Edgar
J. Hall
Special
Population Center
2250 West
60th Street
305-824-5706
or 5705
The City of Hialeah Education and Community Services Department provides quality
recreational and educational programs for adults with disabilities, particularly
the developmentally disabled. The Therapeutics Program is based in the Edgar J.
Hall Special Population Center, at Bucky Dent Park, 2230 West 60th Avenue and is
home to the largest Special Olympics delegation in Miami-Dade County. The Center
is open from 8:00 am- 8:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Day program hours
8:00 am – 2:30 pm and evening program hours 3:00
pm – 8:00 pm
Evening program now accepting new participants who meet
eligibility criteria for a nominal fee.
Please call Rita Puentes at 305-824-5706 for further information.
Developmentally disabled adults 18 to 65 years of age are eligible to participate
in arts & craft classes, computer classes, nutrition classes and tai chi classes
taught by Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Daily living skills (cooking, basic money exchange, ceramics, hygiene and laundry
skills) are taught by the ECS staff.
These courses are designed for people with developmental disabilities, such as,
Down Syndrome, Autism and Cerebral Palsy.
Participants may also indulge in dances and field trips.
Special Olympic training is also available.
In 2009, the City of Hialeah launched a new education initiative at City Hall in
partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), Project VICTORY -- a special education program to prepare students
for financial, personal, and social independence by ensuring that they develop positive
work ethics, skills and behaviors. Through this successful program, the students
gained valuable on-the-job learning opportunities and have provided needed assistance
to our departments in these tough times.
Next school year, we will open a new Project VICTORY site at the City's North Complex.
In doing so, we will open new work opportunities for students in Police, Solid Waste,
Construction and Maintenance, Fleet, Transit, Parks and Recreation, and Streets.
The students are fully supported by a MDCPS teacher and a job coach who train them
on any employment skill they will need to work with you. The City Hall complex
area will be served by Project SEARCH, a similar program, beginning this summer.
The difference is that M-DCPS seniors attend class at City Hall and do not also
attend an area high school, they are available ALL DAY.
Possible outcome of this project is employment for the participating student.