Journal of IOA Article Offers Ombuds Guidance for Neurodiverse Visitors

Israela Adah Brill-Cass (Ombuds for Wesleyan University, Clark University, and the Broad Institute of MIT), is the author of a new article in the peer-reviewed Journal of the International Ombuds Association. In "Ombudsing with Neurodiversity in Mind," Brill-Cass urges Ombuds to adopt strategies to effectively serve stakeholders with sensory processing, motor abilities, social comfort, and cognition differences.
Here is the abstract of the article:

The Ombuds office is intended to be supportive and safe for all who enter, and yet what’s often considered an inclusive space, fails to take into consideration those with invisible disabilities and those who are neurodiverse. Without recognition of differences in how others process information and understand the world around them, the Ombuds is missing a critical component for creating a truly inclusive space, and in guiding organizations to do the same. This article addresses the different ways information can be shared and processed to best support neurodiverse visitors and ways to encourage employers to embrace neurodiverse employees. The author presents an actionable framework to achieve both with the idea that what’s contained in this article is by no means exhaustive and should continue to evolve as brain science and understanding of neurodiversity evolves.

Brill-Cass presented this topic at the 2023 IOA annual conference. (JIOA 2024.)

Related posts: Wesleyan University Debuts Ombuds Program; Clark University Names First Ombuds; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Names Next Ombuds; IOA Posts Agenda and Opens Registration for 2023 Conference.