The State Veterans' Homes Program provides comprehensive, high-quality health care on a cost-effective basis to eligible veterans in need of either long-term skilled nursing care or assisted living services.
The State Veterans' Homes Program operates eight nursing homes, as well as a domiciliary home (assisted living facility) in Florida that provide full-service long-term residential care to eligible Florida veterans, supervised by registered and licensed nurses. The eight nursing homes are located across the state.
Alexander "Sandy" Nininger State Veterans' Nursing Home (Pembroke Pines)
Alwyn C. Cashe State Veterans’ Nursing Home (Orlando)
Ardie R. Copas State Veterans’ Nursing Home (Port St. Lucie)
Baldomero Lopez State Veterans' Nursing Home (Land O' Lakes)
Clifford C. Sims State Veterans' Nursing Home (Panama City)
Clyde E. Lassen State Veterans' Nursing Home (St. Augustine)
Douglas T. Jacobson State Veterans' Nursing Home (Port Charlotte) and
Emory L. Bennett State Veterans' Nursing Home (Daytona Beach)
The 150-bed, Robert H. Jenkins, Jr., State Veterans' Domiciliary Home, located in Lake City, provides assisted living residential care to eligible ambulatory veterans. The program helps veterans function at their highest level of independence.
Seven out of the eight Florida's veterans' nursing homes have the capacity to serve 120 residents, with the exception of the Alwyn C. Cashe State Veterans' Nursing Home. With two exceptions, the Emory L. Bennett State Veteran's Nursing Home and the Alwyn C. Cashe State Veterans’ Nursing Home, the state's nursing homes can each accommodate 60 residents with dementia/Alzheimer's disease. Including the Robert H. Jenkins, Jr. State Veterans' Domiciliary Home which has 150 beds, the State Veterans' Homes Program has a total of 1,102 beds.
In its annual report, the department states that for Fiscal Year 2020-21, the average occupancy rate for State Veterans’ Homes in operation two years or longer was 65.3 percent. This was largely due to COVID recovery. The vacancies caused by the COVID-19 virus and end-of-life departures reduced occupancy rates by over 28 percent. At the time of data collection, facilities have improved to over 80% occupancy.
Assisted living facilities traditionally operate at a lower occupancy than skilled nursing facilities. The Robert H. Jenkins Jr. State Veterans’ Domiciliary Home in Lake City had an occupancy rate above the 90% performance measure goal for the year and achieved a 97.0% occupancy rate.
The table below shows the most recent occupancy rates, admissions, and discharges at each home and facility for Fiscal Year 2021-22.
| Veterans' Homes Occupancy Rates, Admissions, and Discharge Activity | |||
| Fiscal Year 2021-2022 | |||
| Facility | Occupancy Rates | Admissions | Discharges |
| Robert H. Jenkins Jr. (AL) | 93.0% | 38 | 56 |
| Emory L. Bennett | 95.1% | 43 | 58 |
| Baldomero Lopez | 73.0% | 24 | 48 |
| Alexander "Sandy" Nininger | 91.3% | 32 | 68 |
| Clifford C. Sims | 89.4% | 33 | 56 |
| Douglas T. Jacobson | 57.2% | 32 | 97 |
| Clyde E. Lassen | 71.9% | 23 | 45 |
| Ardie R. Copas | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Alwyn C. Cashe | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Source: Annual Report Fiscal Year 2021-2022, Department of Veterans' Affairs | |||
| Fund | Salary Rate/ Position | General Revenue | Trust Funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SALARY RATE | ||||
| POSITIONS | ||||
| SALARIES AND BENEFITS | ||||
| FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND | ||||
| FROM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
| OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES | ||||
| FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND | ||||
| FROM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
| EXPENSES | ||||
| FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND | ||||
| FROM GRANTS AND DONATIONS TRUST FUND | ||||
| FROM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
| OPERATING CAPITAL OUTLAY | ||||
| FROM GRANTS AND DONATIONS TRUST FUND | ||||
| FROM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
| FOOD PRODUCTS | ||||
| FROM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
| SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
| ACQUISITION OF MOTOR VEHICLES | ||||
| FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND | ||||
| SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
| CONTRACTED SERVICES | ||||
| FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND | ||||
| FROM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
| SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
| RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES | ||||
| FROM GRANTS AND DONATIONS TRUST FUND | ||||
| SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
| RISK MANAGEMENT INSURANCE | ||||
| FROM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
| SPECIAL CATEGORIES | ||||
| TRANSFER TO DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES - HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES PURCHASED PER STATEWIDE CONTRACT | ||||
| FROM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND | ||||
| FIXED CAPITAL OUTLAY | ||||
| STATE NURSING HOME FOR VETERANS - DMS MGD | ||||
| FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND | ||||
| FIXED CAPITAL OUTLAY | ||||
| MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF STATE-OWNED RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES FOR VETERANS | ||||
| FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND | ||||
TOTAL |
15,470,875 |
150,968,641 |
Other Reports
Annual Reports, Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs
The Auditor General reports on department operations are available on its website
Websites of Interest
Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs, State Veterans' Homes
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Facility Locator
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Center for Women Veterans
Quarterly Report, Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs
Performance Information
Connie Tolley, Director, State Veterans' Homes Program, 727-518-3202, ext. 5516
Website