(1) The Office of Veteran Licensure Services is established within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance. The office shall assist active duty members of the United States Armed Forces, the United States Reserve Forces, and the National Guard, veterans, and the spouses of veterans who seek to become a licensed health care practitioner in this state.
(2) The office shall be headed by an executive director, designated by the department, who must be a veteran.
(3) The office shall:(a) Provide information, guidance, direction, and assistance with the licensure process.
(b) Coordinate with each board, or the department if there is no board, to expedite all applications submitted pursuant to s. 456.024. (c) Refer an individual requesting assistance with résumé writing and proofreading, job application completion, and interviewing skills and techniques to Florida Is For Veterans, Inc.
(d) Refer an individual requesting information about educational or employment opportunities in health care professions to Florida Is For Veterans, Inc.
(e) Submit a report by November 11 of each year to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must categorize each individual as an active duty member, a veteran, or a veteran’s spouse and must include, but is not limited to:1. The number of individuals served.
2. The educational and training background of each individual seeking licensure.
3. Each health care license an individual holds in another state, irrespective of the current status of such license.
4. The number of licensure applications received.
5. The average number of calendar days required to license a qualified applicant.
6. The number of referrals made for vocational assistance.
(4) The department may adopt rules necessary to implement this section.
