ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Fulton County are one step closer to having a new state-of-the-art training facility.

On Tuesday morning, county leaders broke ground on the future South Fulton Training Center. Fulton County President Robb Pitts said the building has been vacant for several years and the county is using federal money from the COVID-19-related American Rescue Plan Act for renovations.

“Here we can provide much-needed services to the community,” he said. “We have family and friends here who will be able to take advantage of it, people with certain disabilities who in the past haven’t been able to get those services.”

The property, which is within walking distance of many residents, will provide a place for adults to access therapeutic sessions, life enrichment services, job training classes and more. It will also include a nursing station, sensory room, computer lab and art center.

“These people with developmental disabilities are often overlooked, so this creates a safe space for them,” said Derrick Brown, program manager for the Fulton County Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. “This will also give them the opportunity to participate in programs that they would not otherwise be able to participate in.”

The facility will also be shared with the Central Training Center, another Fulton County facility that provides services related to behavioral health and developmental disabilities, Brown said.

The renovations cost $3.6 million, according to Pitts. He added that construction is expected to last less than a year.

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