The government has announced £343 million to open 159 NHS mental health centres in England.
As a result, patients should be able get earlier local support and specialist crisis care outside of A&E.
The £343 million will cover 100 new community mental health centres, offering walk-in support without a referral and without a months-long wait and 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments giving people in crisis specialist care in a place designed for them.
1 in 5 people are experiencing a common mental health condition each year and demand for mental health services has risen sharply, particularly among children and young people.
The new centres aim to make it easier for people to get the right help the first time they ask for it, by bringing mental health and specialist teams together under one roof, working with GPs, councils, the voluntary sector and families, alongside direct links into housing and employment support.
Some of the community hubs will be newly built facilities, while others will be in libraries, banks and other community or high-street locations.
The first sites will be open from autumn this year, with others to follow from March 2027.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "Nobody should be left to struggle with their mental health alone. But every day, thousands of people are waiting months for help, then finding the only door open to them is a busy A&E.
"These new centres will be a lifeline for so many. They will bring NHS services closer to home, making it easier to get support before problems get worse, and ensuring those in crisis get the right care in the right place.
"On the steps of Downing Street, I said we would build a country that acts sooner when people need help. Today is just the start of making that a reality."
Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper recently visited a community mental health centre in Sheffield, one of six already operating in England.
She said: "Too many people are only getting mental health support when they reach crisis point, after struggling for far too long to get the help they need.
"These new community mental health centres will help people get support earlier and closer to home, making it easier to get the right care before problems escalate. And when someone does need urgent help, new mental health emergency departments will be able to make sure they are seen quickly by specialist teams in the right setting.
"This is how we can turn the tide on mental ill health - preventing more people from reaching crisis, cutting waits for care and building an NHS which is there for everyone when they need it."
