Mental health innovation
In March 2007, NESTA's Challenge team launched Innovations in Mental Health, a call for proposals for innovative services in mental health targeted at frontline workers, service users and carers.
The scheme is designed to demonstrate how to stimulate local ideas that, with the right support and guidance, have the potential to grow successfully into national projects with real impact.
Innovations in Mental Health is designed and delivered in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Media, Mind, Rethink and the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health.
The call closed in May 2007. We received 491 applications, of which 13 were short-listed by the judges. Following an extensive assessment process, 11 pilot projects have been selected to receive funding.
The projects
We have selected 11 Innovations in Mental Health pilot projects (listed on the right), which will run for six to 24 months. These will be developed with the support of our national partners, with a view to scaling and replicating the most successful on a national basis.