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For Direct Care Providers

The Two-Hat Provider Guide

Veterans need providers who can do both: deliver federal VA Community Care under one credential, and deliver state-licensed medical cannabis care under another. The two roles operate under separate authorities — federal for VA work, state for cannabis — with the same clinician holding both. This 10-part guide walks providers through how the model works, what the law actually permits, and what it takes to do this work responsibly.

What this guide is for

The two-hat model is a deliberate clinical practice structure built on a single principle: the two roles are kept separate by the legal authorities that govern each. A clinician operates under their VA Community Care credential to deliver federal VA care. The same clinician operates, separately, under their state medical cannabis practitioner credential to deliver state-licensed medical cannabis care. The two practices honor the separation that federal and state law themselves require, with the same provider serving the veteran across both.

The veteran benefits because one clinician knows them across both contexts. The federal practice and the state cannabis practice do not share files, billing, or scheduling, but they share a doctor who has chosen to serve veterans across both authorities — and who can integrate the clinical picture in their own clinical judgment even when the records remain separate.

Who this guide is for

This guide is written for licensed clinicians — physicians, DOs, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants — who are evaluating whether to hold both VA Community Care credentialing and state medical cannabis practitioner credentials. It is educational. It is not legal advice or medical advice, and every provider entering the model should consult their attorney, their malpractice carrier, and their state medical cannabis program office before structuring their practice.

The two roles, named clearly

Role 1: VA Community Care

Federal credential. Provider sees veterans referred through VA Community Care, delivers federally-authorized care, bills VA TPAs (Optum or TriWest), documents in VA-aligned records. Under VHA Directive 1315, the provider may discuss and document cannabis use; may not prescribe cannabis or complete state cannabis certification forms in this capacity.

Role 2: State Medical Cannabis Practitioner

State credential. Provider sees patients (often the same veterans) under state cannabis program authority, performs clinical evaluation, issues state-authorized written certification or recommendation as the state program defines. Real treating medicine under state authority, completely separate from federal credentialing.

The 10 parts

About Mendry

Mendry is a Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Mendry does not provide treatment, prescribe cannabis, sell cannabis, complete state forms, or collect protected health information. Mendry is the educational platform and professional network connecting the providers, coordinators, and veterans who are building safe and legal access to this combined model of care. Healthcare decisions belong to the patient and the licensed clinicians who serve them — not to Mendry. The veteran benefits because one clinician knows them across both contexts. The federal practice and the state cannabis practice do not share files, billing, or scheduling, but they share a doctor who has chosen to serve veterans across both authorities — and who can integrate the clinical picture in their own clinical judgment even when the records remain separate.

The honest framing

The two-hat model is not for every provider. It requires comfort with regulatory complexity, willingness to maintain genuine operational separation between two distinct practices, and the long view to recognize that veterans have been asking for this combined option for years and have rarely had providers willing to offer it under one roof. Providers who enter the model with eyes open about what it asks — and what it serves — can build sustainable practices that meet a real need. Mendry exists to make that path more navigable than building it alone.

 About this content. Mendry is a Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This page is educational and does not constitute medical, legal, financial, or placement advice. Two-Hat Provider requirements, certifications, and standards vary by setting, payer, accreditation body, and state. Always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before making professional decisions.