New mental health centres and crisis spaces announced for England
- Aug 6
- 2 min read
The government has announced a major expansion of mental health support across England, including new community mental health centres and dedicated mental health emergency departments.
The Department of Health and Social Care said 100 community mental health centres will open in high street locations such as libraries, former banks and other familiar community spaces.
The centres are intended to offer walk-in support closer to home, without people needing a referral before attending.
The announcement also includes 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments. These will provide same-day specialist support for people experiencing a mental health crisis who are medically fit and do not need treatment in a general A&E department.
The government said the emergency departments will be based within existing emergency departments and provide a calmer, more therapeutic environment where people can be assessed quickly.
Once fully rolled out, the new sites will bring the number of dedicated mental health emergency departments in England to 82.
The programme is backed by £343 million. The first sites are expected to open in autumn 2026, with further facilities following from March 2027.
The announcement forms part of the government’s wider mental health strategy, which is expected later this year.
The broader relevance
For someone in mental health crisis, the setting can make a difference.
A busy A&E department can be noisy, crowded, unpredictable and difficult to wait in, especially when someone is already distressed, frightened, overwhelmed or finding it hard to explain what is happening.
A dedicated mental health emergency department may offer a calmer space for assessment and same-day specialist support when physical emergency treatment is not needed.
The community mental health centres also point to earlier access, with walk-in support closer to home and without the need for a referral before attending.
The announcement applies to England.
What this means for veterans
For veterans, the relevance sits between general NHS crisis care and veteran-specific support. This announcement applies to NHS England, but calmer mental health emergency spaces may matter for veterans who find busy A&E settings difficult during acute distress, especially where noise, waiting, crowds or pressure make it harder to explain what is happening. It does not replace veteran-specific routes such as Op COURAGE or the wider VALOUR approach.
VALOUR is described by government as a UK-wide veteran support system, with delivery expected to vary across the nations. The practical question is how these local NHS routes sit alongside veteran support pathways, so that veterans and families are not left trying to work out which door to use when help is needed.
