Department of Veterans Affairs November 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness (OSP), Department of Veterans Affairs is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension without change of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information needed to determine an applicant's qualification and suitability as a VA police officer.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed revision of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. The holder of a vendee account which has been guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may request VA to repurchase a loan as provided in 38 CFR 36.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information needed to provide supportive services grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives, who will coordinate or provide supportive services to very low-income veteran families residing in permanent housing, are homeless and scheduled to become residents of permanent housing within a specified time period.

Section 7412 of title 38, United States Code (U.S.C.) requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General (IG) to determine and report on the top five occupations of VA personnel covered under 38 U.S.C. 7401, for which there are the largest staffing shortages. The top five occupations are calculated over the five-year period preceding the determination, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to publish these findings in the Federal Register. Based on its review, the IG identified the following six occupations as having the largest staffing shortages in the identified time period: Medical Officer, Nurse, Psychologist, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapist and Medical Technologist. Six occupations are identified because the Psychologist and Physician Assistant positions tied for the third position, and the Physical Therapist and Medical Technologist positions tied for the fifth position. Additional information and analysis can be found at: www.va.gov/OIG.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed revision of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. VA Forms 21-0960A-1, 21-0960B-1, and 21-0960C-1 are used to gather necessary information from a claimant's treating physician regarding the results of medical examinations.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA) will facilitate a Tribal Consultation on VHA's effort to improve continuity of care and health care access for Veterans by consolidating multiple community care programs, previously known as non-VA care, into one standard program with standard rates. In October 2015, VA submitted to Congress the Plan to Consolidate Programs of Department of Veterans Affairs to Improve Access to Care, https:// www.va.gov/opa/publications/VA_Community_Care_Report_11_03_20 15.pdf, which lays out the vision for a consolidated community care program that is easy to understand, simple to administer, and meets the needs of Veterans, community providers, and VA staff. As VA continues to move forward with implementing the vision of the Plan, we again seek tribal input to assist VA in developing the network of providers in a manner that would build on VA's existing relationships with tribal health programs and facilitate future collaboration to improve health care services provided to all eligible, VA-enrolled Veterans, regardless of whether they are eligible for Indian Health Service-funded health care or not. We are seeking tribal consultation regarding the tribal health programs' participation in the core provider network, as outlined in the Plan, and potentially transitioning from the current reimbursement agreement structure to a model under which tribal health programs deliver care to all eligible, VA enrolled Veterans, using a standard reimbursement rate based on Medicare rates.

VA announces the availability of the Final EIS for the Reconfiguration of the VA Black Hills Health Care System (BHHCS). Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ's) regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500- 1508), VA's NEPA regulations titled ``Environmental Effects of the Department of Veterans Affairs Actions'' (38 CFR part 26), and VA's ``NEPA Interim Guidance for Projects'' (VA 2010), VA has considered comments received on the Draft EIS, which was issued in October 2015 and identifies VA's preferred alternative in the Final EIS. The Final EIS uses the substitution approach for integrating compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) into the EIS process.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information needed from foreign educational institutions.