The Senior Legal Helpline provides free legal advice and consultation services to eligible Florida residents ages 60 and older for civil legal problems. The Senior Legal Helpline makes referrals to state and local regulatory agencies and, in matters of court appearances, helps find legal representation within the community.

The Orange County Department of Health & Family Services promotes and provides family services to Orange County citizens.

Established in 1989 as a special project of the Florida Attorney General’s Office, the Seniors vs. Crime program works in partnership with law enforcement and senior services groups throughout the state. More than 3,000 volunteers called Senior Sleuths work to prevent Medicare fraud and increase public awareness of abuse and fraud. They serve as the eyes and ears of the elderly communities and assist law enforcement in undercover operations, do outreach programs to educate the public, manage consumer cases, and provide on-site assistance to senior citizens making large purchases. All operational costs are covered through money given in settlements from companies involved in defrauding the elderly.

The Community and Support Services Bureau consists of four units whose primary focus is to help elders remain in their own homes and avoid institutional care.

Aging Resource Centers have been created to operate as a synchronized information system that assists all Floridians seeking access to economic and long-term care resources. There are 11 Area Agencies on Aging that have been designated Aging Resource Centers. These administrative entities share a common platform for information and referral that assist Floridians with issues such as state and federal benefits, local programs, community resources and services.

Adult Protective Services works in conjunction with the Department of Children and Families and the Aging Network to protect disabled adults and elderly people from all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation. Services provided include protective supervision, placement, in-home services and community-based resources.

The Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) is the primary state agency administering human services programs for Florida’s senior citizens. The DOEA’s mission is to "foster an environment that promotes well-being for Florida’s elders and enables them to remain in their homes and communities." This is done through its Division of Statewide Community-Based Services, which works with the state’s 11 Area Agencies on Aging and local service providers. With 23 percent of the state’s population being 60 years and older, there is a substantial segment that is provided with essential services. These include the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, the Statewide Public Guardianship Office, the Communities for a Lifetime initiative, SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), and Medicaid Waiver Programs, as well as Senior Legal and Housing Services.

The Office on Aging provides staff support to the Commission on Aging. The Commission on Aging is an advisory board to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners and represents different industries that provide services to the senior population, including health care, transportation and faith communities. The goal is to create synergies between various agencies at the local, state and national levels so as to better serve the elderly population.

The Attorney General is responsible for protecting Florida consumers from various types of fraud and enforcing the state’s antitrust laws. Additionally, the Attorney General protects constituents in cases of Medicaid fraud, defends the state in civil litigation cases, and represents the people of Florida when criminals appeal their convictions in state and federal courts.

The Community Care for the Elderly Program provides community-based care services to help functionally impaired senior citizens live with minimal restrictions in the most cost-effective manner. The program provides goods and services including adult day health care, counseling, home-delivered meals, home health aide, legal assistance and transportation.

Community Aging and Retirement Services (CARES) is a charitable, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that provides health, social and supportive services to older people and their families in the West Central Florida counties of Pasco, Hernando, Pinellas and Hillsborough. CARES collaborates with health professionals, families, volunteers, donors and businesses that assist the elderly. A Medicare/Medicaid-certified home health agency, CARES is supported, in part, by grants from the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas Inc., the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the United Way of Pasco County, business partners and private donations.

Formed in 1956, the Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) represents more than 1,000 members and more than 500 facilities that provide skilled nursing, short-term rehab, and assisted-living services to seniors in Florida. It is the state affiliate of the national American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living. The mission of FHCA is to improve the quality of services, reputation, professional achievements and financial condition of its members.

Established in November 2001, the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition (FSHC) is a 45-member strong statewide organization that works toward developing independent housing solutions for various special needs populations, including the elderly. The FSHC advocates for public policy and resource allocation that creates housing choices and opportunities for the needy.

Established in 1998, the Florida Coalition for Optimal Mental Health & Aging is charged with improving the mental health services available to Florida elders. The coalition advocates for improving mental health and substance abuse services, is engaged in improving the level of service by front-line care providers, and is increasing awareness about taking into account the special needs of the elderly when monitoring existing facilities.

The Broward Aging Alliance is a community leadership organization that seeks to improve the lives of Broward County elders. The alliance provides such support as advocacy, funding and resource development strategies, social marketing, and community education and outreach.

AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that advocates for people ages 50 and older. Since 1958, AARP has lobbied for senior issues, including the passage of Medicare in 1965. AARP offers support from staffed offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Established in 1955, the Florida Council on Aging (FCOA) focuses on serving the diverse needs of Florida’s aging population through education, communication and advocacy. It claims to be Florida’s only statewide association that represents all aging interests across different disciplines. FCOA is engaged in outreach programs that spread information about older adult issues within communities through constant and open dialogue. It connects various professional agencies and decision-makers who deal with aging populations and helps build productive and collaborative relationships among them. FCOA is strongly committed to promoting accountability within the diverse aging network members.

Aging Care Advocates is a geriatric care management and advocacy company that operates in the Tampa Bay area. It is engaged in comprehensive assessment and evaluation of in-home care, long-term placements, assistance with ongoing support, and advocacy in long-term facilities.

Established in 1998, Aging Wisely is a Florida senior care resource organization. It has compiled lists of resources that assist in elderly health care issues such as Alzheimer’s disease, Florida caregivers, geriatric care management, and Florida prescription information. Aging Wisely also provides answers about Medicare and Medicaid in Florida.

The Florida Association of Aging Services Providers is a statewide organization that focuses on direct service providers for the aging population of the state. Such direct services — which include case management, senior centers, adult day care centers, and nutrition — help keep Florida’s aging population self-reliant. Focusing on advocacy for elders, particularly vulnerable elders, the organization states that its mission is "to support and advocate for public and non-profit organizations engaged in the provision of community-based services to Florida’s elders to improve their quality of life."

The Broward County Elderly and Veterans Services Division promotes self-reliance among the elderly, veterans, and their families in Broward County. The group provides a support system and is a resource center for information about such issues as medical benefits, compensation and disability.

Established in 1963, the Florida Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (FAHSA), soon to be renamed LeadingAge Florida, is a not-for-profit corporation that provides leadership, advocacy and education for retirement housing and nursing home communities serving Florida’s retired population.

Florida Medical Quality Assurance Inc. is the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for Florida. QIOs are private, mostly not-for-profit organizations, staffed by doctors and other health care professionals, who are trained to review medical care, to help beneficiaries with complaints about the quality of care and to implement improvements in the quality of care available throughout the spectrum of care. QIOs are required under Sections 1152-1154 of the Social Security Act.

The long-term care ombudsman advocates for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The office resolves complaints and educates seniors and long-term care providers about their rights and good care practices. The ombudsman also provides information to the public on nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and services, residents' rights, and legislative and policy issues. In 1978, an amendment to the federal Older Americans Act required every state to have an ombudsman program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long-term care system. The ombudsman program is administered by the Administration on Aging (AoA).

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program helps Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries avoid, detect and prevent health care fraud. The goal is to protect older people and to preserve the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The federal program was created in 1996 by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and amended in 2006 by Titles II and IV of the Older Americans Act.

The Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) were established under the Older Americans Act (OAA) Comprehensive Services Amendments in 1973 to respond to the needs of Americans 60 and older in every local community. The amendments added a new Title V, which authorized grants to local community agencies in every state. The AAAs provide a range of options that allow older adults to choose the home- and community-based services and living arrangements that suit them best.

Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE) is known in most other states as the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which is a national program that offers counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and to their families. Coordinators provide counseling on Medicare benefits, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D), Social Security, Medicaid and veterans' benefits. SHIP, formerly the Information, Counseling and Assistance (ICA) grants program, was created under section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. This act authorized the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make grants to states for health advisory services programs for people with Medicare.

Steven D. Sonenreich is president and CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he started his career in 1976. He worked through the ranks, starting in the financial division. He was made Mount Sinai’s first director of marketing and business development and, eventually, vice president of administration. In 1990, he was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer, responsible for the operations of the medical center. In 1996, he left Mount Sinai for Cedars Medical Center, where he served as CEO. In late October 2001, Sonenreich was brought back to Mount Sinai by the hospital’s board of trustees for his current position.

Al Stubblefield has been president and CEO of the Baptist Health Care Corp. since 1999, and has been with the company since 1985. He has also filled many positions at the American Hospital Association, including memberships on the board of directors and the executive committee, chairman of the operations committee, and chairman of regional policy board 4. Before joining Baptist Hospital, Stubblefield worked in hospitals in Mississippi and Tennessee. He has published a book about his experience at Baptist, focusing on his time as chief operating officer.

Don Breeding has been president and CEO at Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center since 2011. Before his promotion, he was chief nursing officer at Heart of Florida. Breeding, who has more than 30 years of experience in practical and hospital-based administration, joined Heart of Florida’s parent company, Health Management Associates, in November 2008, as a chief nursing officer. Previously, he held clinical leadership roles at Johnson City Medical Center in Johnson City, Tenn., and Wuesthoff Health Systems in Rockledge, Fla.

Bernardo Fernandez Jr., is CEO of Cleveland Clinic Florida. With locations in Weston and West Palm Beach, Fla., Cleveland Clinic Florida employs more than 200 physicians in approximately 35 medical specialties. Fernandez is an internist who specializes in vascular medicine. He began his tenure at Cleveland Clinic Florida in May 1991. In June 2006, he was named CEO of Florida operations. He has been a member of the executive team for the Cleveland Clinic Health System since 2011, after serving for many years as chairman of the division of medicine. Fernandez, who was born in Havana, Cuba, earned his medical degree from the Ponce School of Medicine in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

William C. Rupp is vice president and CEO of the Mayo Clinic’s Jacksonville, Fla., campus, where he has served since November 2008. Rupp also serves as the president of Luther Hospital-Mayo Health System, and leads quality projects at Luther Midelfort in Wisconsin, which is also part of the Mayo Health System. Rupp was president and CEO of Luther Midelfort Mayo Health System from 1994 to 2001. He has been a practicing physician in oncology since 1982. Baptist Medical Center.

James R. Burkhart is president and CEO of the Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, which is part of the University of Florida Academic Health Center. He started at the organization as a consultant in 2001, and was promoted to president and administrator in 2003. He joined the company the same year it was near bankruptcy (fiscal year 2001). By 2007, Shands had an investment- grade rating from Moody’s Investor Service. From 2000 to 2003, he worked as a consultant for the Endeavor Health Group-Ft. Lauderdale. Burkhart served as president from 1984 to 2000 at Fort Sanders Park West and at Regional Medical Centers in Knoxville, Tenn. Before his medical career, he served five years as a captain in the U.S. Army.

Steven P. Johnson has been president and CEO of Health First, a system that includes Holmes Regional Medical Center and Cape Canaveral Hospital, since late 2011. Previously, Johnson was president of hospital operations for SSM Health Care-St. Louis, which is a seven-hospital system based in Missouri and a division of SSMHC. Johnson started his health care career as a clinical psychologist and later moved to the administrative side of clinical psychology, serving as an administrator for a state-run residential rehabilitation center. Not long after, he served as regional vice president of a rehabilitation services company that provided health care services in the subacute and postacute settings, as well as executive director for a behavioral health managed care company. In 1997, he was selected as vice president of SSM Behavioral Health Services.

Gwen W. MacKenzie is president and CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, an 806-bed regional medical center comprising a hospital, physician practices, and a network of specialized medical campuses and clinics that include a nursing and rehabilitation center, home health, psychiatric hospital, walk-in medical centers and outpatient centers. The hospital is one of the only acute-care public hospitals in the nation and is Sarasota County’s second-largest employer. Before joining Sarasota in 2005, MacKenzie worked at the nine-hospital Detroit Medical Center. She started as an advanced practice nurse practitioner and worked in bedside care and clinical management. At Sarasota, she has overseen the opening of five new outpatient centers, including a freestanding emergency room and health care center in North Port.