For 24/7 counsel, call the National Veteran Crisis Hotline at 988, Press 1. You may also call the Florida Veterans Support Line at 1-844-MyFLVet (1-844-693-5838) or dial 211.

News

Visitor Access to State Veterans’ Homes Suspended

March 12, 2020

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (FDVA) 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. In addition, we are temporarily suspending admissions in our network of state veterans’ homes. Thank you for your understanding.

‎• The U.S. ‎Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has also temporarily restricted access to ‎their nursing and ‎community living center facilities to only essential visitors until ‎further notice.  ‎

‎• 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). ‎

‎• All U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemeteries in Florida are open for ‎burial and visitation by the public. 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.‎

‎• All FDVA and VA facilities remain fully operational.‎

 

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