Neurodiversity and Health Equity
This episode explores how healthcare systems often fall short for neurodivergent individuals — including people with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences — and why that gap is a major health equity issue. Featuring Dr. Lawrence Fung of Stanford University Medical School and Roger Broadbent of Empower Passport, the conversation highlights barriers in diagnosis, provider training, access, and sensory-friendly care, along with practical solutions for more personalized, neurodiversity-affirming healthcare. This episode centers on how systems, communities, and leaders can help create more inclusive care for every neurotype.
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About Our Guests
Lawrence Fung, M.D.
Dr. Lawrence Fung is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. He is the director of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project, director of the Neurodiversity Clinic, and principal investigator at the Fung Lab. His work, which focuses on autism and neurodiversity, traverses from multi-modal neuroimaging studies to a new conceptualization of neurodiversity and its application to clinical, educational, and employment settings. His lab advances the understanding of neural bases of human socio-communicative and cognitive functions by using novel neuroimaging and bioanalytical technologies. Using a community-based participatory research approach, his team devises and implements novel interventions to improve the lives of neurodiverse individuals by maximizing their potential and productivity. His work has been supported by various agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, Autism Speaks, California Department of Developmental Services, California Department of Rehabilitation, and philanthropy. He received his PhD in chemical engineering from Cornell University and his MD from George Washington University. He completed his general psychiatry residency, child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship, and postdoctoral research fellowship at Stanford.
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Roger Broadbent
Roger Broadbent has been working in the field of dyslexia/neurodiversity for years (20+). He is the director of the Empowerment Passport. Empowerment Passport is a digital, person-centred, platform that allows people to share their strengths and support needs with others (teachers, employers, support team). The majority of the conditions are neurodivergent, They cover all conditions: emotional, physical, social, and intellectual. We collaborate with some wonderful clients: Liverpool City Council, Probation Services, NHS England.
Empowerment Passport had recently launched a neurodiversity screening tool: THIS IS ME and now has thousands of users: health, prison/probation, schools, internships, etc. Clients like how quick and easy it is to use, and especially how price competitive they are.
Neurodiversity can be a negative burden on an individual’s live, with consequences both on mental wellbeing and physical health. Roger Broadbent had been motivated by frustration in the way we have let neurodivergent conditions be bigger obstacles to personal development than they need be, and our lack of positive/empathetic interventions to facilitate more successes in the 20% of the population that has one or more of the neurodivergent conditions.
More About Mr. Broadbent
