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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:
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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.
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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:
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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.
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The Department may disclose information from
this system of records to the Department of
Justice, or to a court or other tribunal when:
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(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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Retrievability: Name, Social Security
numbers, or other identifying numbers
or characteristics.
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Safeguards:
- 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.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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