvide assistance for persons affected by mental ill health, learning disability, substance
abuse and/or other disabilities including without limitation vocational rehabilitation and training,
personal development and guidance and other support seNices with a view to maintaining and
improving the wellbeing of such persons to assist their return to fitness for purposeful activity.

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OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (Continued)
Training & support programmes for people recovering from mental ill-health has been
delivered through ESF funding by nine New Horizons services, they also provide person-
centred well-being programmes to support soft skills development. The five Health and Social
Care Trusts are the primary referral source for clients and AMH supports clients to move on
to employment and/or more independent lives. There are also three services which cater
specifiGally for young people and they are delivered along similar lines to the adult New
Horizons services. As ESF funding has ended it is planned that these services will adjust to
reduced resources by supporting fewer clients but Continuing to support clients from the
existing 10 service delivery locations.
The NLC service provides counselling for children, young people, adults and families. A range
of therapeutic services are offered depending on need, including counselling, psychotherapy,
music, art and play therapies. The diversity of staff skills and the range of modalities available
enhances the experience for clients as NLC matches the orientation of the client to an
appropriate counsellor., this now includes Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners. There are a
variety of modes of therapy offered - telephone, online or face-to-face. Counselling is provided
for a range of issues
stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, druglalcohol
misuse, self-harming, suicidal ideation - amongst others and counselling is provided for clients
who are deaf or hard of hearing. Interpreters will also be provided for Glients for whom English
is not their first language.
To assist SUGh persons whether or not they h8ve completed training programmes on the
Company's premises to secure employment in jobs appropriate to their capabilities and to
provide, if required, folloLV-up guidance and support.
As well as the focus on employment through the New Horizons services AMH delivers the
Workable Government employment programme for people with mental health issues, which is
focused on getting people into the workplace and keeping them there. The programme is
delivered with 8 other charity partners as part of SES. AMH is still also the only provider of the
Individual Placement Support service in the Belfast Trust area, which focuses on placing
people with mental health issues in the workplace as quickly as possible and then training
them.
ro carry on for the benefit of such persons activities in which the skills of such persons can be
developed, which activities shall be carried on wholly or largely by means of the efforts of such
persons.
In line with the Mental Health Strategy's preventative priorities, a growing aspect of AMH'S
focus has been to build personal resilience within communities including young people in
primarylsecondary education, further education, higher education and HMP Hydebank. The
Menssana project continued to deliver the PHA funded Mindset programme and the Protect
Life service which delivers suicidelself harm prevention services. Aside from funding from the
Southern Trust, the PHA and corporate donorslfoundations a sizeable proportion of this work
has continued to be funded through AMH'S own funds but future resourcing like this is unlikely
to continue.

ACTION MENTAL HEALTH
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Continued
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (Continued)
The three Men's Sheds continue to maintain support to older men to help them learn new
skills, socialise and connect. The long-term conditions project, Managing the Challenge, in the
Western Trust continued to provide people with the tools to self-manage their conditions., AtvlH
Works also continued to provide employers with wellbeing and resilience building support.
AMH continues to lead an EU funded Peace 4 contract until September 2023 with 6 other
partners to deliver a cross border and cross community programme called 'Our Generation, to
develop an integrated approach for building peaTr through emotional resilience.
AMH also runs a number of specialist projects to support clients to develop their own skills,
such as the Vision project (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) in the Southern Trust. the Promote
Learning Disability project in the South Eastern Trust and the everyBODY Eating Disorder
project in the Southern Trust.
To provide outr8aGh sewices in support of people recovering from mental ill health and/or other
disabilities.
AMH operates from 14 sites and Inany programmes and services are also delivered in the
community, in local facilities such as partner organisations, offices, theatreslcinemas, health
centres, sports Glubs or schools.
To promote awareness of the issues of mental health 8nd other related issues to the publiG
at large.
AMH engaged intensively with politicians, particularly about the end of ESF funding and
funding of the Mental Health Strategy, although with no Nl Executive or Assembly in place little
was achieved. AMH also held numerous client events and appeared on various media to
promote mental health issues,. the AMH Client Forum committed to co-production by
discussing and promoting client issues and corporate partners continued to work with AMH to
raise publicity around mental health issues. AMH remains part of the Mental Health Policy
Group which is working to promote the work of the sector and to tackle underlying issues in it.
More information on AMH'S work and achievements during 2022123 is in the Annual Review,
which is available from the Company's Registered Office and on its website.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
This was the first year of the AMH Board's Strategic Plan 2022-2025 and the scorecard reflects
the fact that many objectives were achieved even with the political and funding cha15enges.
ESF funding, with its associated match funding, made a positive difference to client outcomes
and indeed outperformed the targets set. Recruitment and retention was an ongoing issue but
given very public concerns about future funding after ESF AMH still managed to reach large
numbers of the population with a variety of services.
During the year 1,601 clients with mental health needs andlor a learning disability attended
services remotely or in person provided by AMH including New Horizons, Promote and
Workable. The New Horizons services provided training and employability programmes to
1,406 clients who achieved 2,457 accredited training outcomes and 211 progressed to paid
employment, voluntary work, further educationltraining or other government programmes.

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ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (Continued)
Regarding resilience building programmes delivered by AMH Menssana and AMH Works,
there were 39,981 direct beneficiaries. AMH also continued to run the Long Term Conditions
Alliance (Nl) project'managing the Challenge, in the Western Trust area and 25 programmes
were successfully provided throughout the year with 200 people participating in the self-
management programme. also 113 older men attended the 3 Men's Sheds and 139 clients
were supported through the Workable contract.
Regarding the New Life Counselling service, there were 17,785 counselling sessions provided
to 2,548 individuals and families as follows..
Adult- 11,214 sessions to 1,614 clients
Children &Young People - 6,349 sessions to 899 clients
Families- 177 sessions to 35 families
AMH staff turnover in the year 2022-2023 was 24.54%. 5.09% due to end of contract,
retirement, moving to further education, ill health or personallother reasons. AMH records a
staffing complement of 233 employees as at 3110312023.. 49 males and 184 females.
AMH has achieved Investors in People {liP) 'We invest in people, PLATINUM accreditation..
only 3 % of liP accredited organisations hold this level of recognition and liP confirm Action
Mental Health is within the top 20 Platinum organisations in United Kingdom.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
As with many similar organisations in the sector AMH had a particularly challenging financial
year with the end of the Covid-19 pandemic and Cost of Living pressures which have
contributed to associated staff recruitment and retention issues. Whilst remarkable outcomes
were achieved for clients AMH shows a sizeable deficit for the year. This was further
exacerbated by AMH'S continuing commitment to underwrite other wellbeing support
programmes, such as for school age children, alongside a key initiative to better retain staff.
Despite it being a demanding year due to the careful supervision by the Board and senior
management AMH finished it in a relatively stable financial position.
ESF funding continued to support the recovery services whilst a range of PHA, VSS, Health
and Social Care Trust funding and various grants supported all the other counselling and
resilience building programmes. Unrestricted income continued through corporate
partnerships and although it reduced this year due to the Covid pandemic and the Cost of
Living crisis, there is an expectation that it will increase to pre pandemic levels soon.
RESULTS
Unrealised losses on investments were £93,118 (2022
£411,354).
unrealised gains amounted to
The overall net movement on funds for the year was a deficit of £726,660 (2022 - £83,083).
The charity spends all restricted monies that it receives and makes good any deficit on
restricted funds from its general unrestricted reserves.
The closing balance on unrestricted reserves at 31 March 2023 was £6,279,312 (2Q22
£7,005,972). No restricted reserves were held.

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RESERVES POLICY
Due to the uncertain nature of AMH'S funding, it is the Board's policy to maintain a designated
risk reserve equal to six months, budgeted expenditure (see note 24). The level of free
reserves at the year-end (excluding designated reserves) was £206,066 (2022 - £1,169,693).
INVESTMENT POLICY AND PERFORMANCE
The Finance Committee, a Board sub-committee, oversees, monitors and advises the Board
on investment decisions and they are guided by the Investment Policy.
In managing the Reserves of AMH and hence its investments, the Board's objective is to
generate a return in excess of inflation over the long term whilst generating an income and
capital growth which could be available to support existing group services and new projects
whilst a diversified spread of investments is maintained.
Reports on performance are provided to the Board at each meeting and Directors understand
they are ultimately responsible for the overall management of the investments.
The Finance Committee are content that overall investment performance was acceptable and
in line with investment objectives. Performance is assessed by benchmarking against
accepted industry comparators and by using two separate investment advisors,
FUTURE PLANS
As disclosed at note 1 to the financial statements, due to funding constraints and uncertainty
surrounding future funding sources, AMH has undertaken a review of its service delivery
across Northern Ireland. As a result of this review the Directors have put plans in place that
include the reshaping of service provision and of the assets held and utilised by the charity.
The directors acknowledge the uncertainty and challenges this brings but remain committed
to AMH'S fundamental objective of supporting people's mental health and well-being across
the region.
DIRECTORS, RESPONSIBILITIES STATEMENT
The Directors (who are also trustees of Action Mental Health for the purposes of Charity Law),
are responsible for preparing the Report of the Directors and the financial statements in
accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom
Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year
which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the
incoming resources and application of resources. including the income and expenditure, of the
charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are
required to..
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently,.
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP.
make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent., and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate
to presume that the Gharitable company will continue in business,

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DIRECTORS, RESPONSIBILITIES STATEMENT (Continued)
The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with
reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable
them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are
also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking
reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
STATEMENT OF DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO AUDITOR
In so far as the Directors, who held office at the date of approval of the financial statements,
are aware..
there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company's auditor is
unaware" and
the Directors have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves
aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that
information.
In approving the Report of the Directors the Directors also approve the Strategic Report.
Registered office..
AMH Central Office
27 Jubilee Road
NEWTOWNARDS
BT23 4YH
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Mr D P McAuley
Director and Chairman
Mrs A Craigan
Director and Honorary Treasurer
Date..
4 It &z3
Registered in Northern Ireland
No. N1005568
Charity Registration No: NIC100753
10