With the support of the Atlantic Philanthropies we began working in the disability and mental health fields in 2008. During 2009 we also received support from the Iris O’Brien Foundation. Since 2010, Genio has combined Government health innovation funding and contributions from the Atlantic Philanthropies totaling almost €3.6m.

This has been used to support a range of important developments across the disability and mental health sectors. The most recent census in Ireland shows that 9.3% of the population experience some form of disability (Census 2006), while national and international studies suggest that one person in four will experience a mental health difficulty at some point in their lives (World Health Organisation, 2001, The World Health Report 2001. Mental Health: New Understanding, New Hope. Geneva: WHO).

A major proportion of current services are characterised by group-based, segregated and
institutionalised approaches. Almost 4,000 people with disabilities and over 1,100 people with mental health difficulties still live in outdated institutions, many of whom are isolated from their families and society. Many more receive community-based services that segregate them from society and are institutional in their approach.

Emerging national policy seeks to refocus current provision away from group-based services towards individualised supports that move people to, and keep them in, the community, living the lives of their choosing. The challenge of reconfiguring resources to modernise services,
however, is significant.

This is where Genio can help. We are focused on strategically assisting key stakeholders to meet this challenge by working with the people who use services and their families; service providers; advocacy groups; the Office for Disability and Mental Health, the Department of Health; the Health Service Executive; and the Atlantic Philanthropies. The Genio Trust is supporting over 400 people to live as independently as possible in the community. Grants have also been awarded by the Trust to increase the capability of those who use services to develop and implement plans that will make individualised, community, integrated supports a reality for many more – now and in the future.

Find out more about the projects supported through the Genio Trust.