Dr. Joanne Fenton
Dr. Joanne Fenton is a distinguished consultant psychiatrist in Ireland, specializing in both perinatal mental health and the psychiatric care of individuals experiencing homelessness. Since 2004, she has held dual consultant roles: one at the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital in Dublin, where she leads perinatal mental health services, and another with Dublin South City’s homeless population, providing psychiatric support through the Assertive Community Care Evaluation Services (ACCES) team. Dr.Fenton earned her honours medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1993. She completed her psychiatry residency and pursued dual fellowships in Psychiatry of Old Age and Addiction Psychiatry in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2006, she furthered her expertise by completing a Master’s degree in Healthcare Management. She has published in the area of perinatal mental health and caregiver burden. She is an active member of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland. As a board member of Merchants Quay Ireland since 2012, Dr.Fenton has played a key role in shaping policies and advocating for mental health services for vulnerable populations. Her clinical and advocacy work emphasises the significant overlap between homelessness and mental illness and the importance of integrated care. She has been a vocal advocate for improved funding and services, particularly for those with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.