The Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology at the Virginia Department of Health Professions regulates the following professions and occupations: Audiologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, and School Speech-Language Pathologists. Automated License Verification: 804-270-6836

The Boxing, Martial Arts, and Professional Wrestling Advisory Board offers guidance to the DPOR Director for regulation of promoters and events involving professional boxing, martial arts, and professional wrestling. The Advisory Board is composed of representatives of each discipline and two citizen members.

The Cemetery Board regulates for-profit cemeteries that offer perpetual care services or pre-need burial contracts, and that are required to maintain trust fund accounts. Cemeteries owned and operated by churches, the state, and all counties, cities, and towns are exempt from licensure and the board's jurisdiction. Additional exemptions are given to certain non-profit, association and family cemeteries.

This division is involved in consumer protection through administration of state laws regarding depository and non-depository financial institutions. The Bureau also investigates and responds to consumer complaints. In addition to written complaints, the staff responds to thousands of telephone inquiries. The Bureau also has an outreach program for the purpose of improving the financial literacy of Virginians.

Provides residents with comprehensive environmental health services such as food, water and building inspection, sewage disposal, septic and well permits, public food permits, regulation of public food establishments, tourist establishment sanitation and restaurant applications. Investigates reports of food illnesses, working with businesses and citizens to educate and correct deficiencies. Also investigates reports of raw sewage or other reports of ground water contamination. ACCESSIBILITY: Fully accessible to persons with disabilities.

The Real Estate Board licenses salespersons, brokers, and firms representing others in property transactions. The Board also administers the Real Estate Transaction Recovery Act, which provides relief to eligible consumers who have incurred losses through the improper and dishonest conduct of a licensed real estate professional. Filing a claim does not guarantee payment.

The Virginia Division of Securities and Retail Franchising is responsible for the regulation of securities, broker-dealers, broker-dealer agents, investment advisers and their representatives. It is also responsible for the registration of franchises and trademarks in Virginia. The Division answers inquiries, provides investor education programs, handles complaints, performs audits, and conducts investigations regarding code violations relating to Securities and Retail Franchising.

Promote, sustain, grow, and control a native horse racing industry with pari-mutuel wagering by prescribing regulations and conditions that command and promote excellence and complete honesty and integrity in racing and wagering.

The Board of Optometry at the Virginia Department of Health Professions regulates the following professions and occupations: Optometrist-Non TPA, Professional Designation, Optometrist-TPA Certified. Automated License Verification: 804-270-6836

Regulates certified public accountants in Virginia through a program of examination, licensure for individuals and firms, consumer protection with enforcement, continuing professional education audits, and peer review oversight.

The Board of Veterinary Medicine at the Virginia Department of Health Professions regulates Veterinary Technicians, Veterinarians, and Veterinary Establishments. For Licensing: (804) 367-4497 All other questions: (804) 367-4468 Automated License Verification: 804-270-6836

The Regulation and Licensing Branch Issues licenses and regulates the taxi industry, peddlers, solicitors, precious metal and gem dealers, pawn brokers, massage establishments and therapists, and going-out-of-business sales. Staff in Regulation and Licensing Branch supports the Trespass Towing Advisory Board.

The Board of Health Professions conducts policy research for the Virginia Department of Health Professions. Automated License Verification: 804-270-6836

Provides the following Environmental Health Services: Complaints Environmental Health documents and investigates residents' complaints about environmental health problems, including reports of food and waterborne disease, mosquito problems, improper sewage disposal, and other public health issues. Food Services Local health department staff inspect and issue required permits to such food service establishments as school cafeterias, restaurants, food stands at community events, camps, day care centers, B&B's, and migrant camps. They work with those who provide prepared food to the public to help assure that food is wholesome and healthy. The local health department is responsible for working with local dairies to assure a healthy product, free of disease. This is done through regular inspections and ongoing input into dairy operations. Drinking Water Environmental health staff provides assistance to property owners who have or desire to have private wells on their property. They assist with required activities and issue, upon proper documentation and payment of fees, permits for private on-site wells. Each county health department maintains records on properties with private on-site wells. Sewage Disposal Environmental health staff provides assistance to residents who desire to or already have on-site sewage disposal systems on their own or their rented property. This assistance includes providing the activities, referral and documentation necessary to obtain required permits for on-site sewage disposal. Each county health department maintains records on properties with on-site sewage disposal systems.

The Virginia Board of Pharmacy regulates the following professions and occupations: Pharmacy, Pharmacists, Pharmacist Interns, Permitted Physicians, Medical Equipment Suppliers, Restricted Manufacturers, Humane Societies, Physicians Selling Drugs, Non-Resident Pharmacies, Wholesale Distributors, CE Courses, and Pharmacy Technicians Automated License Verification: 804-270-6836

RESTAURANT INSPECTION Environmental Health Specialists inspect places that prepare food for public consumption. This includes restaurants, school cafeterias, day-care centers, hospitals and more. Inspect temporary food service vendors at local festivals. Check out the latest inspections of your favorite restaurant at http://healthspace.com/Clients/VDH/VDH/web.nsf/home.xsp FOODBORNE ILLNESSES If you suspect that more than one person has become ill after eating a common food, please contact your local health department. You can also log onto MyMealDetective.com to file an online foodborne illness report.

The Bureau licenses, regulates, investigates and examines insurance companies, agencies and agents on behalf of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Bureau of Insurance also registers, examines and investigates (title) real estate settlement agents and agencies. The Bureau assists consumers with questions and concerns regarding insurance companies, agents and agencies. It offers outreach programs on a variety of insurance-related topics.

The Board for Asbestos, Lead, and Home Inspectors regulates individuals engaged in asbestos remediation, lead-based paint remediation and renovation, and home inspection. The 14-member Board is composed of representatives of each regulated activity and two citizens.

Offers assistance with apprenticeship programs, and occupational safety and health. Provides a Voluntary Safety Compliance Training program. Administers the commonwealth labor laws. Oversees child labor laws. Includes the Division of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety. Provides labor market research and analysis. Provides an online information center at www.doli.virginia.gov/infocenter.html.

Provides residents with comprehensive environmental health services such as food, water and building inspection, sewage disposal, septic and well permits. public food permits, regulation of public food establishments, tourist establishment sanitation and restaurant applications. Investigates reports of food illnesses, working with businesses and citizens to educate and correct deficiencies. Also investigates reports of raw sewage or other reports of ground water contamination. ACCESSIBILITY: Necessary to negotiate steps. Adjacent off-street parking. Front entrance passenger loading zone. Passenger elevator available.

Provides certain former employees, retirees, spouses, former spouses, and dependent children the right to temporary continuation of health coverage at group rates. This coverage, however, is only available when coverage is lost due to certain specific events. Group health coverage for COBRA participants is usually more expensive than health coverage for active employees, since usually the employer pays a part of the premium for active employees while COBRA participants generally pay the entire premium themselves. It is ordinarily less expensive, though, than individual health coverage. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provides a COBRA premium reduction for eligible individuals who are involuntarily terminated from employment through the end of May 2010. The COBRA premium reduction under ARRA is not available for individuals who experience involuntary terminations after May 31, 2010. However, individuals who qualified on or before May 31, 2010 may continue to pay reduced premiums for up to 15 months, as long as they are not eligible for another group health plan or Medicare. The Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010 signed by the President on July 22, 2010, did not extend the COBRA premium reduction. Individuals who qualified on or before May 31, 2010 may continue to pay reduced premiums for up to 15 months, as long as they are not eligible for another group health plan or Medicare. If your COBRA continuation coverage lasts for more than 15 months, you will need to pay the full amount to continue your COBRA continuation coverage. See FAQ Q1 clarifying the end of the COBRA ARRA subsidy. See the Fact Sheet and FAQs for important information on maintaining your COBRA coverage after your subsidy expires. Individuals who believe they have been incorrectly denied the subsidy may request the Employee Benefits Security Administration review their denial and issue a determination within 15 business days. The application to request a review is available on the web site.

The Division of Utility and Railroad Safety assists the SCC's three Commissioners in administering safety programs involving underground utility damage prevention, jurisdictional natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities, and railroads.

The Board for Contractors licenses businesses engaged in the construction, removal, repair, or improvement of facilities on property owned by others. The Board also regulates individual tradesmen who engage in the trades of electrical; plumbing; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); gas fitting; water well construction; elevator mechanics; backflow prevention; and building energy analysis. (Although the term "certified" is used, state certification of these trades is mandatory, not optional.) In addition, the Board licenses individuals and firms engaged in residential building energy analysis, which involves evaluation of energy consumption and recommendations to improve energy efficiency.

We license and regulate Doctors of Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, Podiatry, Chiropractic and numerous other Allied professions

The Board for Hearing Aid Specialists and Opticians licenses:(1) individuals who test and fit hearing aids and (2) individuals who fit and sell prescription glasses and contact lenses.