Camden Council's Cabinet has approved a procurement strategy for mental health community-based early intervention and prevention support services, allocating approximately £5.5 million over five years. The decision, made at a meeting on Monday, July 6, 2026, will see the continuation and enhancement of the Reach Out Camden
service, which provides timely, flexible, and relationship-based support for adults struggling with their mental health.
The service, jointly funded by Camden Council and the West North London Integrated Care Board, aims to prevent mental health needs from escalating to crisis point and reduce the demand on statutory services. The contract, valued at approximately £5,429,440 excluding VAT, will run for 60 months from April 1, 2027, to March 31, 2032. The annual expenditure is projected at £1,085,888, jointly funded by Camden Council (£538,888 per annum from Adult Social Care and Public Health) and the West and North London Integrated Care Board (£547,000 per annum via a Section 75 agreement).
Reach Out Camden provides support for a range of issues including emotional distress, social isolation, loss of connection, practical and socioeconomic pressures, identity, confidence, life transitions, and gaps in existing support systems. The service is designed to be culturally responsive and inclusive, ensuring that a diverse range of residents can access the help they need.
The recommissioned model of Reach Out Camden will strengthen links with neighbourhood teams, social prescribing, advice services, and other voluntary and community sector partners. It will formalize pathways, strengthen partnership working, and embed the service within neighbourhood and place-based structures to reduce duplication and improve consistency of support. The service will also deliver proactive, targeted outreach rather than relying solely on self-referral and build more partnerships with specialist community organisations. The new contract will also include requirements for providers to partner with local organisations supporting and co-led by autistic residents, and to strengthen referral pathways with organisations supporting young people.
To ensure services are culturally responsive and autism-affirmative, providers will be required to use such approaches. This will involve co-producing support with autistic residents and partnering with local organisations that support and are co-led by autistic residents. The alliance model itself, with its focus on community-based support and co-production, aims to ensure services are culturally relevant and inclusive.
The £5.5 million investment is intended to provide timely support, aiming to intervene early and prevent needs from escalating. By offering accessible, community-based support before individuals reach crisis or require more intensive statutory services, the investment is expected to reduce the demand on statutory services and potentially alleviate pressure on waiting times. The service aims to support residents the moment they begin to feel they need help
.
Reach Out Camden is delivered through an alliance of four Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations: Likewise, Mind in Camden, Voiceability, and The Advocacy Project. This alliance model, established in April 2022, promotes collaboration and ensures easier access for residents seeking community-based mental health support.
The strategy aims to improve access, reduce inequalities, and ensure services are culturally responsive and autism-affirmative. Engagement with residents and stakeholders highlighted the value of the service in reducing isolation, improving wellbeing, and providing early support. Areas for improvement identified include enhancing the visibility of services, strengthening links with culturally diverse communities, and improving navigation between services.
The new contract will require enhanced reporting on protected characteristics and outcomes achieved, as well as for priority groups such as care-experienced young people. The service aims to support residents to receive timely, flexible, relational support the moment they begin to feel they need help, ensure support is holistic and rooted in Camden's diverse communities, and coordinate the system around residents to reduce 'hand-offs' and confusion, allowing residents to thrive in their communities. The service's success will be measured by its ability to provide early intervention and prevention, reduce isolation, improve wellbeing, and support people before their needs escalate to crisis or require statutory interventions.
Reach Out Camden is jointly funded by Camden Council (Adult Social Care and Public Health) and the West North London Integrated Care Board (ICB) via a Section 75 agreement. The alliance contract model involves commissioners (including Camden Council and the ICB) participating as equal partners, with shared accountability for outcomes, risks, and resources. The Alliance Leadership Team (ALT), which includes senior representatives from partner organisations and lived experience advisors, provides strategic oversight. The Alliance Management Team (AMT), accountable to the ALT, oversees operational delivery.
Cabinet also delegated authority to the Executive Director Adults and Health, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, to award the contract and make any necessary variations. Further details on the meeting and decisions can be found in the Public reports pack and Decisions documents.
