Therapeutic Recreation & Inclusion

Beach Wheelchairs
Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department welcomes people with disabilities to its beautiful sandy beach areas. To assist those who are mobility impaired, special beach wheelchairs, have been placed at beach areas. Following are some recommendations for making your use of the beach chair more enjoyable:

• Call ahead. Let our staff know when you'll be coming out. This will decrease waiting time. The chairs are available on a first come, first serve basis only. So although you've called, whoever gets there first gets the chair.
• Bring a friend. The beach chairs cannot be self-propelled and Park staff are not able to provide assistance with transferring into, or pushing you around in the chair. So bring someone to assist you.
• Keep track of time. Staff must store the chairs before they leave each day. Check with staff to know when you must return the chair. Haulover and Crandon: April through October, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; November through March, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Leave a deposit. There is no charge to use the beach chair, but you may be asked to leave something of value, (your wheelchair, driver's license, photo I.D., or keys, etc.) to ensure that the chair will be returned.
• Watch where you're going! The beachchair can go into water no more than 6 inches deep because the wheels are very buoyant, so stay near the shoreline.
• The beach chair is in the greatest demand on Sunday afternoons. While there are four chairs at each of these locations, you may want to avoid this very busy time.
• Keep us posted. Let us know how we can improve our access to people with disabilities. If you have an important comment regarding the beachchair, please call our Americans With Disabilities Act Coordinator at 305-755-7848.

Learn-to-Swim Program
Miami-Dade Parks welcomes children and adults with disabilities in its swimming programs. If you need accommodation to participate, call 305-694-4889, ext. 250, or learn more about Learn to Swim.

Youth Swimming
Children and young adults ages 9-20 with physical disabilities have a great time during lap swimming for fun and exercise, located in A.D. Barnes Park. For more information call 305-694-4889, ext. 250.

Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., $40 for 10 classes.

Fitness Swimming
Adults 18 and older with physical disabilities have a great time during lap swimming for fun and exercise, located in A.D. Barnes Park. For more information call 305-694-4889, ext. 250.

• $40 for 8 classes or $150 for private classes.

The Leisure Access Center offers adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities a meaningful day of activities through the Life Skills Development 3 (ADT) Program, funded by Medicaid Waiver. Adult have the opportunity to develop independence and self-advocacy skills through the participation in recreational, fitness, educational and community integration activities Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Cost $120/week.

Sports and Fitness Programs

We have year round sports training programs for adults with intellectual disabilities. Athletes will gain sportsmanship, independence and teamwork skills while improving fitness level. Athletes will have the opportunity to compete in team/individual Special Olympic disciplines and will rotate throughout the following sports:

• Basketball
• Track & Field
• Soccer
• Bowling
• Softball
• Swimming

Monday – Friday 3:30 p.m – 5 p.m., cost $80/month, plus $15 registration fee.

Leisure Access Center
These programs are for adults with developmental disabilities at A.D. "Doug" Barnes Park. For more information, call 305-665-5319 or email [email protected]. 

• Adult Day Training 
  Enjoy a rotating schedule of activities in fitness, arts and crafts, community trips, life, safety and independence skills, decision making, nutrition and more
  Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
  Cost: $120 weekly
• Sports Training Program
  Learn a variety of sports like basketball, soccer, softball, swimming, bowling and track & field
  Monday through Friday, 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.
  Cost: $80 month, $15 annual registration fee
• Fun on Friday
  Participate in social programs with field trips and indoor activities, work on life and safety skills
  Fridays, 6 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. 
  Cost: $25 weekly, $15 annual registration fee
• Saturday in the Park 
  Participate in social programs with field trips and indoor activities, work on life and safety skills
  Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 
  Cost: $30 per week, $5-$15 annual registration fee

Adaptive sports

Handcyling for Youth and Adults with Physical Disabilities
Physical conditioning and training using adapted handcycles. Staff and volunteers will coach athletes on this exciting sport! Equipment provided.

• Tamiami Park, 11201 SW 24 St., Miami FL
  Call 305-222-2128 or email [email protected]. 

Adapted Aquatics
Learn to swim group lessons and for competition. For children 6 and older, with physical or visual disabilities. Call for appointment.

• Palm Springs North Pool
  Dates: April through June
  Cost: $40 for a group session of 8 classes, plus $15 annual registration fee
  $150 for 8 Individual classes plus $15 annual registration fee
  Call 305-935-4588 or email [email protected].
• AD Barnes Park
  Dates: April through June. Central Area, October- May
  Cost: $40 for a group session of 8 classes, plus $15 annual registration fee
  $150 for 8 Individual classes plus $15 annual registration fee
  Call 305-694-4889 or email [email protected]

Parks Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion offers an after school care program funded by The Children's Trust for children with disabilities grades 6 – 12.

The Children's Trust after-school & summer camps

After-school camps run from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. for students in grades 6-12. Summer Camps run 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Programs are free but have a $15 registration fee.

• Goulds Park, 13841 SW 120 Street, Miami, FL
  Contact: 305-234-1673, [email protected] 
  Ages: Grades 6-12
• Gwen Cherry Park, 7090 NW 22 Avenue, Miami, FL
  Contact: 305-694-4889, [email protected]
  Ages: Grades 6-12
• Tamiami Park, 11201 SW 24 Street, Miami, FL 
  Contact: 305-222-2128; [email protected]
  Ages: Grades 6-12
• Bird Lakes Camp, 14365 SW 48th Lane, Miami, FL
  Contact: 305-752-4966; [email protected]
  Ages 6-22, run 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  Participants will have an enriching camp experience that includes sports, swimming, arts & crafts, and field trips.

Specialty camps are offered to persons with disabilities ages 6-22. After-school camps run from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. for students in grades 6-12. Summer camps run 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Programs are $45 per week, plus a $15 registration fee.

• Ojus Park, 18995 W Dixie Highway, North Miami, FL
  Contact: 305-935-4588; [email protected]
  Ages: 6-22
• Camp Matecumbe, 13841 SW 120 Street, Miami, FL
  Contact: 305-752-4966; [email protected]
  
  

Specialized programs for children with disabilities

Youth Art in the Park
This program is an inclusive, socially-oriented arts program for children and youth, ages 6-17, with and without disabilities. This fun, educational program teaches visual arts in a social setting, led by professional art teachers and disability experts. Camps will run Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and cost $35. For more information, call 305-576-1212 or email [email protected]. 

• Camp Matecumbe
• Highland Oaks
• Miller Drive Park

EXPLORE Exceptional People Learning through Outings and Recreation Education

Program focuses on developing leisure interest as well as social and community skills through recreational experiences for children ages 6-14. Camps will run first and third Saturdays of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Programs are $15 per session plus cost food or entrance fee depending on outing. For more information, call 305-935-4588 or email [email protected]. 

• Ojus Park

LEAPS Leisure Education and Planning Skills
Social outing program for teens and young adults, ages 15-25, with intellectual disabilities. Group activities and outings focus on developing independent living skills, social skills and community skills. Events are held the first and third Friday of the month from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Programs are $20 per session plus cost of food or entrance fee depending on outing. For more information, contact 305-752-4966 or email [email protected]. 

• Westwind Lakes Park

S.T.A.R.S. (Skills Training for Autism Recreational Sports)
Parks offers S.T.A.R.S. (Skills Training for Autism Recreational Sports) at Tamiami Park for individuals ages 6-19 with autism.

The session runs from October through May and takes place Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. (for ages 6-12) and 11 a.m. – noon (for ages 13-19).

The cost is $40 for eight group sessions plus $15 annual registration fee. Advanced registration is required. For more information, email Eric Cooper at [email protected] or call 305-222-2128.

• Tamiami Park

Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department Service Animal Policy meets all of the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This includes allowing persons with disabilities to use service animals in parks, inside park facilities, and during programs. With the exception of designated dog park areas, and designated dog friendly parks, pets are not allowed in Miami-Dade County Parks. Service animals are not pets. Policies banning dogs and pets from parks do not apply to service animals.

A "service animal" is a well behaved dog trained to perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The tasks may include, but are not limited to, guiding a person who is visually impaired or blind, alerting a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, pulling a wheelchair, assisting with mobility or balance, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, retrieving objects, or performing other special tasks. Therapy, comfort or emotional support animals are not service animals, and are not allowed in parks. No documentation is required to prove that a dog is a service animal.

In accordance with local ordinance, service animals must be harnessed, leashed or tethered and must be under control. The only time a service animal may be off leash, harness or tether, is when being on it would inhibit the dogs ability to perform tasks for an individual with a disability. In that case the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls. To confirm that a dog is a service animal, employees may ask whether the dog is a service animal or not, and they may ask what tasks the dog performs for the individual, but they may not ask the individual questions about disability. These questions are solely to confirm that the animal is a service animal.

In accordance with state requirements, individuals training service animals have all of the privileges that persons with disabilities using service animals have. Persons with disabilities using service animals are allowed in any area that the public uses. This includes restaurants, nature centers, theatres, auditoriums, museums, beaches, pool facilities, spectator areas, campgrounds, fields, courts, etc. Although service animals are allowed on the pool deck and in the pool dressing rooms, service animals are not allowed in the actual pool.

A fee may not be charged for a service animal to attend an event or activity. The individual using the service animal is responsible for any damage service animal causes, and can be charged for these damages, if damage would typically be charged to the user. Allergies and fear of animals are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to an individual using a service animal.

Employees may exclude or remove a service animal, if the animal's behavior poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others or if the animals presence fundamentally alters the nature of the program taking place. Employees may ask someone with a service animal to leave an area if the animal is disruptive, (barking during a performance), causes damage, (digging holes), or bothers others (excessive barking, aggressively approaches other visitors). If a service animal is excluded or removed for any of the reasons above, the employees must provide the individual with a disability the option of continuing access to the park, facility or program without having the service animal on the premises.

Due to the need to address specific issues not common to general park areas, Zoo Miami has its own service animal policy. In limited circumstances, miniature horses may function as service animals. Miniature horses are less than 34'' tall, and must be house trained. The same requirements above pertain to miniature horse service animals.

"Inclusion" refers to the inclusion of children or adults with disabilities in general programs, rather than in programs specifically created for children or adults with disabilities.

Would you like your child who has a disability to be included in a general program, rather than a program specifically for children with disabilities? Miami-Dade Parks has designated Park Supervisors in each area of the county to assist parents in accommodating children with disabilities into typical recreation programs; seasonal camps and after-school activities.

Each of these supervisors has been trained in techniques to effectively include children with disabilities into general programs. They are also trained to utilize policies and procedures put in place specifically to guide staff in the inclusion process.

For inclusion information and questions, call the Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion at 305-755-7848.