About SANE
Mental illness has been shrouded in secrecy for so long that sufferers, their families and friends are often left feeling helpless and isolated. Until recently, many have felt that they had nowhere to turn.
SANE campaigns to combat the prejudice and intolerance surrounding mental illness and improve attitudes and services for individuals, and their families, coping with mental health problems.
SANE was established in 1986 and is a registered charity, which strives to improve the quality of life for anyone affected by mental illness. Our three main aims are to:
- raise awareness and respect for people with mental illness and their families, improve education and training, and secure better services
- initiate and fund research into the causes of serious mental illness through The Prince of Wales International Centre for SANE Research
- provide information and emotional support to those who are experiencing mental health problmes, their families and carers through SANELINE
SANE's national telephone Helpline, SANELINE, was set up in 1992. SANELINE volunteers handle approximately 1,000 calls per week from men, women and children with mental health problems, as well as their carers and health professionals.
All calls are answered by supervised volunteers who have access to SANE's extensive database. Each undertakes a vigorous training programme endorsed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
They can provide information on illnesses and symptoms, local and national mental health services, medication, treatments and therapies.
SANE's vision is to use its proven Helpline expertise to reach many more people affected by mental illness, and their families and friends. Through regular surveys of its users, SANE is in a prime position to understand both what is required and how to deliver it.
Our history
SANE was established in 1986 following the overwhelming public response to a series of articles featured in The Times newspaper, titled 'The Forgotten Illness'.
Written by Marjorie Wallace, now SANE's Chief Executive, the articles underscored the neglect of people with schizophrenia and the poverty and inadequacy of services and treatments. From its initial focus on schizophrenia, SANE developed and is now concerned with all mental illnesses.
SANELINE was established in 1992 as the first national out-of-hours telephone Helpline offering practical information, crisis care and emotional support to anybody affected by mental health problems.
The service is now open from 12pm until 2am and receives tens of thousands of calls every year from service users, family members, carers and health professionals.
Over the years, SANE has built up an unparalleled database, 'SID' (SANELINE Information Database), which contains more than 16,000 records on local and national mental health services and treatment information.
This includes information on medication and its side effects, mental health and other organisations and mental health law.
SID is updated on a daily basis by a team of dedicated Helpline information officers and is used by a number of agencies nationwide as an important source of information.