The Mental Health Act 2025 represents one of the most significant reforms to mental health legislation in a generation. With a strengthened emphasis on rights, autonomy, racial equity and least‑restrictive care, the Act creates both opportunities and challenges for mental health systems across England.

At the same time, the implementation of Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) continues to reshape how responsibility for people in mental health crisis is distributed across the NHS, local authorities, VCSE providers, and the police. While RCRP aims to ensure individuals receive support from the most appropriate service, its rollout has exposed gaps in community provision, funding pressures, workforce challenges, and inconsistencies in local system readiness.

For VCSE mental health providers, these changes are not abstract policy shifts. They have direct operational consequences for crisis pathways, supported accommodation, community‑based services, safeguarding, and partnership working with statutory agencies. Many VCSE organisations are increasingly expected to absorb unmet need, respond to complex risk, and provide culturally competent, trauma‑informed support – often without commensurate funding, clear accountability, or system‑wide planning.

This webinar, hosted by the Association of Mental Health Providers, will bring together policy leaders and frontline VCSE providers to explore how the Mental Health Act 2025 can be implemented in ways that genuinely enable Right Care, Right Person – rather than simply shifting risk and responsibility. The session will focus on what good implementation looks like for the VCSE mental health sector, what needs to change at system level, and how providers can influence local and national approaches.

Key Themes

• Translating the principles of the Mental Health Act 2025 into day‑to‑day VCSE practice
• The role of VCSE providers within RCRP crisis pathways and system redesign
• Managing risk, responsibility and safeguarding under RCRP
• Commissioning, funding and accountability challenges for VCSE mental health services
• Equity, access and race equality in crisis responses and detention pathways
• What integrated care systems and local partnerships need to do differently

Who is this Webinar for?

• VCSE mental health leaders, managers, and frontline staff
• Commissioners and policymakers working across health, social care, and public safety
• NHS, local authority, and police colleagues involved in crisis response and system transformation
• Advocates, researchers, and people with lived experience interested in rights‑based mental health reform

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