South African Federation For Mental Health

What South African Federation For Mental Health does

South African Federation For Mental Health (SAFMH) is a non-profit organization founded in 1920 in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the largest national mental health federation in the country, working with 17 independent Mental Health Societies (MHS) across all nine provinces to deliver community-based mental healthcare and advocate for persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities. SAFMH's operating model combines policy advocacy at national and international levels with direct service programs, including the Awareness and Public Education Programme, the Advocacy and Partnership Development Programme, the National Youth Mental Health Advocacy and Advisory Forum, and a Corporate Wellness Programme for workplaces. The organization also maintains an Information Library providing mental health fact sheets, policies and legislation documents, human rights resources, infographics, and educational materials, supported by a help desk and mental health presentations.

SAFMH's core outputs are advocacy and informational rather than technology products. The underlying infrastructure consists of a website (www.safmh.org), social media channels (Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, Instagram), fortnightly e-newsletters, webinars, and awareness campaigns covering Psychosocial Disability Awareness Month, World Mental Health Day, and Men's Health Month. The organization coordinates a federated delivery network of 17 member societies and engages in program evaluation partnerships (e.g., with the University of Cape Town in 2019) and strategic alliances (e.g., with the National Department of Health since 2015 for MHCU advocacy, and with the World Federation for Mental Health and the Speak Your Mind global campaign).

The revenue model is grant- and donation-funded rather than fee-based. Sources include government bodies such as the National Department of Health for specific advocacy programs and the National Lotteries Commission for special projects like the centenary video (2020). Donations are received through online platforms such as GivenGain. Services to beneficiaries appear to be free of charge, with the Corporate Wellness Programme operating as the closest analog to a revenue-generating channel. The organization is privately held as a non-profit, has no parent company, and is classified as a 501(c)-equivalent in the South African context, serving end users who are persons with psychosocial disabilities, persons with intellectual disabilities, youth aged 18-24, and the general South African public.

Name

South African Federation For Mental Health

Legal name

South African Federation For Mental Health

Website

https://safmh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

South African Federation For Mental Health (SAFMH) is a non-profit organization founded in 1920 that operates as the largest national mental health federation in South Africa, coordinating 17 Mental Health Societies across all nine provinces to advocate for persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Advocacy Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI)

Keywords

• Mental health advocacy
• Psychosocial disability support
• Intellectual disability services
• Mental health awareness
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Randburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: SAFMH receives funding from government bodies such as the National Department of Health for specific advocacy programs, and from the National Lotteries Commission for special projects like their centenary video.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations through platforms like GivenGain for supporting mental health societies and feeding programs for families of persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The South African Federation For Mental Health (SAFMH) is a non-profit mental health federation that advocates for the rights of persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities through awareness campaigns, public education, policy advocacy, and human rights protection. It coordinates a national network of 17 Mental Health Societies (MHSs) across all nine provinces of South Africa, delivering free information resources, a help desk, youth advocacy forums, and corporate wellness presentations. The organisation is funded through government grants and donations rather than direct service fees.

Product overview

SAFMH is a non-profit mental health organization with a 100-year track record, operating as the largest national mental health federation in South Africa. The organization functions as a platform of interconnected services rather than a single unified product, comprising core advocacy programmes (Awareness and Public Education, Advocacy and Partnership Development, National Youth Mental Health Advocacy Forum), informational resources (Information Library, Fact Sheets, Infographics, Human Rights resources), direct services (Mental Health Presentations, Help Desk, Corporate Wellness Programme), and community-based support through 17 Mental Health Societies. The programmes share a common focus on advocacy, human rights, empowerment, and awareness, with services designed to reach both general populations and specific demographics including youth and workplace audiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Awareness and Public Education Programme An ongoing programme that delivers mental health awareness campaigns and public education initiatives to reduce stigma and educate the South African public about psychosocial and intellectual disabilities. Targeted at persons with lived experience, their families, and the broader community.
• Advocacy and Partnership Development Programme A programme that engages government departments, civil society organisations, and international bodies to advocate for the rights of persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities and to influence mental health policy in South Africa.
• Mental Health Presentations and Corporate Wellness Programme Structured mental health awareness presentations delivered to workplaces, schools, and community groups, including the Corporate Wellness Programme offered to businesses seeking to support employee mental health.
• National Youth Mental Health Advocacy and Advisory Forum A youth-focused forum that recruits, trains, and mobilises young people aged 18-24 to serve as mental health advocates and advisers, providing leadership and advocacy pathways for persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities.
• Mental Health Help Desk A direct contact service that responds to enquiries from persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities, their families, and the general public, providing information, referrals, and basic guidance on mental health and human rights issues.
• Mental Health Information Library A curated online resource hub that consolidates fact sheets on mental health conditions, infographics, and human rights reference materials for persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities, caregivers, professionals, and the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24 empowerment sessions conducted across five provinces in 2015-2019 MHCU advocacy program
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Mind the Gap-South Africa CampaignmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020SAFMH joined this campaign launching in September 2020 to raise awareness on physical distancing and social solidarity during COVID-19. The campaign was rolled out across all nine provinces with celebrities and influencers sharing videos on social media.
• University of Cape Town (UCT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership with UCT researchers to evaluate the MHCU advocacy program's success, identify barriers faced by MHCUs in establishing advocacy groups, and identify factors for developing future advocacy programs across the country.
• National Department of Health (NDOH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015SAFMH partnered with NDOH in 2015 to implement a national program for Mental Health Care Users (MHCUs) to establish advocacy groups in each province. The partnership involved conducting empowerment sessions and supporting community-based advocacy leaders at a national level.
• South African Mental Health Advocacy Movement (SAMHAM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Established by SAFMH in 2007 to give persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities a voice, recognizing that they are ultimately the experts in mental health and should be key partners among all stakeholders in the mental health sector.
• Speak Your Mind CampaignmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAFMH participates in this globally-driven mental health campaign that advocates for ending the silence around mental health to put pressure on governments to invest in, educate and empower people.
• World Federation for Mental HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational affiliation providing global mental health advocacy, awareness prevention, and best practice recovery-focused interventions. SAFMH participates in their initiatives and programs.
• Cape Mental HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Cape Mental Health for Intellectual Disability Awareness Month campaigns. Cape Mental Health is an award-winning organization recognized at national and international level for innovative mental health services to persons with emotional adjustment problems and those with mental disability.
• 17 Mental Health Societies (MHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAFMH coordinates with 17 independent Mental Health Societies that serve as an excellent model for community-based mental healthcare. These societies provide direct mental health care services to MHCUs across all nine provinces of South Africa.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mental Health Foundation (UK): The Mental Health Foundation is the UK's leading mental health charity focused on prevention, research, and public education. It is a broad incumbent peer given its comparable mission around advocacy, awareness, and policy influence in mental health.
• South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP): SASOP is the professional association representing psychiatrists in South Africa, advocating on mental health policy and clinical standards. It is a broad incumbent peer given its overlapping mental health policy remit and national scope, though focused on professional rather than community advocacy.
• National Council of Mental Wellbeing (US): The National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a US-based membership organization for community behavioral health providers. It is a broad incumbent peer given its comparable mission of advancing community-based mental health delivery and policy influence, though operating in a different healthcare system.
• Mental Health America: Mental Health America is one of the oldest community-based mental health advocacy organizations in the United States, focused on awareness, advocacy, and early intervention. It is a broad incumbent peer given its comparable national advocacy, public education, and policy remit, though serving a different geography.
• World Federation for Mental Health: The World Federation for Mental Health is a global mental health advocacy and awareness organization with which SAFMH is affiliated. It is a broad incumbent peer given its international scope and overlapping advocacy, awareness, and best-practice dissemination activities.

Direct peers

• Cape Mental Health: Cape Mental Health is an award-winning South African organization providing innovative mental health services to persons with mental disability and emotional adjustment problems. It is a direct peer and active SAFMH partner for Intellectual Disability Awareness Month campaigns.
• South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA): SANCA is a national South African NGO providing prevention, treatment, and education services for substance use and addiction. It is comparable to SAFMH in operating as a federated national mental health/substance use advocacy and service body with nationwide community-based delivery.
• South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG): SADAG is a leading South African mental health NGO providing support, education, and advocacy for people affected by depression, anxiety, and related conditions. It is a direct peer given its parallel national footprint, mental health advocacy remit, and overlapping stakeholder base with SAFMH.

Emerging players

• Rethink Mental Illness: Rethink Mental Illness is a UK charity supporting people affected by mental illness through services, advocacy, and campaigning. It is an emerging player peer given its focus on lived-experience advocacy and service-user voice — closely paralleling SAFMH's SAMHAM model.

Regional players

• South African Federation of Disability Organisations (SAFOD): SAFOD is a South African umbrella federation coordinating disability-focused NGOs across the country. It is a regional peer given its overlapping federation structure, disability rights advocacy remit, and shared constituency with SAFMH's intellectual disability work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/safmh
• Facebookfacebook.com/SAMentalHealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sa-federation-for-mental-health

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South African Federation For Mental Health