Background: Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield (CKW) have high levels of mental health problems, especially anxiety, depression, suicide, alongside high levels of poverty, poor housing and unemployment. Improving mental health is a priority for people with lived experience of mental health problems/services and a wide range of other stakeholders across CKW, who have identified having fairer, more accessible services and tackling mental health effects related to social disadvantage as particular priorities. However, there has been limited funded research about these priorities in CKW and few amongst the key stakeholders have research skills, research experience or dedicated research time. CKW will therefore benefit greatly from a Mental Health Research Group (MHRG), led by the University of Huddersfield (UoH) and partners the University of Liverpool and South West Yorkshire Partnership NHSFT, in collaboration with many stakeholders across CKW, including York, Leeds Beckett and Leeds Trinity universities. Aims: Our vision is for CKW to have equitable access to high-quality MH services for all. The main aims of our Mental Health Research Group are to • develop and lead innovative, applied research that is rooted in the lived experiences of local communities in CKW and that reduces mental health inequalities • create a vibrant mental health research culture and increase research engagement across CKW Design and Methods: We will achieve our aims, using a wide range of methods, including participatory approaches, realist evaluation and feasibility studies, in a combined programme of research and capacity and capability building delivered through four work packages (WPs): • WP1: Innovative, Accessible and Effective Psycho-Social Interventions • WP2: Optimising Pathways and Improving Multi-Agency Working • WP3: Equitable ‘Big Data’, AI and Digital Solutions • WP4: Health Economics The WPs will be supported and sustained with dedicated work on cross-cutting themes of: Co-production; Training and Development and Sustainability. In addition to the core MHRG team, we will have research fellows, research associates, community researchers, collaborators, postgraduate research students and interns, creating a vibrant research community. There will be strategic oversight from a Steering Group and at Pro-Vice Chancellor level in UoH. Working with People and Communities: Partnership working is embedded in our approach. Development of the MHRG’s focus has been underpinned by extensive stakeholder engagement. Lived experience will be embedded through a dedicated Working with People and Communities Lead and Coordinator and Lived Experience Advisory Panel. All interventions and outputs will be co-produced with intended end-users, to ensure accessibility and acceptability. Recruitment and engagement will be facilitated through use of community researchers. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI): We have undertaken a comprehensive Equality Impact Assessment to embed diversity in our workplan. The MHRG will have a named EDI lead, ensuring that EDI is addressed in projects, outputs and outcomes. Dissemination: We will have a comprehensive dissemination, knowledge mobilisation and impact plan, which will include a Knowledge Mobilisation Fellow, to facilitate translation of findings into policy and practice locally, nationally and internationally. Findings will be communicated in ways that are appropriate, and engaging, for a wide range of audiences.