Difference between revisions of "Miami Sunland Training Center"
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Latest revision as of 21:31, 29 January 2025
| Miami Sunland Training Center | |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1966 |
| Closed | 2005 |
| Current Status | Demolished |
| Building Style | Cottage Plan |
| Location | Miama, FL |
| Alternate Names |
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History
In January 1966 the Miami area Sunland Training Center was dedicated with much fanfare. Governor Haydon Burns called the center: "…physical evidence of Florida’s determined effort to provide adequate facilities for our mentally retarded." Mrs. Rose Kennedy, mother of the late president, attended and spoke. She told parents of retarded children not to be discouraged, as she herself had given birth to a retarded child and had gone on to have several more children who were normal. Shortly after Sunland Miami opened, a series of scandals plagued the center, which was composed of 42 “cottages” with approximately 900 beds.
The Miami Sunland was built on a large campus well north of the city. It expanded within months. By 1969, there were 928 residents at the center, plus many on a waiting list. State officials were quick to point out that more residents could be housed there but for a shortage of qualified personnel to work with the children.
