A Crisis café is intended to be a safe, welcoming place where people who are struggling with daily life can go, usually outside of normal working hours, if they urgently need support.
They are intended to divert people from A&E departments and other urgent services which may not be appropriate.
[3] Mental health trusts may pay local user organisations to run them.
[4] Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust runs one in Harpurhey.
There is evidence that they are popular with service users, reduce admissions to mental health beds and keep people out of Accident and Emergency departments, which are generally not suitable for people with mental health problems as they are almost always busy and stressful places.