Florida Veteran Health Heroes

A TRIBUTE FROM THE STATE SURGEON GENERAL The Florida Department of Health is commit- ted to serving Florida’s residents and visitors with transparency and strives to build upon ways to keep the public informed. We do this by engaging our stakehold- ers—the many groups and organizations repre- senting our citizens that contribute to the health care of our state. Florida continues to have the country’s third-largest veteran population with over 1.5 million veterans who call Florida home. The Department recognizes the sacrifices made by members of our military and their families and works to ensure that the licensure experience is one that reflects our appreciation and gratitude. Various licensure support services are offered to members and veterans of the United States Armed Forces and their qualified military fam- ilies. One service the Department offers is the Florida Veterans Application for Licensure Online Response (VALOR) system, which provides expe- dited licensing for honorably discharged veterans and their spouses seeking licensure in all health care professions. Veterans and spouses who ap- ply through the VALOR system receive a waiver of most licensing fees. The Department provides additional armed forc- es licensure support, including an opportunity for physicians to receive a temporary certificate to practice in areas of critical need. Also offered are renewal exemptions for active duty service members holding a health care license in Flori- da, and temporary licensure for spouses of ac- tive 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 veter- an-friendly regulatory environment that encour- ages veterans and their spouses to choose Florida for their health care practice after their discharge from active duty. I encourage you to review the Department’s fifth Florida Veteran Health Heroes, a publication in which we recognize Floridians who protect the health of others while serving our great nation. Sincerely,  Scott A. Rivkees, MD State Surgeon General We are thankful for all who serve the people of Florida and the United States