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Marian Center School and Services Opens Year Round Residential Services for Persons With Developmental Disabilities

Posted on: Tuesday, 17 October 2006, 12:01 CDT

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The Marian Center School and Services announces the official opening of its beautiful on-campus residence to provide year round home-like services to people with developmental disabilities.

In an atmosphere of loving support and assistance when required, residents will enjoy personal safety and semi-independent living with rich social, educational, work-life, spiritual and recreational activities.

As people with developmental disabilities continue to age and the life expectancy increases for these individuals, parents and families struggle with anxiety over how the needs of their sons or daughters will be met when they can no longer care for them at home due to illness or death.

In response to this growing concern the Marian Center has developed programs, unique to the south Florida community that would give adults with developmental disabilities the opportunity to live in a semi-independent residence, while learning and working in an on-campus and community integrated environment.

Residents will enjoy their own room (private or semi-private), three meals per day, assistance with personal care based on individual need, laundry service, transportation and necessary safety and supervision from a dedicated staff.

As an integral feature, the Marian Center also operates a very successful Supported Employment Program. Supported Employment provides assistance such as job coaching, transportation, assistive technology, specialized job training, and individually tailored supervision. "Recent studies indicate that the provision of on-going support services for people with developmental disabilities significantly increases their rates for employment retention," comments Dr. Tom Horan, Executive Director of The Marian Center. "Supported employment encourages people to work within the community and encourages productivity, integration, personal independence to the extent possible and individual choice."

On a beautiful 50-acre property in Miami Gardens, Florida, the Marian Center has been providing educational and learning opportunities to children, students and adults with developmental disabilities for over 40 years. In addition to the School, the serene campus-like setting also provides Adult Day Training and clinical services in Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy. An inclusive on campus pre-school also serves children from birth to 5 years of age of all abilities on a daily basis.

The special education arm of Catholic Health Services, The Marian Center School and Services was founded in 1963 with the goal of providing a diverse spectrum of individually based quality services to persons with developmental disabilities and their families in order to help them reach the highest level each was capable of achieving. Catholic Health Services is a non-profit organization which provides health care and services to over 5,000 people of all faiths, on a daily basis. Catholic Health Services has 26 operating facilities in Dade and Broward counties and offers eight different service lines in health care and social services.

Applications are being accepted for immediate occupancy. Space is limited. For more information, please call (305) 200-8927. For a virtual tour please visit us at http://www.catholichealthservices.org/ click on Marian Center and "Take a Tour".

Catholic Health Services

CONTACT: Maria A. Miranda, VP Public Relations of Catholic HealthServices, +1-954-484-1515 x 5224, or mmiranda@chsfla.com

Web site: http://www.catholichealthservices.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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