System name: Public Health Service (P1-is) and National Health Service Corps ~NHBC) Scholarship/Loan Repayment Participants Records System, HHS/HRSA/BPHC.

Security classification: None.

System location:

• Division of scholarships and Loan Repayments, Bureau of Primary Health Care, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), 10th Floor, West Tower Building, 4350 Sast West Highway, Bethesda,Maryland.
• Division of National Health Service Corps, Bureau of Primary Health Care, Health Resources and Services Administration. 8th Floor, West Tower Building, 4350 East West Highway, Bethesda.
• Maryland Parkiawn Computer Center, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 2A-53, Rockville, Maryland 20857.
• Washington National Records Center, 4205 Suitland Road, Suitland, Maryland 20409.
• PHS Health Data Center, Gulls W. Long Hansen’s Disease Center, Carville, Louisiana 70121.

Records are also located at contractor sites. A list of contractor sites where individually identifiable data are currently located is available upon request to the Policy-Coordinating Official at that individual’s address shown in the System Manager(s) and Address’’ section of this notice. Partial records are also located at Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regional offices. A list of regional offices where individually identifiable data are currently located is available upon request to the Policy-Coordinating Official.

Categories of individuals covered by the system: Individuals who have applied for, who have been approved to receive, who are receiving, and who have received funds under the PHS/NHSC and Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Programs, NHSC Loan Repayment Program, the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Agreement Program, and the Nursing Student Education Direct Loan Program; individuals who have volunteered for service in the NHSC; scholarship recipients who are fulfilling their PHS/NHSC and/or Native Hawaiian Health scholarship obligations; loan repayment recipients; and individuals who include an interest in employment in or an assignment to a medical facility located in a health professional shortage area or a medically underserved population area, including public and Federal medical facilities, such as community health centers, Indian Health Service (IRS) medical facilities, and other federally sponsored public health centers.

Categories of records in the system: Contains name, Social Security number, scholarship and loan repayment application and associated forms, employment data, professional performance and credentialing history of licensed health professionals; preference for site-selection; personal, professional, and demographic background information; progress reports (which include related data, correspondence, and professional performance information consisting of continuing education, performance awards, and adverse or disciplinary actions); financial loan data, payroll forms, deferment and placement data; and repayment/delinquent/default status information.

Authority for maintenance of the system: Section 333 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 254f). Assignment of Corps Personnel; Section 338 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (A2 U.S.C. 254), Scholarship Program and Loan Repayment Program; Section 836(h) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 29Th) Nursing Education Loan Repayment Agreements for Registered Nurses entering employment at certain health facilities. Section 847 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 297n) Nursing Student Education Direct Loan Program with respect to service in certain health care facilities in underserved areas. Section 338K of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S. Code 254s) Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program. Section 202 of Title II of Pub. L. 92-157 (42 U.S.C. 3505d), National Health Manpower Clearinghouse; Debt Collection Act of 1982, Pub. L. 97-365 (5 U.S.C. 55l4note); Section 4 of the Debt Collection Act of 1982, Pub. L. 97-365 (5 U.S.C. 5514 note), Requirement That Applicant Furnish Taxpayer Identifying Number; and Section 215(a) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 216(a)), for PHS commissioned officers, and 5 U.S.C. 3301 for civil service employees, both of which authorize verification of an individual’s suitability for employment.

Purpose(s): The purposes of this system of records are as follows:

1. The PHS/NHSC and Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Programs (a) To monitor scholarship-related activities, such as payment tracking, deferment of service obligation, default, placement, and claims determination; (b) To select and match PHS/NHSC and Native Hawaiian Health scholarship recipients, NHSC volunteers, and other individuals for assignment to or employment with a health care facility serving a health professional shortage area, including other public and federally sponsored health care delivery programs, such as community health centers; (C) To monitor services provided by PHS/NBSC and Native Hawaiian health providers; (d) To maintain records on and to verify individuals’ credentials and educational background, previous and current professional employment data and performance history information to verify that all claimed background and employment data are valid and all claimed credentials are current and in good standing; and (e) To assist BPHC officials in the collection of overdue debts owed under PHS/NHSC and Native Hawaiian Health scholarship programs.
2. The NHSC and Nursing Education Loan Repayment Agreement Programs, and the Nursing Student Education Direct Loan Program (a) To monitor loan repayment related activities, such as service obligations, default and claims determinations; (b) To assure PHS/NHSC loan repayment recipients match to a health care facility serving high priority health professional shortage areas or populations, including other public and federally sponsored health care delivery programs, such as community health centers; (c) To monitor services provided by NHSC health providers; (d) To maintain records on and to verify individuals’ credentials and educational background; (e) To assist BPHC officials in the collection of overdue debts owed under the NHSC and Nursing Education Loan Repayment Agreement Programs, and the Nursing Student Education Direct Loan Program. Records in this system are also used by HHS regional offices and the IHS for the purpose of negotiating site assignment, and by the PHS for the purpose of recruiting health professionals for PHS programs. Records may be transferred to System No. 09-15-0045, Health Resources and Service Administration Loan Repayment/Debt Management Records System, HHS/HRSA/OA, for debt collection purposes when BPHC officials are unable to collect overdue debts owed under the PHS and NHSC scholarship programs, the NHSC Loan Repayment Program, the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Agreement Program, and the Nursing Student Education Direct Loan Program.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses:

1. The HRSA may disclose to a congressional office from the record of an individual in response to a verified inquiry from the congressional office made at the written request of that individual.
2. The Department may disclose information from this system of records to the Department of Justice, or to a court or other tribunal when:
   1. (a) HHS, or any component thereof, or
      (b) Any HHS employee in his or her official capacity; or
      (c) Any HHS employee in his or her individual capacity where the Department of Justice (or HHS, where it is authorized to do so) has agreed to represent the employee; or
      (d) The United States or any agency thereof where HHS determines that the litigation is likely to affect HHS or any of its components, is a party to litigation or has an interest in such litigation, and HHS determines that the use of such records by the Department of Justice, the court or other tribunal is relevant and necessary to the litigation and would help in the effective representation of the governmental party, provided, however, that in each case, HHS determines that such disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the records were collected.

    

   3. In the event that a system of records maintained by this agency to carry out its functions indicates a violation or potential violation of law, whether civil, criminal, or regulatory in nature, and whether arising by general statute or particular program statute, or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, the relevant records in the system of records may be referred to the appropriate agency, whether Federal, State, or local, charged with enforcing or implementing the statute or rule, regulation or order issued pursuant thereto.
   4. The HRSA may disclose records consisting of names, disciplines, current mailing addresses, and dates of graduation of scholarship recipients to designated coordinators at each school of medicine, osteopathy, and dentistry participating in the scholarship program for the purpose of guiding and informing these recipients about the nature of their forthcoming professional service obligation in health professional shortage areas or populations.
   5. The HRSA may disclose records consisting of name of scholarship or loan repayment recipient, professional school he/she is attending, and the date of graduation to health professions associations and other interested health professions groups which have responsibility for coordinating funds paid to students from Federal and other sources.
   6. The HRSA may disclose records to Department contractors and subcontractors for the purpose of collecting, compiling, aggregating, analyzing, or refining records in the system. Contractors maintain, and are also required to ensure that subcontractors maintain, Privacy Act safeguards with respect to such records.
   7. The HRSA may disclose records to Department contractors and subcontractors for the purpose of recruiting, screening, and matching health professionals for assignment to our employment in a health care facility serving health professional shortage areas or populations, including other federally sponsored programs, such as IHS medical facility sites and community health centers. In addition, Department contractors and subcontractors: (1) May disclose biographic data and information supplied by potential applicants (a) to reference listed on application and associated forms for the purpose of evaluating the applicant’s professional qualifications, experience, and suitability, and (b) to a State or local government medical licensing board and/or to the Federation of State Medical Boards or a similar nongovernment entity for the purpose of verifying that all claimed background and employment data are valid and all claimed credentials are current and in good standing; (2) may disclose biographic data and information supplied by references listed on application and associated forms to other references for the purpose of inquiring into the applicant’s professional qualifications and suitability; and (3) may disclose professional suitability evaluation information to NHSC officials; prospective employers, or to site representatives, for the purpose of appraising the applicant’s professional qualifications and suitability for site assignment or employment. Contractors maintain, and are also required to ensure that subcontractors maintain, Privacy Act safeguards with respect to such records.
   8. The HRSA may disclose records consisting of name, Social Security number, employment history, educational data, accreditation, licensing, and professional qualification data to a State or local government medical licensing board and/or to the Federation of State Medical Boards or a similar nongovernment entity which maintains records concerning an individual’s employment history or concerning the issuance, retention or revocation of licenses or registrations necessary to practice a health professional occupation or speciality. The purposes of this disclosure are: (1) To enable HRSA to obtain information relevant to a decision concerning a health professional’s accomplishments, professional and personal background qualifications, and experience to determine the individual’s suitability for employment, retention, or termination as a health services provider in a health care facility serving a health professional shortage area or a population, and (2) to inform medical licensing boards or the appropriate nongovernment entities about the health care practices of a practicing, terminated, resigned, or retired health services provider whose professional health care activity so significantly failed to conform to generally accepted standards of professional medical practice as to raise reasonable concern for the health and safety of private sector patients.
   9. The HRSA may disclose information from this system of records to private parties, such as present and former employers, references listed on application and associated forms, other references, and educational institutions. The purpose of such disclosures is to evaluate an individual’s professional accomplishments, performance, and credentials and educational background, and to determine if an applicant is suitable for employment in/assignment to a health care facility serving health professional shortage areas or populations.
   10. The HRSA may disclose information from this system of records to a consumer reporting agency (credit bureau) to obtain a commercial credit report for the following purposes:
       (a) To establish creditworthiness of a scholarship applicant; and
       (b) To assess and verify ability of a debtor to repay debts owed to the Federal Government.
       Disclosures are limited to the individual’s name, address, Social Security number and other information necessary to identify him/her; the funding being sought or amount and status of the debt; and the program under which the application or claim is being processed.
   11. The HRSA will disclose from this system of records a delinquent debtor’s name, address, Social Security number, and other information necessary to identify him/her; the amount, status, and history of the claim, and the agency or program under which the claim arose, as follows:
       (a) To another Federal agency so that agency can effect a salary offset for debts owed by Federal employees; if the claim arose under the Social Security Act, the employee must have agreed in writing to the salary offset.
       (b) To another Federal agency so that agency can effect an authorized administrative offset; i.e., withhold money, other than Federal salaries, payable to or held on behalf of debtors.
       (c) To the Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), to request a debtor’s current mailing address to locate him/her for purposes of either collecting or compromising a debt, or to have a commercial credit report prepared.
   12. The HRSA may disclose information from this system of records to another agency that has asked the Department to effect a salary or administrative offset to help collect a debt owed to the United States. Disclosure is limited to the individual’s name, address, Social Security number, and other information necessary to identify the individual, to information about the money payable to or held for the individual, and to other information concerning the offset.
   13. The HRSA may disclose to the Treasury Department, IRS, information about an individual applying for a loan under any loan program authorized by the Public Health Service Act to find out whether the loan applicant has a delinquent tax account. This disclosure is for the sole purpose of determining the applicant’s creditworthiness and is limited to the individual’s name, address, Social Security number, other information necessary to identify him/her, and the program for which the information is being obtained.
   14. The HRSA will report to the Treasury Department, IRS, as taxable income, the written-off amount of a debt owed by an individual to the Federal Government when a debt becomes partly or wholly uncollectible--either because the time period for collection under the statute of limitations has expired, or because the Government agrees with the individual to forgive or compromise the debt.
   15. The HRSA will disclose to debt collection agents, other Federal agencies, and other third parties who are authorized to collect a Federal debt, information necessary to identify a delinquent debtor. Disclosure will be limited to the debtor’s name, address, Social Security number, and other information necessary to identify him/her; the amount, status, and history of the claim, and the agency or program under which the claim arose.
   16. The HRSA will disclose information from this system of records to any third party that may have information about a delinquent debtor’s current address, such as a U.S. Post Office, a State motor vehicle administration, a professional organization, an alumni association, etc., for the purpose of obtaining the debtor’s current address. This disclosure will be strictly limited to information necessary to identify the individual, without any reference to the reason for the agency’s need for obtaining the current address.
   17. The HRSA may disclose information from this system of records to other Federal agencies that also provide scholarship funding at the request of these Federal agencies in conjunction with a matching program conducted by these Federal agencies to detect or curtail fraud and abuse in Federal scholarship programs, and to collect delinquent loans or benefit payments owed to the Federal Government.
   18. The HRSA will disclose from this system of records to the Department of Treasury, IRS: (1) A delinquent debtor’s name, address, Social Security number, and other information necessary to identify the debtor; (2) the amount of the debt; and (3) the program under which the debt arose, so that the IRS can offset against the debt any income tax refunds which may be due to the debtor.

   Disclosure to consumers reporting agencies: Disclosures pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b) (12) : Disclosures may be made from this system to “consumer reporting agencies’ ‘ as defined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 158a(f) or the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966 (31 U.S.C. 3701(a) (3)). The purposes of these disclosures are: (1) To provide an incentive for debtors to repay delinquent Federal Government debts by making these debts part of their credit records, and (2) to enable HRSA to improve the quality of loan and scholarship decisions by taking into account the financial reliability of applicants. Disclosure of records will be limited to the individual’s name, Social Security number, and other information necessary to establish the identity of the individual, the amount, status, and history of the claim, and the agency or program under which the claim arose.

   Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system:

   • Storage: Records are maintained in file folders, computer tape, and discs.
   • Retrievability: Name, Social Security numbers, or other identifying numbers or characteristics.
   • Safeguards:
     
     1. Authorized Users: Access is limited to authorized personnel in the performance of their duties. Authorized personnel include: System managers and their staff, NHSC headquarters and Regional Office officials, financial and fiscal management personnel, computer personnel, and NHSC contractors--all of whom are responsible for administering the scholarship and loan repayment programs.
     2. Physical Safeguards: Magnetic tapes, discs, other computer equipment, and other forms of personal data are stored in areas where fire and life safety codes are strictly enforced. All automated and nonautomated documents are protected during lunch hours and nonworking hours in locked file cabinets or locked storage areas. The ADP remote stations are locked during nonstandard working hours. Twenty-four hour, seven-day security guards perform random checks on the physical security of the data and the storage areas. Backup files are maintained in an off-site facility with controlled entrances and exists.
     3. Procedural Safeguards: A password is required to access the terminal and a data set name controls the release of data to authorized users only. All users of personal information in connection with the performance of their jobs (see Authorized Users, above) protect information from public view and from unauthorized personnel entering an unsupervised office. Codes by which automated files may be accessed are changed periodically. This procedure also includes deletion of access codes when employees leave. New employees are briefed and the guard office is notified of all staff members authorized to be in secured areas during nonstandard working hours. This list is revised as employees are increased or leave.

   Access to records is strictly limited to those staff members trained in accordance with the Privacy Act and ADP security procedures. Contractors are required to maintain, and are also required to ensure that subcontractors maintain, confidentiality safeguards with respect to these records. Contractors and subcontractors are instructed to make no further disclosure of the records except as authorized by the System Manager and permitted by the Privacy Act. All individuals who have access to these records receive the appropriate ADP security clearances. The BPHC personnel make site visits to ADP facilities for the purpose of ensuring that ADP security procedures continue to be met. Privacy Act and ADP system security requirements are specifically included in contracts. System Managers oversee compliance with these requirements.

   Retention and disposal: Applications of individuals not selected for participation in a scholarship program are retained for six months, then destroyed by shredding. Applications, contracts, and other records of NHSC scholarship recipients are retained through the completion or other disposition of the scholarship service obligation, then sent to the Federal Records Center for an additional 15-year retention period and destroyed in accordance with Federal Records Center disposal standards. Automated historical tapes are sent to a Federal Records Center and the initial records are destroyed in accordance with the HRSA Records Control Schedule.

   System manager(s) and address:

   • Policy-Coordinating Official: Director, Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), 11th Floor, West Tower Building, 4350 East West Highway, Rockville, MD 20857.
   • Scholarship Applicants/Recipients: Director, Division of Scholarships and Loan Repayments, BPHC, HRSA, 10th Floor, West Tower Building, 4350 East West Highway, Rockville, MD 20857.
   • Placement/Assignment: Director, Division of National Health Service Corps, BPHC, HRSA, 8th Floor, West Tower Building, 4350 East West Highway, Rockville, MD 20857.

   Notification procedures: To find out if the system contains records about you, contact the Policy-Coordinating Official. The Policy-Coordinating Official will then refer the requester to the appropriate System Manager or Regional Office.

   Requests in person: A subject individual who appears in person at a specific location seeking access to or disclosure of records relating to him/her shall provide his/her name, current address, Social Security number or other identifying numbers, dates of enrollment in the scholarship program, and at least one piece of tangible identification, such as driver’s license, passport, or voter registration card. Identification papers with current photographs are preferred but not required. If a subject individual has no identification but is personally known to an agency employee, such employee shall make a written record verifying the subject individual’s identity. Where the subject individual has no identification papers, the responsible agency official shall require that the subject individual certify in writing that he/she is the individual who he/she claims to be and that he/she understands that the knowing and willful request or acquisition of a record concerning an individual under false pretenses is a criminal offense subject to a $5,000 fine.

   Requests by mail: A written request must contain the name and address of the requester, Social Security number or other identifying numbers, and his/her signature which is either notarized to verify his/her identity or includes a written certification that the requester is the person he/she claims to be and that he/she understands that the knowing and willful request or acquisition of records pertaining to an individual under false pretenses is a criminal offense subject to a $5,000 fine. In addition, the following information is needed: Dates of enrollment in the scholarship program and current enrollment status, such as pending application approval, deferment of service obligation, or shortage area placement.

   Requests by telephone: Since positive identification of the caller cannot be established, telephone requests are not honored.

   Record access procedures: Same as notification procedures. Requesters should also provide a reasonable description of the record being sought. Requesters may also request an accounting of disclosures that have been made of their records, if any.

   Contesting record procedures: Contact the Policy-Coordinating Official, provide a reasonable description of the record, specify the information being contested, the corrective action sought, and the reasons for requesting the correction, along with supporting information to show how the record is inaccurate, incomplete, untimely, or irrelevant.

   Record source categories: Individuals whose records are contained in the system; educational institutions attended; internship and/or residency training progress reports; NHSC Professional Training Information Questionnaires; NHSC Private Practice Option Agreements; Bureau of Health Professions Area Resources File tapes; PHS Division of Commissioned Personnel and U.S. Office of Personnel Management personnel records; health professional associations; DHHS contractors/subcontractors; consumer reporting agencies/credit bureaus; other Federal agencies, including but not limited to the Department of the Treasury, IRS, and the U.S. Postal Service; State or local government medical licensing boards and/or the Federation of State Medical Boards or a similar nongovernment entity; and third parties who provide references concerning the subject individual.

   Systems exempted from certain provisions of the act: None.