A TRIBUTE FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
The Florida Department of Health is committed to serving members and veterans of the United States Armed Forces and their families. It is important that we recognize and honor their service to our nation. The Department is proud that over 1.5 million veterans call Florida home, and our continued goal is to make Florida the most veteran-friendly state in the nation.
Military veterans and their families face many challenges. The Department is committed to supporting our military veterans by offering several licensure support services to qualified military families. One service the Department offers is the Florida Veterans Application for Licensure Online Response (VALOR) process, which provides expedited licensing for honorably discharged veterans and their spouses seeking licensure in all health care professions. Veterans and spouses who apply through the VALOR process receive a waiver of most licensing fees.
The Department offers additional armed forces licensure support, including opportunities for physicians to receive a temporary certificate to practice in areas of critical need, renewal exemptions for active duty service members holding a health care license in Florida, and temporary licensure for spouses of active duty service members who possess a valid license in another state, the District of Columbia, or any possession or territory of the United States. Through these programs, we are creating a veteran-friendly regulatory environment that encourages veterans and their spouses to choose Florida for their health care practice after their discharge from active duty.
We are thankful for all who serve the people of Florida and the United States.
Florida Veteran Health Heroes
The Florida Department of Health honors veterans, active duty service members and their families by recognizing the 2018 Florida Veteran Health Heroes and highlighting the department’s veterans support services. Over 1.5 million veterans call Florida home and our continued goal is to help make Florida the most veteran-friendly state in the nation.
The 2018 Florida Veteran Health Heroes publication highlights health care practitioners who have served in the United States Armed Forces and the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. This year, we recognize John H. Armstrong, MD, FACS; Paul B. Arthur, PhD, OTR/L, OTA; Paula Clark, MSW, LCSW, USAF (Retired); Derrick C. Glymph, DNAP, CRNA, AN, USAR; Stuart I. Kaplan, O.D.; Cathlene “Cathy” McGinnis, CLS(ASCP); and Carl H. Spear, O.D.
For more information about these exceptional individuals, please visit Florida Veteran Health Heroes.
The department also offers several licensure support services to qualified military families. The Veterans Application for Licensure Online Response (VALOR) System expedites licensing for military veterans who apply six months before or after honorable discharge from active duty, as well as fee waiver eligibility for military veterans and their spouses for health care practitioner licenses up to 60 months after honorable discharge. The department also offers additional armed forces licensure support including an opportunity to receive a temporary certificate to practice in areas of critical need, renewal exemptions and professional examination fee reimbursements.