Overview
Community Description
History
Miami Gardens has been selected to complete this assessment. The first formal settlements in the region occurred in the late 1960s (Staub, 2016). The original dwellers were middle-income West Indians and African Americans. Miami Gardens would be incorporated in the year 2003. Low-income houses were abolished in 2007.
Community type
The selected community is described by many people as a suburban city located in the state of Florida.
Physical Environmental Considerations
Description
Location
This urban neighborhood is located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Staub (2016) indicates clearly that the city acquired its current name from the Miami Gardens Drive, a street that passes across Miami-Dade County.
Topographical features
The major topographical features in this neighborhood include natural water bodies and manmade lakes. A good example is the Biscayne Canal (“Miami matters,” n.d.). Snake Canal is another feature that is known to attract many tourists to the region.
Climate
Miami Gardens is one of the regions with favorable climatic conditions. Within the past five decades, the city has been receiving adequate amounts of rainfall. According to Zevallos, Wilcox, Jean, and Acuna (2016), the region’s Sperling’s Comfort Index stands at 88 percent. This means that the climate is comfortable all-year-around. The presence of distinctive seasons annually makes the city admirable.
Boundaries/Area
The neighborhood’s average area is around 49 square kilometers. The city is characterized by a street (Miami Gardens Road) that gives it its name. It is found between NW 57th and NW 47th Avenues (Staub, 2016). On the south, Miami Gardens is known to border 151 Street and stretches to 2nd Avenue.
Environment
Miami-Dade implements powerful measures to support the integrity of the county’s natural environment. This approach explains why different communities in the region have sustainable systems. For example, many people in Miami Gardens have access to clean water for drinking (“Welcome to the city of Miami Gardens,” n.d.). Reliable sanitation and water systems have also been implemented. The county government collects and manages wastes efficiently. Houseflies and other animal vectors tend to affect the integrity of Miami Gardens’ environment. Pollution is also a major issue. The region’s air quality index is around 55 percent (“Miami matters,” n.d.). The air is clean and odorless.
Staub (2016) indicates that Miami Gardens is an industrial neighborhood. There are greengrocery stores that sell fruits and vegetables to the people. For example, Walgreens markets fresh products to the community’s dwellers. Unfortunately, hurricanes tend to threaten the community. The county has developed adequate disaster response mechanisms and emergency systems to deal with any form of disaster in different neighborhoods.
Housing
Many citizens in this suburban city occupy both public and private houses. Individuals can rent or purchase houses depending on their financial strengths. This is a clear indication that the living conditions are sustainable. Statistics indicate that over 58 percent of the population in Miami Gardens resides in rented apartments. Zevallos et al. (2016) indicate that the housing systems are designed in such a way that they can cater to the needs of the disabled. The existing shelters for poor or homeless citizens support the city’s housing initiatives. The city has also designed adequate mechanisms to house frail elders.
Leading Occupations and Industries
Many people in this neighborhood are employed by several manufacturing companies. Some of them include Miller and Allied General Industries. Some individuals work as casual laborers while others are employed permanently depending on their proficiencies (“Welcome to the city of Miami Gardens,” n.d.). Additionally, the city supports different sectors such as transport, banking, finance, insurance, and telecommunication. The firms operating in these sectors provide employment opportunities to more people.
The People of Miami Gardens
Population Profile
The 2011 census revealed that Miami Gardens’ total population stood at around 109,600 citizens (Staub, 2016). This means that the region has a population density of 5,800 persons per square mile (Zevallos et al., 2016). Statistics indicate that the rate of population growth in this community has averaged 17 percent within the past two decades. The number of citizens living in Miami Gardens has been increasing steadily due to improved maternal health services.
This community boasts of a low mobility level. This can be attributed to the nature of the neighborhood’s climatic condition and precipitation rate. Statistics also reveal that a small number of immigrants from different regions across the United States have been targeting this city for permanent settlement. This attribute explains why many researchers believe strongly that Miami Gardens’ population will continue to increase steadily (Zevallos et al., 2016). The average number of members in every family is four. Most of the families in the community are nuclear.
Biological Considerations
Miami Gardens has been identified as one of the communities in Florida that have even population distributions. All age groups are featured in the neighborhood’s demographics. Families have elderly, young, adult members. The latest census showed that many people in the city were between 14 and 45 years of age (Zevallos et al., 2016). This index is a clear indication that more people can provide adequate labor and support economic development. Individuals within this age bracket amount to 37 percent of the city’s population. Individuals aged between one month and 14 years account for around 14 percent of the population. Since the region’s population is properly constituted, the number of elderly citizens has been rising steadily.
African Americans account for 77 percent of the total population. This is, therefore, the dominant racial group in Miami Gardens. Around 8 percent of the city’s population is Caucasian. Latinos, Asian Americans, and Native Americans are also found in this community. The region has a birthrate of around 1.1 persons in 100 (“Welcome to the city of Miami Gardens,” n.d.). Crude death in Miami Gardens is around 0.5 percent (Staub, 2016). One of the common challenges facing many families in the community is neonatal death. This neighborhood has an alarming infant mortality rate of around 0.5 percent.
Maternal conditions have been found to account for over 0.7 percent of deaths in the community. These issues explain why adequate measures should be put in place to support the needs of more people. Diabetes is another problem facing many people in the community. The condition is a critical risk factor for diseases such as stroke, heart failure, and cancer. Consequently, the number of avoidable deaths in the region has continued to rise steadily.
Psychological Considerations
The major historical event that affects the wellbeing of many people in this community is the infamous Civil Rights Movement. This event reminds the individuals about specific issues such as discrimination and lack of equal opportunities that have affected them over the years. The people have been able to engage in various economic practices to transform their lifestyles. There are formal communication networks that exist in workplaces and institutions.
Information communication is embraced by members of the community whenever interacting with one another. Suicide rates are low in this neighborhood. This social problem affects African Americans the most. Statistics indicate over around 30/100,000 African Americans commit suicide (Staub, 2016). Homicide rates are quite low in the community. Fortunately, Miami Gardens is associated with appropriate practices and protective services to deal with this challenge. The common sources of stress in Miami Gardens include lack of employment, availability of adequate health services, and homelessness.
Sociological Considerations
Socioeconomic status
Many people in this city earn an average salary of $48,000 annually. The common careers in the region include welding, teaching, mechanics, and banking. The unemployment rate stands at around six percent. Around 13 percent of the population lives below the poverty line (“Miami matters,” n.d.). The percentage of retirees is around 15 percent.
Education level
Education attainment is taken seriously in this neighborhood. The largest percentage of the population is Catholic. Around 0.8 percent of the people are Muslims. Marital status is 50 percent in Miami Gardens (“Program and services,” n.d.). The divorce rate is above 14 percent. The common language used in this city is English. A small number of the population use Spanish.
Government and Leadership
One of the roles of Miami Gardens is to plan and identify specific services that are needed by the people. The current mayor is called Oliver Gilbert III (Royal, 2016). The Council-Manager type of government has a manager by the name Cameron Benson. There are also several members of the Council. The offices of the Council are found in the city. Services are usually available from these offices from 8 am to 5 pm. People are allowed to visit these offices whenever they have issues to be addressed. The available services include leadership, planning, and coordination to ensure that different resources are available to more people.
Education
Public educational facilities
There are public facilities that offer adequate education to different learners. Some of the leading institutions include Bunche Park, Norwood, and Skyway. There are also middle schools such as Parkway (“Program and services,” n.d.). The major universities in the community include St. Thomas and Florida Memorial.
Private educational facilities
Private colleges and elementary institutions are available in this neighborhood. These institutions support the educational needs of many people.
Libraries
The Miami-Dade Public Library is known to support the needs of every reader in Miami Gardens.
Special services
Miami-Dade has implemented appropriate systems to meet the needs of individuals with special needs. For instance, the elderly receive treatment from existing health facilities. Special needs facilities have been designed to support different beneficiaries. People with learning or developmental disabilities are supported by several facilities. Educational and health departments in Miami-Dade County offer quality education to the disabled. For instance, the deaf and the blind are supported in the community (“Program and services,” n.d.). Additionally, several programs and interventions have been implemented to empower more persons with special needs.
Transportation
Road transport is the commonest means of transport in this city. Transportation companies such as Metrobus and Sawgrass Express offer adequate services to the people. Some individuals use private means of transport to pursue their economic goals (“Program and services,” n.d.). The sector is supported by the county’s road network.
Behavioral Considerations
The increased rate of education attainment has sensitized more people about the benefits of proper behavioral practices. Although many people have access to different food materials, the issue of a balanced diet has not been taken seriously. The community boasts of several leisure parks. Many people engage in several sporting activities and exercises (“Providence to providence healthcare services,” n.d.). The mayor and other leaders encourage more people to engage in healthy practices such as safe driving and personal hygiene. Seat belt use is, therefore, a common practice in the city.
Health System Considerations
Existing services
Miami Gardens has several facilities and clinics that offer medical services to different people. The common services include maternal health, prenatal support, and dental care. Vaccinations and health promotion programs are also available. A good example of such health clinics is Chan Medical Center (“Program and services,” n.d.).
Performance
These institutions and clinics offer quality services depending on the needs of the beneficiaries. They also have adequate equipment to improve patients’ outcomes.
Availability and accessibility
These services are available and accessible to many people. Transportation services also support the care delivery process.
Lacking health needs
Some services are either lacking or underdeveloped in this neighborhood (“Providence to providence healthcare services,” n.d.). For instance, many people do not have medical insurance or access to quality dental health services.
Overuse/underuse
The presence of drug outlets and stores encourages more people to overuse drugs. Some private practice clinics are known to offer poor quality services. Additionally, people living in low SES areas cannot afford some of these services. This issue results in the underuse of such services.
Healthcare financing
Private and public financing services are available in Miami Gardens. Many people also have access to Medicare and Medicaid services in this community.
References
Miami matters: Measuring what matters in Miami-Dade County. (n.d.). Web.
Program and services. (n.d.).
Providence to providence healthcare services. (n.d.). Web.
Royal, P. L. (2016). Today’s health professions: Working together to provide quality care. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.
Staub, J. (2016). Private gardens of South Florida. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith.
Welcome to the city of Miami Gardens. (n.d.). Web.
Zevallos, J. C., Wilcox, M. L., Jean, N., & Acuna, J. M. (2016). Profile of the older population living in Miami-Dade County, Florida: An observational study. Medicine, 95(20), 1-16. Web.