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www.FloridaVets.org

March 2020

Our Mission

To advocate with purpose and passion for Florida veterans and link them to superior services, benefits and support.

From Executive Director Danny Burgess:

Welcome to a special COVID-19 edition of the Forward March veterans’ newsletter. The safety and welfare of our veterans is our top priority. ‎As a result, the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs have taken many steps over the past few weeks to help protect our population. These steps, and more, can be found in our newsletter and on our website at www.FloridaVets.org. You may also follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for the latest information on how we’re preventing the spread of COVID-19. Please share with your friends and family.

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Forward March!  ‎

Visitor Access to State Veterans’ Homes Suspended

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs has announced ‎additional steps to combat the spread of COVID-19 in the state of Florida.‎

Effective March ‎‎11, 2020, FDVA is restricting visitor access to its State Veterans’ ‎Nursing Homes and Domiciliary ‎until further notice, with the exception of essential ‎visitors, such as ‎family members of those residents undergoing end-of-life care. ‎The U.S. ‎Department of Veterans Affairs has also temporarily restricted access to ‎their nursing and ‎community living center facilities to only essential visitors until ‎further notice.  

VA Medical Centers and Outpatient Clinics Open with Enhanced Screening

All VA Medical Centers in Florida are implementing ‎enhanced screening protocols at their facilities. VA Outpatient Clinics are also ‎implementing enhanced screening protocols. Please plan to arrive at the facility well in advance of your ‎appointment to allow additional time for the screening ‎process. ‎

Veterans who are concerned they may have symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) are encouraged to contact the VISN 8 Clinical Contact Center at 1-877-741-3400 ‎‎(toll free). Clinical staff provide 24/7 virtual care and support, including nurse advice ‎and triage. The service is available at no cost to veterans enrolled for care in the VA ‎Sunshine Healthcare Network (VISN 8). ‎

Florida’s National Cemeteries Open for Burial and ‎Visitation

All U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemeteries are open for burial and ‎visitation by the public. Florida has nine National Cemeteries. To schedule a burial, ‎please call 800-535-1117, option 1. In light of concerns regarding COVID-19, some ‎families may prefer to proceed with direct interment of their loved ones and postpone ‎the formal committal services to a later date. Cemetery administrators will work to ‎accommodate these preferences. In addition, cemetery personnel will be discouraged ‎from handshaking and any unnecessary physical contact to minimize the potential ‎transmission of germs and viruses until the pandemic conditions are under control. 

Health Department Launches New COVID-19 Dashboard

TALLAHASSEE -- In the state’s ongoing efforts to provide transparency and clarity regarding COVID-19, the Florida Department of Health announced March 16 the launch of a new COVID-19 Case Dashboard. To keep Florida residents and visitors safe, informed and aware about the status of the virus, this dashboard will be updated twice daily.

VA Suspends Travel Board Hearings

The Board of Veterans’ Appeals (U.S. ‎Department of Veterans Affairs) is suspending Travel Boards until May 1, 2020, due to ‎COVID-19 response efforts. The Board will work with veterans and veteran service ‎organizations and representatives to continue video hearings and provide virtual ‎hearings where possible.‎

Health Department Provides COVID-19 Guidance

The Florida Department of Health is working closely with the Centers for Disease ‎Control and Prevention to monitor the current outbreak of COVID-19 and is ‎working to ensure the most up-to-date CDC guidance is disseminated to the public. Please visit their COVID-19 webpage at www.FloridaHealth.gov/COVID-19. This ‎remains the best and most up-to-date resource for information and guidance regarding ‎COVID-19 in Florida.

Health Department Opens COVID-7 Hotline

For additional questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact ‎the Florida Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling toll free1-866-779-6121 or ‎emailing COVID-19@flhealth.gov. The Call Center is open 24/7.‎ In addition, you may visit http://www.floridahealth.gov/all-county-locations.html to locate and obtain contact information for your local County Health Department.

Vet Centers Open for Counseling Services

All Vet Centers in Florida, which provide readjustment counseling and outreach ‎services to veterans and families, are open and implementing ‎enhanced screening ‎protocols. At this time, veterans may appear in person or opt in advance for an optional ‎phone consultation. There are 25 Vet Centers operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Florida.  

Many veteran-related events scheduled for the months of March and April have been cancelled or postponed. Consult your local news for specific closures and announcements.