Ground Broken in Cave Spring

October 7, 2010 – State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond and other dignitaries broke ground today for a state-of-the-art Cave Spring Rehabilitation Center (CSRC) in FloydCounty. Construction for the Georgia Department of Labor’s newest rehabilitation center is scheduled to begin next month and be completed in November 2011.

“Georgia is becoming a national leader in providing residential and educational services to people with disabilities,” said Thurmond. “This new facility in Cave Spring will further cement our position of leadership, not just because of the superior facilities, but because we are providing services to people with an array of disabilities in one residential complex.

The current facilities are being demolished and will be replaced with state-of-the-art brick and stone facilities providing complete accessibility for all clients. The new campus will include a building to house classrooms, administration offices and a cafeteria, as well as a dormitory. A feature of the new campus will be modern greenhouses, which will serve as a training component, as well as a profit-generating activity. Other amenities such as a walking trail, exterior plaza, and a basketball court are included in the overall design of the new campus.

During construction, residential services will be suspended. Classes will be held at GeorgiaNorthwesternTechnicalCollege.

The CSRC, administered by the GDOL’s Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Division, is a comprehensive residential facility serving a variety of disability populations 18 years of age or older. The new campus is rated American Disabilities Act (ADA) plus, with special attention given to accessibility and technology that meets the needs of clients with disabilities, including those who are deaf and hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and blind. Historically, CSRA has focused on this group and will continue to do so, while, at the same time, providing services to clients with a wide-array of disabilities.

The old rehab center has been operational for 18 years, serving more than 100 clients each year. GDOL vocational rehabilitation counselors from throughout the state refer their clients to the center, where the clients receive training in life-skills and job-readiness training. The training includes budget management, building self esteem, community resource skills, personal and social adjustment classes, work behavior skills, resume preparation, job application, and interviewing skills.

Quick Facts

• Design Professional: HKS

• General Contractor: The Beck Group

• GSFIC Project Manager: Megan Beasinger

• GSFIC Contract Compliance Specials: Dannie Allen