United States Department of Veterans Affairs

65VA122

Community Placement Program-VA

System location:
Records are maintained at each VA health care facility; the VA Data Processing Center (DPC), 1615 East Woodward Street, Austin, Texas 78772; and at VA Central Office, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420. Addresses for the VA health care system are listed in VA Appendix I at the end of this document.

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
Individuals who operate a Community Placement facility approved for placement of VA beneficiaries; VA beneficiaries in Community Placement facilities.

Categories of records in the system:
The record, or information contained in the record, may include personal identification information with data on the Community Placement facility, name of operator, address, phone number, name of veterans receiving care in these homes, a statement as to whether the veterans' medical conditions have been rated as service-connected or nonservice-connected, the veterans' social security numbers and the names, addresses and phone numbers of the veterans' next-of-kin; overall data regarding diagnoses of veterans in the facility, date the facility was last approved for participation, statement regarding whether or not the home is required to be licensed by the state and/ or local government, copies of correspondence exchange between the VA and the persons interested in applying for participation in the Community Placement Program.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
Title 38, U.S.C. 210(c), 610 and 4101.

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

  1. The record of an individual who is covered by this system may be disclosed to a member of Congress or staff person acting for the member when the member of staff person requests the record on behalf of and at the request of that individual.
  2. Any information in this system may be disclosed to a Federal agency, upon its official request, to the extent that it is relevant and necessary to that agency's decision regarding the hiring, retention or transfer of an employee, the issuance of a security clearance, the letting of a contract, or the issuance or continuance of a license, grant or other benefit given by that agency. However, in accordance with an agreement with the U.S. Postal Service, disclosures to the U.S. Postal Service for decisions concerning the employment of veterans, will only be made with the veteran's prior written consent.
  3. Any information in this system may be disclosed to a State or local agency, upon its official request, to the extent that it is relevant and necessary to that agency's decision on the hiring, transfer or retention of an employee, the issuance of a security clearance, the letting of a contract, or the issuance or continuance of a license, grant or other benefit by that agency; provided that, if the information requested pertains to a veteran, the name and/or address of the veteran will not be disclosed unless the name and/or address is provided first by the requesting State or local agency.
  4. Any information in this system may be disclosed to a Federal, State or local governmental agency maintaining civil or criminal violation records, or other pertinent information such as prior employment history, prior Federal employment background investigations, and personal or educational background at the request of the veteran in order for the VA to obtain information releveant to the hiring, transfer or retention of an employee, the letting of a contract, the granting of a security clearance, or the issuance of a grant or other benefit.
  5. Any information in this system, except for the name and address of a veteran, which is relevant to a suspected violation or reasonably imminent violation of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature and whether arising by general or program statute or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, may be disclosed to a Federal, State, local or foreign governmental agency charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, rule, regulation or order issued pursuant thereto.
  6. The name and address of a veteran, which is relevant to a suspected violation or reasonably imminent violation of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature and whether arising by general or program statute or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, may be disclosed to a Federal agency charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation, or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, in response to its official request.
  7. The name and address of a veteran, which is relevant to a suspected violation or reasonably imminent violation of law concerning public health or safety, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature and whether arising by general or program statute or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, may be disclosed to any foreign, State or local governmental agency or instrumentality charged under applicable law with the protection of the public health or safety if a qualified representative of such organization, agency or instrumentality has made a written request that such name and address be provided or a purpose authorized by law.
  8. Any information in this system including the name and address of a veteran may be disclosed to any nonprofit organization if the release is directly connected with the conduct of programs and the utilization of benefits under Title 38 U.S.C. (such disclosures include computerized lists of names and addresses.)
  9. Any information in this system may be disclosed to a Federal agency, except for the name and address of a veteran, in order for the VA to obtain information relevant to the issuance of a benefit under Title 38 U.S.C. The name and address of a veteran may be disclosed to a Federal agency under this routine use if they are required by the Federal agency to respond to the VA inquiry.
  10. Any information in this system may be disclosed to a Federal grand jury, a Federal court or a party in litigation, or a Federal agency or party to an administrative proceeding being conducted by a Federal agency, in order for the VA to respond to and comply with the issuance of a Federal subpoena.
  11. Any information in this system may be disclosed to a State or municipal grand jury, a State or municipal court or a party in litigation, or to a State or municipal administrative agency functioning in a quasi-judicial capacity or a party to a proceeding being conducted by such agency, in order for the VA to respond to and comply with the issuance of a State or municipal subpoena; provided, that any disclosure of claimant information made under this routine use must comply with the provisions of 38 CFR 1.511.

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

Storage:
Records are maintained on magnetic tapes which are stored at the Austin DPC, and paper documents (printouts) are maintained at VA Central Office and the health care facilities.

Retrievability:
Information can be retrieved by the use of veteran's name, social security number and by facility operator's name and location.

Safeguards:
Access to the basic file in the Austin DPC is restricted to authorized VA employees and vendors. Access to the computer room where the basic file is maintained within the DPC is further restricted to authorized VA employees and vendor personnel on a ``need to know'' basis and is protected from unauthorized access by an alarm system, the Federal Protective Service and VA security personnel. Access to paper documents at Central Office and VA health care facilities is restricted to authorized VA employees.

Retention and disposal:
Working magnetic tapes at the DPC are disposed of as soon as the purpose for which they were established has been served. Paper documents are to be retained and disposed of in accordance with authorization approved by the Archivist of the United States.

System manager(s) and address:
Director, Social Work Service (141A10), VA Central Office, Washington, DC 20420.

Notification procedure:
Any individual who wishes to determine whether a record is being maintained in this system under his/her or other personal identifier, or wants to determine the contents of such record should submit a written request or apply in person to the Chief, Social Work Service (122) at the appropriate VA health care facility. Addresses for these offices may be found in VA Appendix I at the end of this document. Inquiries should include the individual's full name and identification number (social security number).

Record access procedures:
Individuals seeking information regarding access to and contesting of VA records in this system may write, call or visit the nearest appropriate health care facility.

Contesting record procedures:
(See Record Access Procedures above).

Record source categories:
Information contained in the records is obtained from individuals requesting participation in the Community Placement Program; the patient, family members or accredited representative, and friends, employers or other third parties when otherwise unobtainable from the patient or his family; various automated clinical and managerial systems providing support at selected VA health care facilities; and the patient Consolidated Medical Records sections of the VA Medical Records System.


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