The St John of God Hospitaller Order runs a number of psychiatric hospitals in the State, as well as clinics, respite care centres, a hospice, supported employment, sheltered housing, rehabilitative services and nursing centres.
Its biggest and best-known centre is the 210-bed acute psychiatric hospital in Stillorgan, Co Dublin.
Established by the St John of God Brothers in 1882, it caters predominantly for people with acute psychiatric illness, such as schizophrenia and mood disorders, with specialist units for, among other needs, adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, alcoholism, stress, insomnia and eating disorders. It takes referrals from across the State. A teaching hospital, it is involved in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes with UCD and Trinity College.
The order is named after John Cicade, born in 1495 in the southern Portuguese town of Montemor o Novo. In 1539, in Granada, Spain, he is said to have had a mental breakdown following a sermon he heard and was hospitalised. In hospital he saw how the mentally ill were badly treated and on discharge resolved to help the sick and poor, opening a 40-bed hospital. He was canonised in October 1690.
The Congregation of the Sisters of St John of God was founded in Co Wexford in October 1871 to provide health-care to the poor.
The Hospitaller Order of St John of God now provides healthcare services in 48 countries.
At Newtownpark Avenue in Stillorgan, the Cluain Mhuire service provides community mental health for the Dublin south-east catchment area. It also runs out-patient clinics in Leopardstown, Sandyford, Dún Laoghaire and Dalkey.
The Lucena Clinic in Rathgar, Dublin, provides mental health services to children and adolescents, with further clinics in Tallaght and Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, and Bray, Wicklow town and Arklow, Co Wicklow.
The Granada Institute, in Shankill, Co Dublin, provides assessment and treatment services for those who have experienced and perpetrated sexual abuse.
Suzanne House, in Tallaght, is a hospice service, also providing day care and support for children who are terminally ill or medically fragile.
The City Gate Centre, in Dún Laoghaire, provides sheltered housing and social support.
In Knock, Co Mayo, the Sisters of St John of God run St Joseph's House as a guest house for people with disabilities who are on pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady.
The order runs numerous services for people with intellectual disabilities, including family advice and support, education, employment assistance, pastoral care, physiotherapy, speech therapy and social activities. These are provided at St Augustine's School in Blackrock, Co Dublin; St Raphael's, Celbridge, Co Kildare; Genil Training, Maynooth, Co Kildare; Liffey Valley, Co Dublin; Tearmann Mhuire Residence, Leixlip, Co Kildare; St Mary's, Drumcar, Co Louth; Domus Services, Co Monaghan; Hilltop Service, Dundalk; and the St John of God Centre, Drogheda.
The Callan Institute, in Shankill, provides consultation and training in supporting children and adults with challenging behaviour.
Training, employment, social and residential services are offered at the Breannan services at Monavalley, Co Kerry.
Some 12 centres throughout south Dublin comprise the St John of God Menni services for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Their services are used by almost 400 families.
The STEP Enterprises provide supported employment for 140 people in south Co Dublin.
