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UF offers free online courses to students displaced by hurricanes in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands

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The University of Florida is offering free courses through UF Online to assist college students displaced by Hurricanes Maria and Irma in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Undergraduate students displaced from select colleges and who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents may enroll as non-degree seeking students in UF Online courses for the spring 2018 term and/or the summer 2018 term(s) at no charge for tuition and fees.
UF anticipates being able to handle 1,000 students through the program.
“I’m proud that the University of Florida is helping Puerto Rican students continue their education online as Puerto Rican families work to rebuild their lives following the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria,” Gov. Rick Scott said. “We are doing everything we can to help them throughout this process, and we will continue to work together to make sure Puerto Rican families have all the support they need to rebuild their lives.”
Said UF Provost Joe Glover: “The devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Maria is almost unparalleled. We hope this opportunity will help some of the people in the affected areas begin to rebuild their lives and will assist in the progress toward restoring a sense of normalcy for students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
The listing of courses that will be offered by UF Online during spring 2018 can be found HERE. To apply and for more information, CLICK HERE.
Students will be expected to provide some evidence they were/are enrolled in one of the schools listed below. Examples of acceptable evidence include: student ID card, a bill from their school for housing, and/or tuition, a transcript, etc. It should be noted that all UF Online courses are taught in English.
Upon request, effective in fall 2018, undergraduate students from Puerto Rico and/or the U.S. Virgin Islands will be considered for degree-seeking status in UF Online at normal UF Online tuition (75 percent of the resident in-state tuition with reduced fees) as degree-seeking students provided they were degree-seeking students in good standing at four-year colleges and/or universities in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands and provide appropriate documentation by August 30, 2018.
UF will evaluate what credits can be transferred from the student’s former institution to the student’s UF transcript.
Students may also continue as non-degree seeking, paying the UF Online in-state rate, with no additional documentation required through the fall 2018 term. A list of programs available through UF Online can be found HERE.
Credits earned may be transferred to other public institutions in the state of Florida if the student becomes enrolled there as a degree-seeking student, since the UF Online courses offered are all part of the state wide common course inventory.
The credits earned may be transferable to universities in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and other states, but that determination will be made by the individual universities.
List of Institutions: Puerto Rico
Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico
San Juan, PR
Inter American University of Puerto Rico:

  • Aguadilla Campus, Aguadilla, PR
  • Barranquitas Campus, Barranquitas, PR
  • Bayamon Campus, Bayamon, PR
  • Fajardo Campus, Fajardo, PR
  • Guayama Campus, Guayama, PR
  • Metropolitan Campus, Rio Piedras, PR
  • Ponce Campus, Mercedita, PR
  • San German Campus, San German, PR

Universidad Metropolitana
San Juan, PR
University of Puerto Rico: Aguadilla
Aguadilla, PR
University of Puerto Rico: Arecibo
Arecibo, PR
University of Puerto Rico: Carolina Regional College
Carolina, PR
University of Puerto Rico: Cayey University College
Cayey, PR
University of Puerto Rico: Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR
University of Puerto Rico: Ponce
Ponce, PR
University of Puerto Rico: Rio Piedras
San Juan, PR
University of Puerto Rico: Utuado
Utuado, PR
List of Institutions: U.S. Virgin Islands
University of the Virgin Island
St. Thomas

Sen. Bill Nelson on latest moves to undermine ACA

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Following is a statement from U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) on President Trump’s latest actions to undermine the Affordable Care Act:
“In just two moves this week, President Trump continued his sabotage of the nation’s health care law by allowing for health care without the necessary protections for people with pre-existing conditions and in his latest move, ending payments that help people afford their health coverage. As I have said before, we need to focus on bipartisan solutions that will make quality health insurance affordable by fixing the existing law.”

Sen. Victor Torres joins fellow Florida Democrats slamming Puerto Rico relief efforts as half-hearted and ineffective

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State Senator Victor Torres (D-Orlando) on Thursday joined fellow Democratic lawmakers at a press conference at the state capitol, demanding that efforts be beefed up to deliver bottlenecked supplies to fellow Americans suffering in Puerto Rico.
“Americans are dying as we speak,” Senator Torres said. “While fellow Americans have generously rallied to donate relief supplies and money to support recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, the federal government has been too slow to respond to this disaster and there is a total failure of coordinated relief efforts to provide supplies and support to the island.
“There are tons of donated supplies like food, water, medicine and other vital resources that are either sitting in warehouses here on the mainland waiting to be sent to Puerto Rico, or even worse, containers of supplies sitting in the seaports and airports on the island that are not being distributed to people who are in desperate need.”
Senator Torres faulted the lack of coordination between the U.S. Military, working with FEMA and government officials in Puerto Rico in transporting and delivering the relief supplies, and called the preparation and response to the disaster by the federal government “inadequate.”
“It has now been 3 weeks since Maria hit the islands and still 80 percent of Puerto Rico is without power and nearly half of the island has no drinking water or functioning sewer services,” said Sen. Torres, who flew to the island earlier this month on an emergency mission to deliver critical supplies to Ponce, a city that had been thus far ignored.
“Just this morning, the President tweeted that Puerto Ricans cannot expect relief workers to stay there forever. No one expects FEMA to be there indefinitely, but we should all expect and demand them to stay until they complete their job of aiding fellow Americans.”

Sen. Nelson urges CMS to help maintain access to health care for Florida children

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Sen. Bill Nelson today sent the following letter urging the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to work with the state of Florida to ensure children maintain access to their healthcare in the wake of Hurricane Irma.
Following is text of the letter sent to CMS Administrator Verma. A pdf copy is available here.

October 12, 2017

The Honorable Seema Verma
Administrator
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 445-G
Washington, DC 20201
Dear Administrator Verma,
I am writing to urge you to work with the state of Florida to issue guidance so Floridians can maintain access to health care and services as they recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
Following Hurricane Harvey, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved Texas’ request to temporarily waive the co-payments and enrollment fees for any children or families enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) who reside in FEMA-declared disaster counties.
In Florida, the payment deadline for KidCare, Florida’s CHIP program, was extended only until October 31, 2017, but it is my understanding that coverage is cancelled for children until the payment is received. Simply delaying premium payments fails to take into consideration the gravity of any hardships in the wake of Hurricane Irma and forces Florida families to make two premium payments in a single month.
Moreover, CMS also approved a six-month extension of Medicaid and CHIP benefits for Texans residing in FEMA-declared disaster counties. In Florida, the deadline to complete Medicaid eligibility recertification has been extended by one month.
The steps taken in Texas ensure that no one is being denied medical care because of financial strain brought on by the hurricane. These same policies should apply to Florida in the wake of Hurricane Irma as they have during past natural disasters. For example, in 2005, then-Governor Bush waived premium payments for CHIP when the state was hit by four hurricanes.
For these reasons, I am asking CMS to issue guidance so the state is aware of and will ask the federal government to waive Florida KidCare co-payments and enrollment fees through November 2017, at a minimum, and extend the Medicaid eligibility certification period.
KidCare provides critical health services to about 400,000 children in Florida, some of whom have special health care needs. Moreover, nearly four million Floridians rely on Medicaid. Many of these families have encountered unexpected financial stress, including lost wages or homes, in the wake of Hurricane Irma—they shouldn’t have to also worry about their health coverage as they try to rebuild.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to working together to find ways to help Floridians as we recover from Hurricane Irma.

Sincerely,

Statement from Senator Dennis Baxley Regarding Nursing Home Regulations

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Senator Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala) today released the following statement clarifying comments made during a recent meeting of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, during which the committee discussed the tragic deaths that occurred in a Hollywood, Florida, nursing home following Hurricane Irma.
“I apologize if my comments yesterday did not properly convey the deep respect I have for elder members of our communities and the concern I share regarding the preventable tragedy that occurred in Hollywood.  As a funeral director and ordained elder of my church, I have spent my entire adult life working with families who are grieving the loss of a loved one. In addition to my faith, working in this field has shown me day in and day out that the life of each and every member of our society is special and worthy of respect. Many of the funeral services we coordinate involve elder members of our community, and I take great pride in the opportunity to ensure their lives are honored and celebrated.  No family member should have to fear that their loved one is suffering in a nursing home, particularly during a natural disaster. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the Legislature takes the appropriate steps to safeguard our seniors from the horrific and inexcusable situation that occurred in Hollywood.”

State Board of Education to Meet in Jacksonville

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MEDIA ADVISORY

The State Board of Education will meet next week in Jacksonville.
The agenda is posted at State Board Meeting.
WHAT: State Board of Education Meeting
WHEN: Wednesday, October 18, 2017
9:00 am
WHERE: Florida State College at Jacksonville
Advanced Technology Center
Room T140/141
401 West State Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.

Senator Farmer's statement on nursing home comments by Senator Baxley

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Senator Gary M. Farmer, Jr. (D-Fort Lauderdale) on Thursday issued the following statement regarding the heartless remarks recently made by Senator Dennis Baxley:
“Words cannot express how disappointed I am in my colleague’s rationalization of the events in the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills. To mitigate the impact of their deaths by suggesting their inevitability is simply wrong.
“We cannot condone death as a cost of doing business in the State of Florida. Our charge as a Legislative body is to do anything and everything we can to prevent tragedies like these from occurring or repeating themselves. Anything short of that is irresponsible and unacceptable.
“That is why I plan on introducing legislation that will go a long way toward preventing similar tragedies in the future. Ensuring access to life-saving temperatures, reviewing our oversight procedures and personnel, and providing accountability where there is none are just a few of the solutions that I will raise in this coming Session.
“I look forward to debating these issues when the time for a bill hearing comes. For now, it is my hope that Senator Baxley apologizes to the families and friends of the deceased, as well as the countless other nursing home and assisted living facility patients across our State. I ask Senator Baxley and my fellow Senators to join me in taking steps to ensure another tragedy like this never happens in the state of Florida. We owe them more than an abrupt dismissal. We owe them the dignity they were due.”

Agency Statement on Deadline Extension for Florida’s CHIP Program

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The Agency for Health Care Administration today released the following statement regarding the deadline extension for the CHIP program in Florida.
“Ensuring that children have access to health care is one of our Agency’s top priorities, and the state will do everything in our power to help these families in the wake of Hurricane Irma.
“If a family contacts Florida KidCare and informs them that they do not have the means to pay the monthly premium, which usually ranges from $15 to $20 a month, Florida KidCare works with that family to determine if they are eligible for a lower-cost health insurance or Medicaid.
“We will do everything possible to ensure that families who are working with the CHIP system have coverage for their children. We have extended the deadline once already due to Irma, and we will look at further extending the deadline should the need arise. Before the deadline extension, Florida KidCare received timely payments for over 214,000 children. Since the announcement of the extension deadline, 490 children have been reenrolled in the CHIP program after making their premium payment.
“We will work with every family to ensure there is NO lapse in coverage due to Hurricane Irma. During the first week of October, KidCare began reaching out to families by telephone, text, email, and letter and it is possible that more families will take advantage of the deadline extension. KidCare will continue to communicate with families throughout the month.”
To qualify for CHIP, families can have incomes between 133 percent and 200 percent of the poverty level. This means the children in a family of four would qualify with an annual income between $33,000 and $49,000. If a payment is made at any time in October the coverage would be retroactive back to October 1, ensuring NO lapse in coverage. Our Agency has estimated that it would cost the state about $7.4 million dollars to waive premiums for one month, and the cost to the state would double to $14.8 million or more to waive premiums for enrollees for October and November in the CHIP program in the 48 disaster-declared counties.
Our Agency is encouraging families who may have been affected to call 1-888-540-5437 today and talk with a Florida KidCare representative about making a payment or to discuss other coverage options if their income and size of household has recently changed.

Statement by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture on First Citrus Crop Forecast of the Season

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Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its initial citrus crop forecast for the 2017-2018 season:
“Hurricane Irma’s path could not have been more lethal to Florida citrus. I am concerned that today’s forecast does not accurately estimate the damages to our industry, given that groves are still under water and fruit is still dropping from trees. It’s important to recognize that the damage to Florida citrus is still unfolding, and will continue to for some time.
“One thing is clear, Florida’s growers need support and they need it fast. I will continue to work with leaders in Washington to get Florida’s growers the support and relief they need to rebuild as quickly as possible. There is no group of people more stubborn or more resilient than Florida’s growers, and we will get through this together.”
The USDA’s forecast today of 54 million boxes of oranges for the 2017-2018 season is down from the 68.7 million boxes harvested last season.
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, Commissioner Putnam announced that Florida citrus sustained more than $760 million in damages. Commissioner Putnam also joined Governor Rick Scott and Florida’s Congressional Delegation this week in Washington D.C to discuss the recent damage caused by Hurricane Irma and to request federal assistance.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.

Law enforcement leaders graduate from Florida Leadership Academy

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The Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute announces the graduation today of 32 senior executives from the 20th Senior Leadership Program. The graduates represent criminal justice agencies from across the state.
The graduates met for seven weeks over a 10-month period and took classes on topics such as risk management, budgeting, procedural justice and futures forecasting as it relates to criminal justice.
The goal of the Senior Leadership Program is to prepare Florida’s criminal justice leadership for the challenging and changing demands of the future. Class participants study the trends and events that will challenge criminal justice professionals and the state in the new millennium and examine the leadership skills necessary to create and lead the changes that lie ahead.
Below is a list of graduates from the 20th Senior Leadership Program.
Lieutenant Stacy C. Barasch
Miami-Dade Police Department
Instructional Coordinator Andrea Blalock
Florida Public Safety Institute
Lieutenant Brian K. Blalock
Lynn Haven Police Department
Captain Guy Carpenter II
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Captain Ellery R. Collado
Florida Highway Patrol
Lieutenant Charles W. Eades
Ocala Police Department
Captain Buchanan Ezra Folsom, Jr.
Florida Highway Patrol
Lieutenant Vincent Giovenco
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Wayne W. Godwin
Osceola County Corrections Department
Lieutenant Scott Hogeboom
Walton County Sheriff’s Office
Assistant Warden Tifani S. Knox
Florida Department of Corrections
Union Correctional Institution
Captain Mark A. Laramore
Panama City Police Department
Captain Shane Love
Seminole County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Scott M. Mason
Volusia County Division of Corrections
Lieutenant April L. McQueen
Okaloosa County Department of Corrections
Captain Michael R. Meaney
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Office of Inspector General
Lieutenant Lori Mingione
Osceola County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Amy L. Moyer
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Commander Terence Nicolas
Altamonte Springs Police Department
Captain Charlie A. Nix, II
Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant Charles Padgett
Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement
Lieutenant Nathaly M. Patterson
St. Petersburg Police Department
Regional Director James L. Perdue
Florida Department of Corrections
Community Corrections
Captain Jack V. Peterson
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant Kevin W. Roesner
Winter Park Police Department
Captain Jason Ross
Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement
Lieutenant Ian C. Rylott
Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Rama Shuster
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Lieutenant Robert D. Smith, Jr.
Seminole County Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant Danny Stallings
Panama City Police Department
Regional Director Billy Starke, Jr.
Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Residential Services
Lieutenant Chris Wyatt
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Capitol Police
The Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute, which is housed within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and affiliated with the State University System, was established in 1990 by the Florida Legislature to address the need for an innovative and multi-faceted approach to the education and training of criminal justice professionals.