ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – Jordan Park Apartments was spruced up on Saturday, December 10^th, thanks to collaboration between the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA), Leadership Florida, and the Pinellas County Urban League. Approximately 50 volunteers from all three organizations picked up trash, pulled weeds, and installed mulch across the property’s twenty-four (24) acres.

SPHA Chief Executive Officer Tony L. Love said, “At SPHA, we believe in creating meaningful partnerships in order to fulfill our mission. This revitalization project could not have happened without our partnerships with Leadership Florida, Pinellas County Urban League, and the City of St. Petersburg and donations from Commercial Lawn Care Services, the Magnolia Group, Philippians 413 Maintenance, and Sherwin Williams. Thanks to these organizations, Jordan Park Apartment’s curb appeal has been greatly improved.”

The City of St. Petersburg provided approximately 300 yards of hardwood mulch for the project. Commercial Lawn Care Services, the Magnolia Group, Philippians 413 Maintenance, and Sherwin Williams provided various tools, to include wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels, and 5-gallon buckets, to get the job done.

The event was part of Leadership Florida’s annual Day of Service, which was spearheaded by Connect Florida graduates. The goal is to bring together all Leadership Florida members for events benefitting local organizations, providing all members with an opportunity to give back to their communities.

About St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA): Founded in 1937, SPHA is one of the first housing authorities in the nation and is continually rated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a “High Performing” agency. SPHA provides housing assistance to qualifying low-income families within its service area. More information about SPHA’s programs and services can be found at www.stpeteha.org.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart calls on President Elect Donald Trump to continue the time-honored tradition of naming a person with prior military experience to head the Department of Veterans Affairs.  There has never been a Secretary of Veterans Affairs who has not served his/her country in military uniform.  To be effective, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must have a genuine belief in the debt owed to our nation’s military men and women for their service to our nation; have substantive experience working on veterans’ physical and mental health care issues during his/her lifetime; be knowledgeable on the myriad problems faced by Veterans as they navigate the VA Healthcare System, and be committed to addressing the concerns of both our nation’s veterans and those VA employees who serve them.  To date, none of the names mentioned as possible candidates would be acceptable to the Military Order of the Purple Heart, principally because none have served their country in uniform so could not possibly understand what veterans go through upon leaving service.

The “Military Order of the Purple Heart of the U.S.A. Inc.,” (MOPH) was formed in 1932 for the protection and mutual interest of all combat wounded veterans and active duty men and women who have received the decoration.  Chartered by Congress, The MOPH is unique among Veteran Service Organizations in that all its members were wounded in combat.  For this sacrifice, they were awarded the Purple Heart Medal.  With grants from the MOPH Service Foundation, the MOPH and its Ladies Auxiliary promote Patriotism, Fraternalism, and the Preservation of America’s military history.  Most importantly, through veteran service, they provide comfort and assistance to all Veterans and their families, especially those requiring claims assistance with the VA, those who are homeless, and those requiring employment assistance.  Programs of the MOPH include VA Volunteer Service, JROTC Leadership Awards, Scholarships, Americanism, Purple Heart Trail and Cities, Welfare, and numerous community service programs, all with the objective of service to Veterans and their families.

For information contact:

National Public Relations Director

John Bircher

352-753-5535

Washington – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its regulation on copayments for Veterans’ outpatient medications for non-service connected conditions. VA currently charges non-exempt Veterans either $8 or $9 for each 30-day or less supply of outpatient medication, and under current regulations, a calculation based on the medication of the Medical Consumer Price Index (CPI-P) would be used to determine the copayment amount in future years.

“Switching to a tiered system continues to keep outpatient medication costs low for Veterans,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. David J. Shulkin. “Reducing their out-of-pocket costs encourages greater adherence to prescribed outpatient medications and reduces the risk of fragmented care that results when multiple pharmacies are used; another way that VA is providing better service to Veterans

This new regulation eliminates the formula used to calculate future rate increases and establishes three classes of outpatient medications identified as Tier 1, Preferred Generics; Tier 2, Non-Preferred Generics including over-the-counter medications; and Tier 3, Brand Name. Copayment amounts for each tier would be fixed and vary depending upon the class of outpatient medication in the tier.

These copayment amounts will be effective February 27, 2017:

$5 for a 30-day or less supply – Tier 1 outpatient medication

$8 for a 30-day or less supply – Tier 2 outpatient medication

$11 for a 30-day or less supply – Tier 3 outpatient medication

These changes apply to Veterans without a service-connected condition, or Veterans with a disability rated less than 50 percent who are receiving outpatient treatment for a non-service connected condition, and whose annual income exceeds the limit set by law. Medication copayments do not apply to former Prisoners of War, catastrophically disabled Veterans, or those covered by other exceptions as set by law.

Copayments stop each calendar year for Veterans in Priority Groups 2-8 once a $700 cap is reached.

More information on the new tiered medication copayment can be found here.

FYI: please see link below for information on the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015 for Federal employees hired after 11/5/2016 and have service connected disabilities for 30% or more.

“Established under the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015 (Wounded Warriors Act), disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more….”

“….Disabled veteran leave is available as a one-time benefit during a 12-month period beginning on an eligible employee’s “first day of employment” and may not exceed 104 hours for a regular full-time employee.  Disabled veteran leave can only be used for undergoing medical treatment of a qualifying service-connected disability, which was incurred or aggravated in the line of active duty.”

https://www.opm.gov/news/releases/2016/08/newly-established-leave-policy-gives-disabled-veterans-more-time-to-address-medical-issues-1/

The C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center, part of the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (VAHCS), has been selected as one of 14 VA facilities to receive a Fisher House to help care for Veterans, family members and caregivers.  The new 16-room facility will be the medical center’s second house and is tentatively scheduled to open in 2019 – an announcement first made by Suzanne M. Klinker, Director, Bay Pines VAHCS, to a crowd of approximately 2,500 during the annual Bay Pines Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 11, 2016.

The facility is expected to be constructed in close proximately to the existing nine-room Fisher House located on the eastside of the medical center campus.

“We are very excited about being selected for a new Fisher House and expanding our existing program here at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center,” said Shentrela Diggins, Fisher House Manager, Bay Pines VAHCS.

“The service our current Fisher House provides is very important for the families of the Veterans we serve across southwest Florida,” she said. “When our second house is complete, we will be able to serve even more families and provide a safe and comfortable environment for them close to their hospitalized loved ones.”

A Fisher House is “a home away from home” for families of Veterans and military service members who receive care at military hospitals and VA medical centers.  The houses are donated to the U.S. government by the Fisher House Foundation. The homes give family members an opportunity to be close to their loved ones during hospitalizations by providing comfortable lodging in a calm environment, only steps away from inpatient medical facilities.

Family members and caregivers of Veterans who live 50 miles or more from the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center can stay at the existing Bay Pines Fisher House free of charge with a referral from a Veteran’s respective social worker.  Lodging is on a first come, first served basis.  Reservations are not accepted. Guests can stay at the house for as long as their loved one is hospitalized or receiving treatment at the medical center.  The same criteria will apply when the second house is complete and open to family members.

The current Bay Pines Fisher House is one of about 60 houses located at major military and VA medical centers across the country.

For more information about the Bay Pines Fisher House, please visit www.baypines.va.gov/services/fisherhouse.asp or call Shentrela Diggins, Fisher House Manager, at 727-398-6661 extension 11350.

Members of the local community can be part of the Fisher House mission.  The Bay Pines VAHCS Fisher House depends on volunteers and monetary donations from individuals and groups to support its programs.  To learn more about how you can help the Fisher House and other VA programs, please visit www.baypines.va.gov/giving/index.asp or call our VA Voluntary Service office at 727-398-9394.

Hillsborough Construction Career Fair

Date:     January 10, 2017

Time:      9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Location: Tampa Housing Authority

   5301 W. Cypress Street

   Tampa, FL 33607

Register for the Hillsborough event Online

Pinellas Construction Career Fair

Date:     January 11, 2017

Time:     10:30 am – 12:30 p.m.

Location: High Point Neighborhood Family Center

    5812 150th Ave N

    Clearwater, FL 33760

Register for the Pinellas event Online

I wanted to share great news with you regarding the College of Business LINCS Supply Chain Management Program. Participants have the opportunity to complete a fully online industry certification course(s) for FREE! This is a great way for students to gain industry recognized credentials while pursuing a degree.

The program includes eight SCM certification classes. Each certification class concludes with an industry certification exam offered and certified by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).  Students achieving a passing score will earn a SCPro Fundamentals national, industry certification in the respective discipline.

Our SCPro Fundamentals certification classes include:

•             Supply Chain Management Principles – FREE to all students whether online or onsite

•             Customer Service Operations –Online class free

•             Supply Management and Procurement –Online class free

•             Demand Planning  -Online class free

•             Inventory Management –Online class free

•             Manufacturing and Service Operations – Online class free

•             Warehousing Operations –Online class free

•             Transportation Operations – Online class free

The online courses provide students with the  flexibility to study for the CSCMP SCPro™ Fundamentals certification exams at home and at their own pace.  The certification exams are proctored at the Epi-Center on the dates that are listed on the attached document.

The LINCS grant, which provides funding for our program will expire on March 31, 2017.  After grant expiration, the program cost may be substantially higher so we want to share this information with as many students as possible.

Please feel free to share this email and the attached flyer with students and veteran services staff members. Thank you and I appreciate your help!  

Thanks,  

Sondra Seiter

Student Success Specialist, LINCS Grant

St. Petersburg College- College of Business

Office: (727) 791-5978

Seiter.sondra@spcollege.edu

The St. Petersburg College Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications for the Raytheon Scholarship! 

Completed applications must be received by  5:00pm on December 9, 2016 to be considered for this scholarship.   

Important:  When signing into the scholarship application, you will use your SPC email address and your SPC password.

How to Apply: Step 1: Go to http://www.spcollege.edu/foundation/scholarships.htm Step 2: Complete the general SPC Foundation Scholarship application Step 3: Be sure to click the Opportunities tab and select Raytheon Scholarship to complete your application Step 4: Click Apply

If you submitted an application for the Fall 2016 or Spring 2017 term previously, please log into your application and answer the additional question for the Raytheon Scholarship under the opportunities tab to ensure that you are considered for this new opportunity.

For more information on Foundation scholarships, visit the Foundation Scholarship FAQ Page or contact the Foundation at 727-341-3302 or foundation@spcollege.edu.

STETSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW

NEWS RELEASE                                                                   Contact: Brandi Palmer

Dec. 1, 2016                                                               Communications Office (727) 562-7381

GULFPORT, Fla.— Stetson University College of Law is again partnering with the Community Law Program and the St. Petersburg Bar Foundation during the month of February to prepare free simple wills and advance directives for low income veterans and their spouses aged 60 or older though the Annual Wills for Warriors Program, now in its fifth year.

Walk-in appointments are not available. Veterans or their spouses must schedule individual appointments in advance by calling 727-562-7577.

The deadline to schedule an appointment is Feb. 1, 2017.

The Wills for Warriors program is designed to assist veterans and their spouses aged 60 or older who have low incomes and limited assets. Individuals owning real estate outside the state of Florida are not eligible to participate.

Stetson students and volunteer attorneys from the Community Law Program will assist Stetson’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law with this program.

Veterans and Family Members: 

Starting January 7, 2016, join the Bay Pines VA and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. for the NAMI Family-to-Family program.  The meetings will take place in building 1, room B214 at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center.

The program is offered at no cost and is intended to educate participants on how to support a loved one with mental illness and or substance abuse conditions.

For more information and to register today, contact Phyllis Beede at 727-547-8683 or visit nami-pinellas.org/family-to-family/.

You can also watch an informative video about the program at this link: https://youtu.be/ae1ru1SBaaI

Mental health conditions impact everyone…not just the individuals diagnosed.  The Family-to-Family program can help.