Mitzi Waltz

My research is concerned with disability and society, with a particular focus on autism and related conditions. I have expertise in participatory policymaking and participatory and emancipatory research.

Key expertise

Autism; developmental/intellectual disabilities; mental health; Quality of Life / Family Quality of Life; patient/client/learner participation; ; DPOs and other forms of self-organisation and self-advocacy by disabled people; participatory policymaking; self-determination and independent living for disabled adults; human rights of disabled persons; disability and criminal justice; disability and access to food; disability and housing; media representations of disability and their impact; family support; history of disability

Qualitative research methods: emancipatory and participatory research methods; interviews; focus groups; arts-based methods; oral history

Quantitative methods: questionnaires and structured observation

• Disability Studies in Nederland | Amersfoort | researcher | 2018-10-11 - present

Ancillary activities are updated daily

Key clients

NL: ZonMW; Erasmus2; Amsterdam Public Health; Disability Studies in Nederland; Ministerie van Binnenlande Zaken; Revalidatiefonds

UK: National Autistic Society; Department of Education/Children, School and Families; Autism Education Trust; Ambitious About Autism; Craegmoor

US: National Alliance for the Mentally Ill; Tourette Syndrome Association

Key products / projects from last 5 years

• IMAGE project (ongoing, 2018-2021), funded via Erasmus2 and involving consortium of 5 EU/UK universities

• Sex, gender identity and (older) age: Impacts on healthcare disparities for women with autism in the Netherlands (ongoing, 2018-2019), funded by ZonMW

• Journeys towards mental health: Learning from the mental health care and social re-integration experiences of migrant women (ongoing, 09/2018-12/2018), funded by Amsterdam Public Health and involving consortium with AMC and Equator Foundation

• Belemmeringen bij Europese politieke ambtsdragers met een Beperking (ongoing, 08/2018-02/2019), with Disability Studies in Nederland, funded by Ministrie van Binnelandse Zaken

• Included in Training and Work, 2017, participatory research and policy development project on inclusive vocational education, funded by Lorentz Centre/University of Leiden

  Key output:

  Waltz, M. [ed.] (2017) Included in Training and Work: Transforming Policies and Practices for Disabled People. Amersfoort: Disability Studies in Nederland.

• Evaluation of Ieder(in)’s Week van de Toegankelijkheid campaign on access to food/dining for disabled people, 2016, funded by Revalidatiefonds

• Research on autism and housing for Academische Werkplaats Autisme, a national Dutch research consortium funded by ZonMW, 2015.

Key outputs:

Waltz, M., Beltman, M.A.C. and Cardol, M. (2016) Autism and Housing / Autisme en Wonen.

Waltz, M. and Cardol, M. (2015) Becoming independent: The independent living needs and wishes of young adults with autism, and their woontrainingcentrum experiences. Rotterdam: Kenniscentrum Zorginnovatie.

Course coordinator/lecturer/tutor, 2017:

• Key Strategies in Disability & Neuropathy

• Disability & Development

Tutor, 2018:

• Key Strategies in Disability & Neuropathy

• Future Challenges in Global Health

Contributed lectures to:

• International Public Health

• Future Challenges in Global Health

• Global Health summer school

• Global Mental Health summer school

Stage and thesis begeleider

• MPA
• Biomedical Sciences
• Health Sciences