For many, the work involved with identifying an individual’s developmental challenges ends with a diagnosis. For two clinicians at the Jefferson Center for Autism and Neurodiversity, a diagnosis is only part of the process.

A Collaborative Vision in Neurodevelopmental Care

Wendy Ross, MD and Angela Jones, PhD, met when each worked in Developmental Pediatrics at Albert Einstein Medical Center over 15 years ago. In 2023, they reunited at Jefferson Health where they create more opportunities for the neurodiverse population.

Serving the Greater Philadelphia Region, the team at the Jefferson Center for Autism and Neurodiversity “works with children and their families to assess potential diagnoses and develop personalized care plans that integrate medical, educational, and therapeutic services.” Part of their role focuses on seeing individual patients, the other hones in on more global impact on inclusion.

A Holistic Diagnostic Approach

In the office, the team focuses on diagnoses such as autism, developmental delay, intellectual and developmental disorders, ADHD, and learning disabilities, with Ross and Jones leading the diagnostic process. “We like to care for our patients in a very collaborative way,” Ross shared as she described her and Jones’ interprofessional perspective. “Dr. Angela Jones is a psychologist, and I’m a developmental pediatrician, so we have different camera lenses, even though we both have cameras. This enhances the perspective we have on the children.”

Ross and Jones consult with necessary professionals, work closely with parents and schools, and approach evaluations with a joint commitment to intentionality, thoughtfulness and comprehensiveness.

“We really enjoy doing the evaluations together and utilizing our different lenses to form a consensus with a more in-depth perspective,” Jones said. This holistic approach is valuable and unique, due to the varying and overlapping symptoms that a neurodivergent person might experience.

“Each child has unique needs, even when they share the same diagnosis, because diagnoses don’t define people,” Ross said. “Instead of the diagnosis being an end game, the more important thing is that a family feels supported in understanding their child and understanding the next steps in helping them reach their potential,” Jones added.

Expanding Inclusion Across Community Spaces

The efforts of this clinical team extend beyond their office to a more global vision. While at Einstein, they identified that families with autistic children were unable to access the community. Ross and Jones began working with Philadelphia area museums to enhance inclusion for their patients, and anyone who might possess developmental, communication, social, or behavioral differences. They presented their work at national museum conferences which resulted in an invitation from the Smithsonian to start their autism inclusion program.

In addition to directly supporting neurodivergent individuals and their families, Ross and Jones work to make environments and ecosystems more welcoming for everyone. Their vision extends beyond inclusion “to everyone experiencing a sense of belonging,” Jones added.

With a driving passion to influence change, the pair continued to explore ways they could partner with community institutions to educate them about autism and neurodiversity, shifting their focus to Philly sports. “Sports are great metaphor for what we do – we prepare individuals and spaces, we practice experiences, and we work as a team to achieve a goal,” Ross explained. Ross and Jones trained all of the employees at Citizens Bank Park to provide them with information and strategies to welcome this population. This work would eventually expand to the other Philly sports teams, inspiring practices and policies that are still in place today. 

Driving Systemic Change and Awareness

Ross and Jones also have their sights on the built environment as part of the solution for the neurodiverse population to feel welcome. This work has enabled them to partner with  Jefferson University, integrating design and health professions with community engagement.

The efforts of Ross and Jones have led to policy change. When a former patient’s traumatic airport journey shed a spotlight on crucial areas of needed improvement in the industry, they worked with the Department of Transportation to educate airports, airlines, and TSA about autism.

“Senator Lautenberg heard about our program, and legislation was created based on that program,” Ross said. “This was the beginning of the TSA Cares Hotline, where anyone with a special need, whether it be physical or cognitive, can call and get help being escorted through TSA”.

A Vision of True Belonging

Jefferson Health houses both the medical practice and community vision of the Center for Autism and Neurodiversity as part of its mission to improve lives. 

“I think if there’s one word to sum it up, it would be connection,” Ross concluded. “We believe that the connections we make with various professionals and with the community should be both inclusive and intentional.  We strive to do that with individual families in our practice and in the community opportunities we foster.  Everyone deserves to belong.”

To support the Jefferson’s Center for Autism and Neurodiversity, a donation can be made by clicking here. 

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Written by Jennifer Warner. Photo by Ivory Tree Portraits.