Privacy Act of 1974; Report of an Altered System of Records, 18631-18638 [2015-07899]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Health Resources and Services Administration

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18631-18638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07899]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Privacy Act of 1974; Report of an Altered System of Records

AGENCY:  Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or Department).

ACTION:  Notice of an Altered System of Records.

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SUMMARY:  In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 
1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), the Health Resources and Services Administration 
(HRSA) is publishing notice of a proposed alteration of the system of 
records entitled and numbered ``Public Health and National Health 
Service Corps Scholarship Program (NHSC SP), National Health Service 
Corps Loan Repayment Program (NHSC LRP), Students to Service, (S2S), 
NHSC Student/Resident Experiences and Rotations in Community Health 
(SEARCH), NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program (NURSE Corps LRP) formerly 
the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP), NURSE Corps 
Scholarship Program (NURSE Corps SP) formerly the Nursing Scholarship 
Program (NSP), Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program (NHHSP), and 
Faculty Loan Repayment Program (FLRP), Applicants and/or Participants 
Records System, HHS/HRSA/BHW,'' No. 09-15-0037. The proposed 
alterations affect the system name, system location, categories of 
records, purposes, routine uses, safeguards, records retention and 
disposal, system manager title and address, as well as minor editorial 
corrections and clarifications.

DATES:  HRSA filed an altered system report with the Chair of the House 
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, the Chair of the Senate 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the 
Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) on March 30, 2015. To ensure all parties 
have adequate time in which to comment, the altered system, including 
the routine uses, will become effective 30 days from the publication of 
the notice or 40 days from the date it was submitted to OMB and 
Congress, whichever is later, unless HRSA receives comments that 
require alterations to this notice.

ADDRESSES:  Please address comments to: Associate Administrator, Bureau 
of Health Workforce (BHW), Health Resources and Services Administration 
(HRSA), 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 11W-37, Rockville, MD 20857, telephone 
(301) 594-4130, or FAX (301) 594-4076. Comments received will be 
available for inspection at this same address from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 
p.m. (Eastern Standard Time Zone), Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  BMISS System Manager, Bureau of 
Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), 
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 11W-37, Rockville, MD 20857, Telephone: 301-
443-1587.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Explanation of Changes

     The system of records notice name has been shortened to 
``HHS/HRSA/BHW Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program Records.''
     The Nursing Scholarship Program (NSP) has been renamed the 
NURSE Corps Scholarship Program (NURSE Corps SP), and the Nursing 
Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP) has been renamed the NURSE 
Corps Loan Repayment Program (NURSE Corps LRP) and all associated 
records have been merged into a new central database system as noted 
below.
     A new information system, BHW Management Information 
System Solution (BMISS), has replaced Bureau of Health Care Delivery 
and Assistance NET (BHCDANET), and serves as the central database for 
information concerning the, NHSC SP, NHSC LRP, S2S, NURSE Corps SP, 
NURSE Corps LRP, FLRP, and NHHSP.
     The system location section has been updated to indicate 
that electronic records and electronic copies of paper records for 
applicants and participants under various programs are now stored in 
BMISS and to include locations of records not stored in BMISS (for 
example, Ambassador records are electronic but currently maintained in 
an online Web site directory while a BMISS database is being designed 
and built, at which point the records will be merged into BMISS).
     The categories of records have been updated to include 
``information concerning educational loans.''
     The purpose(s) section has been updated to consolidate 
certain descriptions (i.e., to combine the loan repayment and 
scholarship program monitoring activities previously described in 
purpose 4 with the other program selection and monitoring activities 
previously described in purpose 8), and to include intra-agency 
transfers of information previously described as routine uses by 
mistake (i.e., transfers to HHS' debt and financial management 
systems).

[[Page 18632]]

     The routine uses have been revised for editorial clarity 
and otherwise updated as follows:
    [cir] Former routine use 15, pertaining to preparation of financial 
management and accounting documentation and information to be provided 
to the Department of the Treasury, has been deleted and is instead 
covered in the SORN for the ``Unified Financial Management System,'' 
System No. 09-90-0024, which receives information from this system for 
that purpose.
    [cir] Former routine uses 17, 18, 21 and 22, and a portion of what 
is now routine use 16 (formerly 14 and 24), pertaining to collection of 
delinquent federal debts, have been deleted because they are included 
in the SORN for the ``Debt Management and Collection System,'' System 
No. 09-40-0012 (see 7, 10, 11, 13), which receives information from 
this system for those purposes.
    [cir] Routine use 8 has been updated to specify that the 
information that may be disclosed includes a participant's name, Social 
Security number (SSN), mailing address, email address, phone number, 
health professions school, residency training, specialty, program 
status, award years, service start and end dates, and service site 
address and phone number.
    [cir] Routine use 11 has been updated allowing HHS to release to 
the participant's service site information from the participant's file, 
including but not limited to, his/her allegations concerning conditions 
at the site, disputes with site management, or circumstances 
surrounding his/her resignation/termination for the purpose of 
monitoring the program participant's compliance with the service 
obligation, including fact-finding to calculate service credit, to 
decide transfer requests, or to make default determinations.
    [cir] Routine use 14 has been added to allow HHS to disclose 
information consisting of name, address, SSN, health professions 
license number, and place of employment to a state or local government 
agency, including any agent thereof, maintaining criminal, civil, or 
administrative violation records, or other pertinent information such 
as records regarding the investigation or resolution of allegations 
involving a program participant. The purpose of this disclosure is to 
enable HHS to monitor compliance with program requirements and make 
determinations regarding administrative actions or other remedies, 
including default determinations.
    [cir] Routine use 15 has been added to allow HHS to disclose 
Ambassador information consisting of name, email and social network 
address(es), phone number(s), employment information, and professional 
biographies to current and prospective participants in BHW programs and 
other interested individuals. The purpose of this disclosure is to 
allow these individuals to contact Ambassadors who serve as mentors and 
local resources for the NHSC programs.
    [cir] Routine use 17 (formerly 16) has been updated to allow HHS to 
disclose information to loan servicing agencies for the purposes of 
obtaining payoff balances on educational loans and determining whether 
loans are eligible for repayment under the programs.
    [cir] Routine use 19 (formerly 20) has been updated to allow HHS to 
disclose information to the Department of the Treasury to determine if 
the applicant's name appears on the Do Not Pay List for program 
integrity/applicant eligibility purposes.
     The safeguards section has been updated to include 
encryption, intrusion detection, and firewalls.
     The retention and disposal section has been expanded and 
updated to include records created in BMISS or digitized and migrated 
into BMISS, and to cite applicable disposition schedules.
     The system manager contact information has been updated.
     The notification procedure has been revised to reflect the 
information that must be included in a notification request made by 
mail.
     The record source categories have been revised to include 
these additional sources: System for Awards Management (SAM) (formerly 
the Excluded Parties List System); HHS Office of Inspector General Web 
site listing individuals excluded from Medicare, Medicaid, and all 
other federal health care programs; and HHS database of Health 
Professional Shortage Areas.
     Other minor editorial corrections have been made to 
reflect the elimination of the Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and 
Services (BCRS) and the transfer of its functions to the newly 
established Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW).

II. The Privacy Act

    The Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) governs the means by which the U.S. 
Government collects, maintains, and uses information about individuals 
in a system of records. A ``system of records'' is a group of any 
records under the control of a federal agency from which information 
about an individual is retrieved by the individual's name or other 
personal identifier. The Privacy Act requires each agency to publish in 
the Federal Register a system of records notice (SORN) identifying and 
describing each system of records the agency maintains, including the 
purposes for which the agency uses information about individuals in the 
system, the routine uses for which the agency discloses such 
information outside the agency, and how individual record subjects can 
exercise their rights under the Privacy Act (e.g., to seek access to 
their records in the system).

    Dated: March 31, 2015.
Mary K. Wakefield,
Administrator.
System Number: 09-15-0037

System name:
    HHS/HRSA/BHW Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program Records

Security classification:
    Unclassified

System location:
    The servers for the central database (known as the Bureau of Health 
Workforce (BHW) Management Information System Solution (BMISS)) are 
located at the Center for Information Technology, National Institutes 
of Health, 12 South Drive, Room 1100, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, and are 
accessed from computer workstations in program offices listed below. 
Paper copies of records included in the central database, and any paper 
or electronic records not included in the central database, are also 
stored in the program offices listed below:
     Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program (NHHSP) records 
are located at the BHW, Health Resources and Services Administration 
(HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 5600 
Fishers Lane, Room 9-105, Rockville, MD 20857 and at Papa Ola Lokahi, 
894 Queen St., #706, Honolulu, HI 96813.
     Ready Responder electronic records are located at BHW, 
HRSA, HHS, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15W-21D, Rockville, MD 20857.
     NHSC Student/Resident Experiences and Rotations in 
Community Health (SEARCH) records are located at BHW HRSA, HHS, 5600 
Fishers Lane, Room 7-100, Rockville, MD 20857.
    Additional records (e.g., spreadsheets created to perform their 
duties) are kept by contractors who assist with the implementation of 
the NHSC LRP, NHSC SP, NURSE Corps LRP (formerly NELRP), NURSE Corps SP 
(formerly NSP), FLRP, and are maintained at the below contractor 
locations:

[[Page 18633]]

     Customer Care Center, Teletech, 8123 South Hardy Dr., 
Tempe, AZ 85284;
     Futrend Technology, Inc., 8605 Westwood Center Dr., Suite 
502, Vienna, VA 22182;
     Sapient Government Services, 1515 N. Courthouse Rd., 4th 
Floor, Arlington, VA 22201.
    Because contractors may change, a current listing of contractors 
and locations (if different from above) is available upon request by 
contacting the Policy-Coordinating Official. Archived records 
(including scanned paper files that have been merged into BMISS) are 
stored at the Washington National Records Center, 4205 Suitland Road, 
Suitland, MD 20746.

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
    The system contains information about the following categories of 
individuals:
     Individuals who have applied for, who are receiving, or 
who have received awards under the following programs: the National 
Health Service Corps Scholarship Program (NHSC SP), the National Health 
Service Corps Loan Repayment Program (NHSC LRP), Students to Service 
(S2S), the NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program (NURSE Corps LRP) 
formerly the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP), the 
NURSE Corps Scholarship Program (NURSE Corps SP) formerly the Nursing 
Scholarship Program (NSP), the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship 
Program (NHHSP), and the Faculty Loan Repayment Program (FLRP).
     Individuals who have applied to participate, are 
participating, or have participated in the NHSC Student/Resident 
Experiences and Rotations in Community Health (SEARCH) Program.
     Individuals who are current or former Ambassadors, Alumni, 
or Ready Responders.
     Individuals who indicate an interest in employment in or 
an assignment to a medical facility located in a Health Professional 
Shortage Area (HPSA) or a medically underserved population area, 
including public and federal medical facilities, such as Bureau of 
Prisons medical facilities, Indian Health Service health care 
facilities, and other federally sponsored health care facilities.

Categories of records in the system:
    Records include the individual's name, address(es), telephone 
number(s), email address(es), Social Security number (SSN); 
scholarship, loan repayment, Ambassadors, Alumni, Ready Responders or 
SEARCH application and associated forms/documents, contracts, 
employment data, professional performance and credentialing history of 
licensed health professionals; preference for site-selection; personal, 
professional, and demographic background information; academic and/or 
service progress reports (which include related data, correspondence, 
and professional performance information consisting of continuing 
education, performance awards, and adverse or disciplinary actions); 
commercial credit reports, educational data including tuition and other 
related education expenses; educational data including academic program 
and status; information concerning educational loans; employment status 
verification (which includes certifications and verifications of 
service obligation); medical data, financial data, payment data and 
related forms, deferment/placement/suspension/waiver data and 
supporting documentation; repayment/delinquent/default status 
information, correspondence to and from Program applicants and 
participants and/or their representatives, Claims Collection Litigation 
Reports for default cases referred to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Authority for maintenance of the system:
     Section 333 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 254f), Assignment of Corps Personnel;
     Section 225 of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. 234), as in effect 
on September 30, 1977, PH/NHSC Scholarship Training Program;
     Section 409(b) of the Health Professions Educational 
Assistance Act of 1976, (42 U.S.C. 295g), PSASP;
     Sections 338A-H of the PHS Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 
254l-q), NHSC Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs;
     Sections 336(c) and 331(b)(1) of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. 
254h-1(c) and 254d(b)(1)), SEARCH;
     Section 846 of the PHS Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 297n), 
NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program (formerly the Nursing Education Loan 
Repayment Program) and NURSE Corps Scholarship Program (formerly the 
Nursing Scholarship Program);
     Section 10 of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement 
Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 11709), NHHSP;
     Section 738(a) of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. 293b(a)), Faculty 
Loan Repayment Program;
     Section 202 of Title II of Pub. L. 92-157 (42 U.S.C. 
3505d), National Health Professional Shortage Clearinghouse;
     31 U.S.C. 7701(c), Debt Collection Improvement Act of 
1996, Requirement That Applicant Furnish Taxpayer Identifying Number;
     Section 215(a) of the PHS Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 
216(a)), pertaining to PHS commissioned officers, and 5 U.S.C. 3301 
pertaining to civil service employees, both of which authorize 
verification of an individual's suitability for employment.

Purpose(s):
    Relevant agency personnel use records about individuals from this 
system on a need to know basis for the following purposes:
    1. To obtain marketing and recruitment information concerning 
individuals who registered to complete an online application, but did 
not submit or complete an application.
    2. To identify and select qualified individuals to participate in 
the above-identified Programs.
    3. To maintain records on and to verify Program applicants' or 
participants' credentials and educational background, and 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 
from selection for an award through the completion of service.
    4. To assist the HHS Program Support Center (PSC), the DOJ, and 
other government entities in the collection of Program debts.
    5. To respond to inquiries from Program applicants and 
participants, their attorneys or other authorized representatives, and 
Congressional representatives.
    6. To compile and generate managerial and statistical reports.
    7. With respect to the PH/NHSC and NHSC SP, NHHSP, NURSE Corps SP 
(formerly NSP), NHSC LRP, NURSE Corps LRP (formerly NELRP), and FLRP: 
(a) to select and match scholarship recipients, loan repayors, and 
other individuals for assignment to or employment with a health care or 
other facility appropriate to the Programs' purposes; (b) to perform 
loan repayment and scholarship program administrative activities, 
including, but not limited to, payment tracking, deferment of the 
service obligation, monitoring a participant's compliance with the 
service requirements, determination of service completion, review of 
suspension or waiver requests, default determinations, and calculation 
of liability upon default; and (c) to monitor

[[Page 18634]]

the services provided by the Programs' health care providers.
    8. With respect to the SEARCH Program: (a) to track recruitment of 
SEARCH participants for the NHSC Scholarship and Loan Repayment 
Programs; and (b) to determine how many non-obligated SEARCH 
participants ultimately practice primary health care in a Health 
Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).
    9. With respect to the Ambassador and Alumni activities: (a) to 
advocate for more health professions students to choose primary care; 
(b) to mentor students and clinicians; and (c) to recruit students and 
clinicians for the NHSC Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs, and to 
train community leaders and local clinicians to care about and for 
people in need.
    10. To transfer records of delinquent federal debts to System No. 
09-40-0012, Debt Management and Collection System, for debt collection 
purposes.
    11. To transfer information to System No. 09-90-0024, Unified 
Financial Management System (UFMS), for purposes of effecting payment 
of program funds (through the Department of the Treasury) and preparing 
and maintaining financial management and accounting documentation 
related to obligations and disbursements of funds, (including providing 
notifications to the Department of the Treasury) related to payments 
to, or on behalf of, awardees. Information transferred to UFMS for 
these purposes is limited to the individual's name, address, SSN and 
other information necessary to identify him/her, the funding being 
sought or amount of qualifying educational loans, and the program under 
which the awardee is being processed.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories 
of users and the purposes of such uses:
    In addition to the disclosures authorized by the Privacy Act at 5 
U.S.C. 552a(b)(2) and (b)(4)-(b)(11), information about an individual 
may be disclosed from this system of records to parties outside HHS, 
without the individual's prior, written consent, for these routine 
uses:
    1. HHS may disclose to a Member of Congress or to a Congressional 
staff member information from the record of an individual in response 
to a written inquiry from the Congressional office made at the written 
request of that individual.
    2. HHS may disclose information from this system of records to the 
Department of Justice (DOJ) or to a court or other tribunal when
    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 DOJ 
(or HHS, where it is authorized to do so) has agreed to represent the 
employee, or
    d. The United States Government, is a party to litigation or has an 
interest in such litigation, and by careful review, HHS determines that 
the records are both relevant and necessary to the litigation and that, 
therefore, the use of such records by the DOJ, court, or other tribunal 
is deemed by HHS to be compatible with the purpose for which the 
records were collected.
    3. In the event that a record on its face, or in conjunction with 
other records, 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, disclosure may be made to the 
appropriate public authority, whether federal, state, local, tribal, or 
otherwise, responsible for enforcing, investigating or prosecuting such 
violation or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute or 
rule, regulation or order issued pursuant thereto, if the information 
is relevant to the enforcement, regulatory, investigative, or 
prosecutorial responsibility of the receiving entity. This includes, 
but is not limited to, disciplinary actions by state licensing boards 
against current or former Program participants.
    4. HHS may disclose information consisting of names, SSN, 
disciplines and/or medical specialties, current mailing addresses, 
dates of scholarship support, and dates of graduation of NHSC SP, NURSE 
Corps SP (formerly NSP) and NHHSP scholarship recipients to: (a) 
designated coordinators at each health professions school participating 
in the scholarship program for the purpose of determining educational 
expenses and resulting levels of scholarship support, and for the 
purpose of guiding and informing these recipients about the nature of 
their service obligation; and (b) schools attended by scholarship 
recipients who have taken a leave of absence from school, have 
terminated enrollment or been dismissed from school, or are repeating 
coursework, for the purpose of determining their academic status and 
whether their scholarship support should be suspended or resumed, as 
appropriate.
    5. HHS may disclose information consisting of name, address, 
discipline and/or medical specialty, and SSN from this system of 
records to a Program participant's health professions school, residency 
program, or other postgraduate training program, for the purpose of 
ascertaining the participant's enrollment status and training 
completion or graduation date.
    6. HHS may disclose records consisting of names, disciplines and/or 
medical specialties, current business or school mailing addresses, 
email addresses of the Programs' scholarship and loan repayment 
participants to contractors, Ambassadors, Alumni, and professional 
organizations in underserved communities for the purpose of supporting 
these clinicians in the course of their service obligation in a HPSA, 
school of nursing, or critical shortage facility.
    7. HHS or its contractors may disclose records consisting of a 
SEARCH participant's name, mailing address, email address, phone 
number, health professions school, residency training and specialty to 
state Primary Care Offices (PCOs) and Primary Care Associations (PCAs) 
and site representatives for the purpose of matching participants to 
potential employment sites.
    8. HHS may disclose records consisting of a participant's name, 
SSN, mailing address, email address, phone number, health professions 
school, residency training, specialty, program status, award years, 
service start and end dates, and service site address and phone number 
to Department grantees, contractors and subcontractors who assist with 
the implementation of the above-identified Programs, for the purposes 
of collecting, compiling, aggregating, analyzing, or refining records 
in the system, or improving Program operations. Grantees and 
contractors maintain, and contractors are also required to ensure that 
subcontractors maintain, Privacy Act safeguards with respect to such 
records.
    9. HHS may disclose biographical data and information supplied by 
Program applicants or participants: (a) To references listed on the 
application and associated forms for the purpose of evaluating the 
applicant's or participant's professional qualifications, experience, 
and suitability; (b) to a state or local government licensing board 
and/or to the Federation of State Medical Boards or a similar non-
government 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; and (c) to prospective, current or 
former employers, or to site representatives, PCAs, and PCOs for the 
purpose of appraising the applicant's professional qualifications and

[[Page 18635]]

suitability for site assignment or employment.
    10. HHS may disclose an applicant's or participant's name, mailing 
address, email address, phone number, SSN, health professions school, 
residency training, and specialty to Department grantees, site 
representatives, contractors, and subcontractors who assist with the 
implementation of the above-identified Programs, for the purpose of 
recruiting, screening, evaluating, and matching, placing, or assigning 
health professionals to a service site appropriate to the relevant 
Program's purposes. In addition, Department grantees, contractors and 
subcontractors may disclose biographical data and information supplied 
by Program applicants, participants, or references listed on the 
application and associated forms: (a) To other references for the 
purpose of evaluating the applicant's or participant's professional 
qualifications, experience, and suitability; (b) to a state or local 
government licensing board and/or to the Federation of State Medical 
Boards or a similar non-government 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; (c) to the System 
for Awards Management (formerly Excluded Parties List System) for the 
purpose of determining whether applicants or participants are 
suspended, debarred, or disqualified from participation in covered 
transactions; (d) to the National Practitioner Data Bank for the 
purpose of determining whether applicants or participants have 
information on their reports; and (e) to prospective employers, or to 
site representatives, for the purpose of appraising the applicant's or 
participant's professional qualifications and suitability for site 
assignment or employment. Grantees and contractors maintain, and 
contractors are also required to ensure that subcontractors maintain, 
Privacy Act safeguards with respect to such records.
    11. HHS may disclose records consisting of name, mailing address, 
email address, phone number, SSN, specialty, and requested or actual 
placement site(s) to State Loan Repayment Grantees, state PCOs and 
PCAs, and site representatives to facilitate PCO, PCA and site 
activities related to recruitment and placement of Program participants 
at service sites. For the purpose of monitoring the program 
participant's compliance with the service obligation, including fact-
finding to calculate service credit, to decide transfer requests, or to 
make default determinations, HHS may release to the participant's 
service site other information from the participant's file, including 
but not limited to, his/her allegations concerning conditions at the 
site, disputes with site management, or circumstances surrounding his/
her resignation/termination.
    12. HHS may disclose records to a state or local government 
licensing board and/or to the Federation of State Medical Boards or a 
similar non-government entity which maintains records concerning: (a) 
An individual's employment history; (b) the issuance, retention, 
suspension, revocation, or reinstatement of licenses or registrations 
necessary to practice a health professional occupation or specialty; 
(c) disciplinary action against the individual or other sanctions 
imposed by a state or local government licensing board; or (d) the 
individual's attempts to pass health professions licensure exam(s). 
This disclosure may include the applicant's or participant's name, 
address, SSN, employment history, educational data, accreditation, 
licensing, and professional qualification data, and facts concerning 
any clinical competence, unprofessional behavior, or substance abuse 
problem of which HHS is aware. The purposes of this disclosure are: (1) 
To enable HHS to obtain information relevant to a decision concerning a 
health professional's accomplishments, professional and personal 
background qualifications, experience, and any licensure sanctions 
related to substance abuse, to determine the individual's suitability 
for employment, retention, or termination as a health services provider 
at a health care facility approved by the relevant Program; and (2) to 
inform health professions licensing boards or the appropriate non-
government entities about the health care practices or conduct of a 
practicing, terminated, resigned, or retired health services provider 
whose professional conduct so significantly failed to conform to 
generally accepted standards of professional practice for health care 
providers as to raise reasonable concern for the health and safety of 
patients.
    13. HHS may disclose information consisting of name, address, SSN, 
health professions license number, and place of employment from this 
system of records to federal, state, or local health agencies and law 
enforcement regarding a program participant who has a physical or 
mental condition that is, or has the potential to become, a risk to 
patients or to the public at large, or whose aberrant behavior poses 
such a risk (e.g., commission of a sexual assault, illegal use or 
distribution of narcotics).
    14. HHS may disclose information consisting of name, address, SSN, 
health professions license number, and place of employment to a state 
or local government agency, including any agent thereof, maintaining 
criminal, civil, or administrative violation records, or other 
pertinent information such as records regarding the investigation or 
resolution of allegations involving a program participant. The purpose 
of this disclosure is to enable HHS to monitor compliance with program 
requirements and make determinations regarding administrative actions 
or other remedies, including default determinations.
    15. HHS may disclose Ambassador information consisting of name, 
email and social network address(es), phone number(s), employment 
information, and professional biographies to current and prospective 
participants in BHW programs and other interested individuals. The 
purpose of this disclosure is to allow these individuals to contact 
Ambassadors who serve as mentors and local resources for the NHSC 
programs.
    16. HHS may disclose information from this system of records to a 
consumer reporting agency, as defined in 31 U.S.C. 3701(a)(3), for the 
following purposes:
    a. To obtain a commercial credit report to assess the 
creditworthiness of a scholarship or loan repayment applicant;
    b. To verify information provided on the scholarship or loan 
repayment application concerning whether the applicant has ever 
defaulted on a federal or non-federal obligation, or had delinquent 
federal or non-federal debts or judgment liens;
    c. To determine and verify the eligibility of loans submitted for 
repayment;
    d. To assess and verify ability of a debtor to repay debts owed to 
the federal government; and
    e. To provide an incentive for debtors to repay federal debts by 
making these debts part of their credit records.
    Pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3711(e)(1)(F), the information disclosed to 
the consumer reporting agency is limited to (i) information necessary 
to establish the identity of the person, including name, address, and 
taxpayer identification number; (ii) the amount, status, and history of 
the claim; and (iii) the agency or program under which the claim arose.
    17. HHS may disclose information about NHSC LRP, S2S, NURSE Corps 
LRP (formerly NELRP), and FLRP

[[Page 18636]]

applicants or participants to lending institutions and loan servicing 
agencies for the purpose of obtaining payoff balances on educational 
loans and determining whether loans are eligible for repayment under 
the Program. Disclosure will be limited to the applicant/participant's 
name, address, SSN, the loan account number(s), the pre-verified loan 
balance, account status, and other information necessary to identify 
the LRP applicant/participant and his/her loans for this purpose.
    18. HHS may disclose information to the Department of the Treasury, 
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), about an individual applying under the 
above-identified Programs to find out whether the applicant has a 
delinquent tax debt. This disclosure is for the sole purpose of 
determining the applicant's eligibility for funding and/or 
creditworthiness and is limited to the individual's name, address, SSN, 
other information necessary to identify him/her, and the program for 
which the information is being obtained.
    19. HHS may disclose information from this system of records to 
another federal, state, or local agency or private employer to whom a 
Program defaulter has applied for federal grant funds, federal 
scholarship, loan, or loan repayment funds, or employment involving 
federal funds, for the purpose of ensuring that the Program defaulter 
does not receive federal funds for which he/she is ineligible. 
Disclosure will be limited to the defaulter's name, address, SSN, 
inclusion on the Do Not Pay List, and any other information necessary 
to identify him/her.
    20. HHS may disclose information from this system of records to the 
DOJ and applicable state agencies in order to exclude a debtor from all 
federal health care programs, as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(f), 
including Medicare and Medicaid, or to conclude a settlement agreement 
staying such an exclusion.
    21. HHS may disclose information from this system of records to 
other federal, state, and local agencies, and public and private 
entities that provide scholarship and/or loan repayment funding or 
include bonus clauses in employment contracts, for the following 
purposes: (a) to curtail fraud and abuse of federal funds by 
identifying individuals who have applied for, or accepted, funding from 
another source for performance of the same service; and (b) to 
determine if an applicant has an existing service obligation to another 
federal, state, local, or other entity.
    22. HHS may disclose to federal, state, and local agencies, and 
public and private non-profit entities for research purposes, the name, 
address(es), SSN, discipline and service sites of applicants and 
participants in the above-identified Programs when the Department:
    i. has determined that the use or disclosure does not violate legal 
or policy limitations under which the record was provided, collected, 
or obtained;
    ii. has determined that a bona fide research/analysis purpose 
exists;
    iii. has required the recipient to:
     establish strict limitations concerning the receipt and 
use of applicant- and participant-identified data;
     establish reasonable administrative, technical, and 
physical safeguards to protect the confidentiality of the data and to 
prevent the unauthorized use or disclosure of the record;
     remove, destroy, or return the information that identifies 
the applicant or participant at the earliest time at which removal or 
destruction can be accomplished consistent with the purpose of the 
research project, unless the recipient has presented adequate 
justification of a research nature for retaining such information; and
     make no further use or disclosure of the record except as 
authorized by HHS or when required by law; and
    iv. has secured a written statement attesting to the recipient's 
understanding of, and willingness to abide by these provisions.
    23. Disclosure may be made in response to a subpoena from another 
federal agency having the power to subpoena other agencies' records, 
such as the IRS or U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
    24. Disclosure of information from this system of records may be 
made to the HHS/PSC/Federal Occupational Health contract physicians to 
review and provide a written opinion of the medical documentation 
submitted by scholarship and loan repayment Program participants 
seeking a suspension or waiver of their service or payment obligation.
    25. Disclosure to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) if 
captured in an intrusion detection system used by HHS and DHS pursuant 
to a DHS cybersecurity program that monitors Internet traffic to and 
from federal government computer networks to prevent a variety of types 
of cybersecurity incidents.
    26. HHS may disclose records to appropriate federal agencies and 
Department contractors that have a need to know the information for the 
purpose of assisting the Department's efforts to respond to a suspected 
or confirmed breach of the security or confidentiality of information 
maintained in this system of records, when the information disclosed is 
relevant and necessary for that assistance.
    Because, as described in the Purposes section, certain information 
from this system of records is transferred to HHS' financial and debt 
management systems, those systems' SORNs should be consulted for 
additional routine use disclosures that may be made without the 
individual's consent. See Unified Financial Management System, System 
No. 09-90-0024, and Debt Management and Collection System, System No. 
09-40-0012.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, 
and disposing of records in the system--
Storage:
    Records are maintained in electronic database servers and backup 
servers, file folders, and for NHHSP records, backup tapes.

Retrievability:
    Records are retrieved by an individual's name, Social Security 
number, or other identifying numbers or characteristics.

Safeguards:
    a. Authorized Users: Password-protected access is limited to 
persons authorized and needing to use the electronic records, which 
includes system managers and their staff, BHW headquarter officials and 
staff, HRSA Division of Regional Operations staff, financial and fiscal 
management personnel, Office of the General Counsel, Office of 
Information Technology personnel, and at Papa Ola Lokahi (POL), an 
entity which collaborates with HRSA/BHW in the administration of the 
Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program (NHHSP) through a 
Cooperative Agreement to assist with the implementation of the NHHSP. 
POL is physically located at 894 Queen St., Honolulu, HI 96813.
    b. Additional Authorized Users: Password-protected access is also 
provided to applicants, participants, and service sites for the purpose 
of inputting data, uploading documents, or submitting queries through 
BMISS.
    c. Physical Safeguards: Rooms where records are located are locked 
when not in use. During regular business hours, rooms are unlocked but 
are controlled by on-site personnel. Security guards perform random 
checks on the physical security of the offices (storage locations) 
after duty hours, including weekends and holidays.
    Servers and other computer equipment used to process identifiable

[[Page 18637]]

data are located in secured areas and use physical access devices 
(e.g., keys, locks, combinations, card readers) and/or security guards 
to control entries into the facility. All facilities housing HRSA 
information systems maintain fire suppression and detection devices/
systems (e.g., sprinkler systems, handheld fire extinguishers, fixed 
fire hoses, and or smoke detectors) that can be activated in the event 
of a fire.
    With respect to NHHSP records located at Papa Ola Lokahi (POL), an 
entity HRSA/BWH collaborates with to administer the NHHSP, the building 
in which POL's office is located is publicly accessible but secured, 
with limited accessibility before and after work hours. Security guards 
visit the building at night. NHHSP's office suite is kept locked during 
work hours and individual offices are also locked when vacant. 
Applicant and participant files are kept in a locked cabinet in a 
locked office. Access to these files is limited to approved staff 
members, and when the area the files are in is not under the direct 
control of NHHSP staff, the office and cabinet are kept locked. The 
file server is behind a locked office door in a locked server cabinet. 
Backup tapes are stored in a locked, fireproof floor safe, and a 
secure, confidential off-site vault.
    Technical safeguards: Encryption, intrusion detection and firewalls 
are utilized. Scans are run against the BMISS platform for web and 
architecture vulnerabilities. Complex or strong passwords are required 
and are changed frequently.

Retention and disposal:
    Records are retained and disposed of as follows:
     Files concerning participants who complete their 
obligations or whose obligations are waived, cancelled, or terminated 
are transferred to the Washington National Records Center in Suitland, 
Maryland and are destroyed 6 years after final payment, under 
disposition schedule HSA B-351 3. 1.
     HRSA has digitized and uploaded paper files concerning 
active participants in BHW scholarship and loan repayment programs into 
BMISS. The paper files are stored at the Washington National Records 
Center and are destroyed 15 years after closeout, under disposition 
schedule N1-512-92-01, item 25P 1 and 2.
     Unfunded or withdrawn applicant records are destroyed 6 
months after the close of each fiscal year application period, under 
disposition schedule N1-512-92-01, item 25P 1.
     Currently, all records migrated to BMISS or created in 
BMISS are retained indefinitely, pending NARA's approval of a revised 
schedule.

System manager(s) and address:
    The System Manager for the system of records is the following 
Policy-Coordinating Official:
    Director, Division of Policy and Shortage Designation, Bureau of 
Health Workforce (BHW), Health Resources and Services Administration 
(HRSA), 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 11W-42, Rockville, MD 20857.
    Points of contact for specific programs/activities:
     NHSC SP and NHSC LRP Applications/Awards; Participant 
Placement/Assignment; Ready Responders: Director, Division of the 
National Health Service Corps, BHW, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8C-
26, Rockville, MD 20857.
     NURSE Corps LRP (formerly NELRP), NURSE Corps SP (formerly 
NSP), and FLRP Applications/Awards; Participant Placement/Assignment: 
Director, Division of Health Careers and Financial Support, BHW, HRSA, 
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9-105, Rockville, MD 20857.
     NHSC SP, NHSC LRP, S2S, NURSE Corps LRP (formerly NELRP), 
NURSE Corps SP (formerly NSP), and FLRP Participants' service from 
matching through service completion: Director, Division of Participant 
Support and Compliance, BHW, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15W-50, 
Rockville, MD 20857.
     Suspension/Waiver/Default Determination for all BHW 
Programs: Chief, Legal and Compliance Branch, BHW, HRSA, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Room 8-73, Rockville, MD 20857.
     NHHSP: Administrator, Papa Ola Lokahi, 894 Queen St., # 
706, Honolulu, HI 96813.
     SEARCH and Ambassadors: Director, Division of External 
Affairs, BHW, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7-100, Rockville, MD 20857.

Notification procedure:
    To find out if the system contains records about you, contact the 
Policy-Coordinating Official, Director, Division of Policy and Shortage 
Designation, Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW), Health Resources and 
Services Administration (HRSA), 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 11W-42, 
Rockville, MD 20857 who will refer you to the appropriate Point of 
Contact for the program/activity.
    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 information (e.g., date of birth), the name 
of the Program(s) in which the individual participated (or applied but 
was not selected), 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. (A federally-issued picture ID is required to access many 
federal facilities such as the Parklawn Building.) 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 for 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 
information, 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 for 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: the name 
of the Program(s) in which the individual participated (or applied but 
was not selected), and the requester's current status (e.g., in 
training, in deferment, in service, or in default).
    Requests by telephone: Because positive identification of the 
caller cannot be established, telephone requests are not honored.

Record access procedures:
    Same as notification procedure. Requesters may also ask for an 
accounting of disclosures that have been made of their records, if any.

Contesting record procedures:
    Same as notification procedure. Contact the Policy-Coordinating 
Official; 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.

[[Page 18638]]

Record source categories:
    Records are obtained directly from the subject individuals, or from 
the following sources: educational institutions; internship and/or 
residency training programs; employers; NHSC-approved service sites; 
critical shortage facilities; schools of nursing; lending institutions 
and loan servicing agencies; health professional associations; National 
Practitioner Data Bank; System for Awards Management (formerly Excluded 
Parties List System); HHS Office of Inspector General Web site listing 
of individuals excluded from Medicare, Medicaid, and all other federal 
health care programs; HHS database of Health Professional Shortage 
Areas; HHS grantees and 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 health professions licensing boards and/or the 
Federation of State Medical Boards or a similar non-government entity; 
and third parties who provide references or other information 
concerning the subject individual.

System exempted from certain provisions of the Act:
    None.

[FR Doc. 2015-07899 Filed 4-6-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE CODE 4160-15-P