Celebrate Minds of All Kinds:
The Development of a Neurodiverse Workforce Employee Resource Group (ERG)
ABSTRACT Through personal management experience and overall knowledge of Devereux employees, it was discovered that there is a high population of Neurodivergent individuals that work as employees to care for the organization’s patient population, who are 100% Neurodivergent. These employees often felt they were alone in their Neurodiversity without peer support from colleagues. A Neurodiversity ERG was created as a pilot to offer these employees and any allies a safe place to discuss their experiences, build community and share resources. The following information discusses the journey from inception in November 2023 to present day.
BACKGROUND
© Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health 2024
v1.0, Nov 2021
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In November 2023 Devereux began an employee resource group (ERG) for Neurodiversity. An ERG is a voluntary employee-led group that fosters a diverse inclusive workplace, created and facilitated by Neurodiverse employees FOR Neurodiverse employees. Because we are a mental and behavioral health organization, many of our employees directly care for individuals who are also Neurodiverse but who require much higher levels of support. Neurodivergent individuals struggle to gain and maintain employment (Dunne, 2023). Those who are employed are often pressured to hide in plain sight (mask) to fit in to work culture to stay employed and maintain security. The long-term toll on Neurodivergent individuals can be complex, serious and traumatic if they aren’t given a space within their work environment to be accepted and celebrated for the strengths and talents they bring. Shame and isolation are contributors to the mental health toll. Neurodivergent individuals have elevated risk for suicide, with increasing risk for women, those with higher IQs, and with combined diagnoses (Fuller-Thomson, Rivière, Carrique, & Agbeyaka, 2022) (Casten, et al., 2023) (Kõlves, Fitzgerald, Nordentoft, Wood, & Erlangsen, 2021) (Luterman, 2019) (Sarris, 2022). Community and validation are the first step to breaking this cycle, bringing this group together into a collective voice to educate and bring awareness and change how the workplace views and values the Neurodivergent employee population.
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Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health is a 112-year old mental and behavioral health organization that serves many of our country’s most vulnerable populations in the areas of autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, specialty mental health, education and foster care. Devereux's continuum of care expands from birth to end of life. Founded in 1912 by special education pioneer Helena Devereux, Devereux operates a comprehensive network of clinical, therapeutic, educational and employment programs and services that positively impact the lives of tens of thousands of children, adults – and their families – every year. The organization’s unique approach combines evidencebased interventions with compassionate family engagement.