6568 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 22 / Thursday, February 1, 2024 / Notices 

Burden Estimates: 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

1,005. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 

2,661,240 hours. 

Comments: Comments submitted in 

response to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for OMB approval. All comments will 

become a matter of public record. 

Comments are invited on: 

(a) Whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

OCC, including whether the information 

has practical utility; 

(b) The accuracy of the OCCs estimate 

of the burden of the collection of 

information; 

(c) Ways to enhance the quality, 

utility, and clarity of the information to 

be collected; 

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of 

the collection on respondents, including 

through the use of automated collection 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology; and 

(e) Estimates of capital or start-up 

costs and costs of operation, 

maintenance, and purchase of services 

to provide information. 

Patrick T. Tierney, 

Assistant Director, Office of the Comptroller 

of the Currency. 

[FR Doc. 2024–02014 Filed 1–31–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4810–33–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Privacy Act of 1974; System of 

Records 

AGENCY: Veterans Health 

Administration (VHA), Department of 

Veterans Affairs (VA). 

ACTION: Notice of a modified system of 

records. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 

1974, notice is hereby given that the 

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is 

modifying the system of records 

entitled, ‘‘Caregiver Support Program— 

Caregiver Record Management 

Application (CARMA)–VA’’ (197VA10). 

This system is used to administer, 

monitor and track services delivered 

through VA’s Caregiver Support 

Program including documentation of 

calls to the Caregiver Support Line. 

DATES: Comments on this modified 

system of records must be received no 

later than 30 days after date of 

publication in the Federal Register. If 

no public comment is received during 

the period allowed for comment or 

unless otherwise published in the 

Federal Register by VA, the modified 

system of records will become effective 

a minimum of 30 days after date of 

publication in the Federal Register. If 

VA receives public comments, VA shall 

review the comments to determine 

whether any changes to the notice are 

necessary. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be 

submitted through www.Regulations.gov 

or mailed to VA Privacy Service, 810 

Vermont Avenue NW, (005X6F), 

Washington, DC 20420. Comments 

should indicate that they are submitted 

in response to ‘‘Caregiver Support 

Program-Caregiver Record Management 

Application (CARMA)–VA’’ (197VA10). 

Comments received will be available at 

www.Regulations.gov for public 

viewing, inspection or copies. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Stephania Griffin, Veterans Health 

Administration (VHA) Chief Privacy 

Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs, 

810 Vermont Avenue NW, (105HIG) 

Washington, DC 20420, 

stephania.griffin@va.gov, telephone 

(704) 245–2492 (Note: This is not a tollfree number). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA is 

modifying this system of records to 

identify changes that will more 

accurately describe the records 

maintained in the system. Modifications 

have been made to the following titled 

sections: System Manager; Purposes of 

the System; Categories of Records in the 

System; Record Source Categories; 

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in 

the System; Policies and Practices for 

Retrievability of Records; Policies and 

Practices for Retention and Disposal of 

Records; Physical, Procedural, and 

Administrative Safeguards; Record 

Access Procedure; Contesting Record 

Procedure; and Notification Procedure. 

VA is republishing the system notice in 

its entirety. 

The System Manager is being updated 

to replace Deputy Chief Officer, Patient 

Care Services Office (10P4C), with 

Colleen M. Richardson, Psy.D, 

Executive Director, Caregiver Support 

Program (12CSP). 

The Purpose of the System is being 

modified to include the explanation that 

this system may also be used for 

improving health care operations, such 

as producing various management and 

patient follow-up reports; program 

monitoring for epidemiological research 

and other health care related or program 

impact studies; statistical analysis, 

resource allocation, and planning and 

process improvement; providing clinical 

and administrative support to patient 

medical care and services; determining 

entitlement and eligibility benefits; 

processing and adjudicating benefit 

claims; and general program oversight 

activities. 

The Categories of Records in the 

System section has additional language 

regarding VA Form 10–305, ‘‘Your 

Rights to Seek Further Review of 

Program of Comprehensive Assistance 

for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) 

Decisions.’’ 

The Record Source Categories section 

has been expanded to include the Board 

of Veterans’ Appeals and other VA staff 

offices. 

The section for Routine Uses of 

Records Maintained in the System for 

this VA system of records notice has 

been amended. 

Standardized Routine Uses #16 

through #18 have been added to this 

system of records notice. 

The following standard routine use is 

added and will be Routine Use #16, 

Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission (EEOC): To the EEOC in 

connection with investigations of 

alleged or possible discriminatory 

practices, examination of Federal 

affirmative employment programs, or 

other functions of the Commission as 

authorized by law. 

The following standard routine use is 

added and will be Routine Use #17, 

Federal Labor Relations Authority 

(FLRA): To the FLRA in connection 

with the investigation and resolution of 

allegations of unfair labor practices, the 

resolution of exceptions to arbitration 

awards when a question of material fact 

is raised, matters before the Federal 

Service Impasses Panel, and the 

investigation of representation petitions 

and the conduct or supervision of 

representation elections. 

The following standard routine use is 

added and will be Routine Use #18, 

Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB): 

To the MSPB in connection with 

appeals, special studies of the civil 

service and other merit systems, review 

of rules and regulations, investigation of 

alleged or possible prohibited personnel 

practices, and such other functions 

promulgated in 5 U.S.C. 1205 and 1206, 

or as authorized by law. 

Routine Use #19 is added to 

promulgate the use of information for 

VA research which states, Researchers, 

for Research: To epidemiological and 

other research facilities approved by the 

Under Secretary for Health for research 

purposes determined to be necessary 

and proper, provided that the names 

and addresses of Veterans, their 

dependents and caregivers will not be 

disclosed unless those names and 

addresses are first provided to VA by 

the facilities making the request. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 22 / Thursday, February 1, 2024 / Notices 6569 

The Policies and Practices for 

Retrievability of Records section is 

being modified to exclude the Social 

Security number as an identifier to 

retrieve records on an individual. 

The Policies and Practices for 

Retention and Disposal of Records is 

being modified to state that CARMA 

records are disposed of in accordance 

with the schedule approved by the 

Archivist of the United States, VHA 

Records Control Schedule (RCS) 10–1, 

Item Number 7900, Temporary; Destroy 

75 years after enrollment. 

Physical, Procedural, and 

Administrative Safeguards has been 

amended to include Amazon Web 

Services as a procedural safeguard for 

sensitive information. 

The Record Access Procedure, 

Contesting Record Procedure and 

Notification Procedure have been 

modified to reflect standard language 

across VA systems of records. 

The Report of Intent to Modify a 

System of Records Notice and an 

advance copy of the system notice have 

been sent to the appropriate 

Congressional committees and to the 

Director of the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) as required by 5 

U.S.C. 552a(r) (Privacy Act) and 

guidelines issued by OMB (65 FR 

77677), December 12, 2000. 

Signing Authority 

The Senior Agency Official for 

Privacy, or designee, approved this 

document and authorized the 

undersigned to sign and submit the 

document to the Office of the Federal 

Register for publication electronically as 

an official document of the Department 

of Veterans Affairs. Kurt D. DelBene, 

Assistant Secretary for Information and 

Technology and Chief Information 

Officer, approved this document on 

December 18, 2023 for publication. 

Dated: January 29, 2024. 

Amy L. Rose, 

Government Information Specialist, VA 

Privacy Service, Office of Compliance, Risk 

and Remediation, Office of Information and 

Technology, Department of Veterans Affairs. 

SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER: 

‘‘Caregiver Support Program— 

Caregiver Record Management 

Application (CARMA)–VA’’ (197VA10) 

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: 

Unclassified. 

SYSTEM LOCATION: 

The Caregiver Record Management 

Application (CARMA) system is hosted 

in the Salesforce Gov Cloud. The 

Salesforce’s corporate address is 1 

Market Street #300, San Francisco, CA 

94105. 

SYSTEM MANAGER(S): 

Official responsible for policies and 

procedures: Colleen M. Richardson, 

Psy.D, Executive Director, Caregiver 

Support Program (12CSP), 810 Vermont 

Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, 

colleen.richardson2@va.gov, telephone 

number (202) 461–1635 (Note: This is 

not a toll-free number). 

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM: 

Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus 

Health Services Act of 2010, Public Law 

111–163; 38 CFR 71.40; and 31 U.S.C. 

3321. 

PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM: 

Records in this system of records are 

used to administer, monitor and track 

the services and benefits, sought and 

delivered through VA’s Caregiver 

Support Program, including the 

documentation of telephone calls to the 

Caregiver Support Line. The system and 

data contained therein is used to fully 

support the Program of Comprehensive 

Assistance for Family Caregivers 

(PCAFC) and allows for data assessment 

and comprehensive monitoring. The 

CARMA workflow management system 

is being used for Social Security number 

matching and other data field 

requirements. In addition, information 

in this system of records is used to 

respond to Congressional and/or 

internal and external stakeholders on 

the performance of the VA Caregiver 

Support Program. This system may also 

be used for the purpose of improving 

health care operations such as 

producing various management and 

patient follow-up reports; program 

monitoring for epidemiological research 

and other health care related or program 

impact studies; statistical analysis, 

resource allocation, and planning and 

process improvement; providing clinical 

and administrative support to patient 

medical care and services; determining 

entitlement and eligibility benefits; 

processing and adjudicating benefit 

claims; and general program oversight 

activities. 

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE

SYSTEM: 

The records include Veterans and 

caregivers inquiring about, applying for, 

participating in and those who have 

previously applied for or participated in 

the PCAFC or the Program of General 

Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS) 

established by the Caregivers and 

Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act 

of 2010, Public Law 111–163, as well as 

individuals who contact or are 

contacted by VA’s Caregiver Support 

Line, Veterans, their spouses and 

dependents as provided for in other 

provisions of title 38 U.S.C. 

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM: 

Records in this system include: the 

Veteran and caregiver(s) name, Social 

Security number, gender, age, date of 

birth, address, phone number, and email 

address; VA eligibility related 

information, such as service connection, 

DD 214, ‘‘Certification of Release or 

Discharge from Active Duty’’, Line of 

Duty documentation; PCAFC stipend 

payment information; written 

correspondence; VA Form 10–10CG, 

‘‘Application for Comprehensive 

Assistance for Family Caregiver 

Program’’; requests for information 

about PCAFC Decisions (VA Form 10– 

305, ‘‘Your Rights to Seek Further 

Review of Program of Comprehensive 

Assistance for Family Caregivers 

(PCAFC) Decisions’’) and responses to 

such requests; Decision Notice Letters 

pertaining to eligibility for and 

participation in PCAFC and PGCSS; 

requests for further review and appeal of 

PCAFC decisions and related records in 

support of these claims and decisions, 

and correspondence with Caregiver 

Support Line, including referral 

information and VA staff remarks. 

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES: 

Records in this system of records may 

be provided by the applicant, 

applicant’s spouse or other family 

members or accredited representatives 

or friends; Veterans, caregivers, and 

other interested parties seeking or 

receiving information, benefits or 

services about VA’s Caregiver Support 

Program, including the Caregiver 

Support Line; VA employees; and VA 

systems including but not limited to 

Veterans Health Information System and 

Technology Architecture (VistA), VA 

Master Person Index, VHA Corporate 

Data Warehouse, and Enrollment 

System; Veterans Benefits 

Administration (VBA); the Board of 

Veterans’ Appeals (BVA); other VA staff 

offices; and State and Federal agencies. 

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE

SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND

THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES: 

To the extent that records contained 

in the system include information 

protected by 45 CFR parts 160 and 164, 

i.e., individually identifiable health 

information of VHA or any of its 

business associates, and 38 U.S.C. 7332, 

i.e., medical treatment information 

related to drug abuse, alcoholism or 

alcohol abuse, sickle cell anemia, or 

infection with the human 

immunodeficiency virus, that 

information cannot be disclosed under a 


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routine use unless there is also specific 

disclosure authority in both 38 U.S.C. 

7332 and 45 CFR parts 160, 161, and 

164. 

1. Claims Representatives: To 

accredited service organizations, VAapproved claim agents, and attorneys 

acting under a declaration of 

representation, so that these individuals 

can aid claimants in the preparation, 

presentation, and prosecution of claims 

under the laws administered by VA 

upon the request of the claimant and 

provided that the disclosure is limited 

to information relevant to a claim, such 

as the name, address, the basis and 

nature of a claim, amount of benefit 

payment information, medical 

information, and military service and 

active duty separation information. 

2. Law Enforcement: To a Federal, 

State, local, Territorial, Tribal, or foreign 

law enforcement authority or other 

appropriate entity charged with the 

responsibility of investigating or 

prosecuting such violation or charged 

with enforcing or implementing such 

law, provided that the disclosure is 

limited to information that, either alone 

or in conjunction with other 

information, indicates a violation or 

potential violation of law, whether civil, 

criminal, or regulatory in nature. The 

disclosure of the names and addresses 

of Veterans and their dependents from 

VA records under this routine use must 

also comply with the provisions of 38 

U.S.C. 5701. 

3. Guardians, Courts, for Incompetent 

Veterans: To a court, magistrate, or 

administrative tribunal in matters of 

guardianship, inquests, and 

commitments; to private attorneys 

representing Veterans rated incompetent 

in conjunction with the issuance of 

Certificates of Incompetency; or to 

probation and parole officers in 

connection with court-required duties. 

4. Guardians Ad Litem, for 

Representation: To a fiduciary or 

guardian ad litem in relation to his or 

her representation of a claimant in any 

legal proceeding as relevant and 

necessary to fulfill the duties of the 

fiduciary or guardian ad litem. 

5. Attorneys, Insurers, Employers: To 

attorneys, insurance companies, 

employers, third parties liable or 

potentially liable under health plan 

contracts, and courts, boards, or 

commissions as relevant and necessary 

to aid VA in the preparation, 

presentation, and prosecution of claims 

authorized by law. 

6. DoJ, Litigation, Administrative 

Proceeding: To the Department of 

Justice (DoJ), or in a proceeding before 

a court, adjudicative body, or other 

administrative body before which VA is 

authorized to appear, when: 

(a) VA or any component thereof; 

(b) Any VA employee in his or her 

official capacity; 

(c) Any VA employee in his or her 

individual capacity where DoJ has 

agreed to represent the employee; or 

(d) The United States, where VA 

determines that litigation is likely to 

affect the agency or any of its 

components is a party to such 

proceedings or has an interest in such 

proceedings, and VA determines that 

use of such records is relevant and 

necessary to the proceedings. 

7. National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA): To National 

Archives and Records Administration 

(NARA) in records management 

inspections conducted under 44 U.S.C. 

2904 and 2906, or other functions 

authorized by laws and policies 

governing NARA operations and VA 

records management responsibilities. 

8. Treasury, for Withholding: To the 

Department of the Treasury for the 

collection of title 38 benefit 

overpayments, overdue indebtedness, or 

costs of services provided to an 

individual not entitled to such services, 

by the withholding of all or a portion of 

the person’s Federal income tax refund, 

provided that the disclosure is limited 

to information concerning an 

individual’s indebtedness by virtue of a 

person’s participation in a benefits 

program administered by VA. 

9. Consumer Reporting Agencies: To a 

consumer reporting agency for the 

purpose of locating the individual, 

obtaining a consumer report to 

determine the ability of the individual 

to repay an indebtedness to the United 

States, or assisting in the collection of 

such indebtedness, provided that the 

provisions of 38 U.S.C. 5701(g)(2) and 

(4) have been met, provided that the 

disclosure is limited to information that 

is reasonably necessary to identify such 

individual or concerning that 

individual’s indebtedness to the United 

States by virtue of the person’s 

participation in a benefits program 

administered by the Department. 

10. Contractors: To contractors, 

grantees, experts, consultants, students, 

and others performing or working on a 

contract, service, grant, cooperative 

agreement, or other assignment for VA, 

when reasonably necessary to 

accomplish an agency function related 

to the records. 

11. Congress: To a Member of 

Congress or staff acting upon the 

Member’s behalf when the Member or 

staff requests the information on behalf 

of, and at the request of, the individual 

who is the subject of the record. 

12. Identity Theft Remediation, for 

Another Federal Agency: To other 

Federal agencies may be made to assist 

such agencies in preventing and 

detecting possible fraud or abuse by 

individuals in their operations and 

programs. This routine use permits 

disclosures by the Department to report 

a suspected incident of identity theft 

and provide information and/or 

documentation related to or in support 

of the reported incident. 

13. Data Breach Response and 

Remediation, for VA: To appropriate 

agencies, entities, and persons when (1) 

VA suspects or has confirmed that there 

has been a breach of the system of 

records; (2) VA has determined that as 

a result of the suspected or confirmed 

breach there is a risk of harm to 

individuals, VA (including its 

information systems, programs, and 

operations), the Federal Government or 

national security; and (3) the disclosure 

made to such agencies, entities, and 

persons is reasonably necessary to assist 

in connection with VA’s efforts to 

respond to the suspected or confirmed 

breach or to prevent, minimize, or 

remedy such harm. 

14. Federal Agencies, for Computer 

Matches: To other Federal agencies for 

the purpose of conducting computer 

matches to obtain information to 

determine or verify eligibility of 

Veterans receiving VA benefits or 

medical care under title 38. 

15. Data Breach Response and 

Remediation, for Another Federal 

Agency: To another Federal agency or 

Federal entity, when VA determines 

that information from this system of 

records is reasonably necessary to assist 

the recipient agency or entity in (1) 

responding to a suspected or confirmed 

breach or (2) preventing, minimizing, or 

remedying the risk of harm to 

individuals, the recipient agency or 

entity (including its information 

systems, programs and operations), the 

Federal Government, or national 

security, resulting from a suspected or 

confirmed breach. 

16. Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission (EEOC): To the EEOC in 

connection with investigations of 

alleged or possible discriminatory 

practices, examination of Federal 

affirmative employment programs, or 

other functions of the Commission as 

authorized by law. 

17. Federal Labor Relations Authority 

(FLRA): To the FLRA in connection with 

the investigation and resolution of 

allegations of unfair labor practices, the 

resolution of exceptions to arbitration 

awards when a question of material fact 

is raised, matters before the Federal 

Service Impasses Panel, and the 


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investigation of representation petitions 

and the conduct or supervision of 

representation elections. 

18. Merit Systems Protection Board 

(MSPB): To the MSPB in connection 

with appeals, special studies of the civil 

service and other merit systems, review 

of rules and regulations, investigation of 

alleged or possible prohibited personnel 

practices, and such other functions 

promulgated in 5 U.S.C. 1205 and 1206, 

or as authorized by law. 

19. Researchers, for Research: To 

epidemiological and other research 

facilities approved by the Under 

Secretary for Health for research 

purposes determined to be necessary 

and proper, provided that the names 

and addresses of Veterans, their 

dependents and caregivers will not be 

disclosed unless those names and 

addresses are first provided to VA by 

the facilities making the request. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF

RECORDS: 

The CARMA system of records is 

hosted in the Salesforce Gov Cloud 

(GovCloud). The production 

environment (including application 

data) is backed up weekly to VA’s 

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF

RECORDS: 

Records in this system are retrieved 

by name, integration control number 

(ICN), correspondence tracking number, 

internal record number, facility number, 

or other assigned identifiers of the 

individuals on whom they are 

maintained. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND

DISPOSAL OF RECORDS: 

Records in this system are retained 

and disposed of in accordance with the 

schedule approved by the Archivist of 

the United States, VHA RCS 10–1, Item 

Number 7900, Temporary; Destroy 75 

years after enrollment. 

ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL, 

SAFEGUARDS: 

1. On an annual basis, employees are 

required to sign a computer access 

agreement acknowledging their 

understanding of confidentiality 

requirements. In addition, all employees 

receive annual privacy awareness and 

information security training. 

2. Access to electronic records is 

deactivated when no longer required for 

official duties. Recurring monitors are in 

place to ensure compliance with 

nationally and locally established 

security measures. 

3. Strict control measures are enforced 

to ensure that access to and disclosure 

from all records are limited to VA and 

the contractor’s employees whose 

official duties warrant access to those 

files. 

4. Access to the records in CARMA is 

restricted and requires approval prior to 

access. Restricted access will be 

provided to enable workflow 

management to administer, monitor and 

track services delivered through VA’s 

Caregiver Support Program including, 

but not limited to, documentation of 

calls to the Caregiver Support Line. 

5. The records in CARMA are 

safeguarded by the AWS GovCloud 

infrastructure that has been authorized 

at the high-impact level under the 

Federal Risk and Authorization 

Management Program. The secure siteto-site encrypted network connection is 

limited to access via the VA trusted 

internet connection. 

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURE: 

Individuals seeking information on 

the existence and content of records in 

this system pertaining to them should 

contact the system manager in writing 

as indicated above or inquire in person 

at the nearest VA facility. A request for 

access to records must contain the 

requester’s name, address, telephone 

number, signed by the requester, and 

describes the records sought in 

sufficient detail to enable VA personnel 

to locate them with a reasonable amount 

of effort. 

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES: 

Individuals seeking to contest or 

amend records in this system pertaining 

to them should contact the system 

manager in writing as indicated above 

or inquire in person at the nearest VA 

facility. A request to contest or amend 

records must state clearly and concisely 

what record is being contested, the 

reasons for contesting it, and the 

proposed amendment to the record. 

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES: 

Generalized notice is provided by the 

publication of this notice. For specific 

notice, see Record Access Procedure, 

above. 

EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM: 

None. 

HISTORY: 

86 FR 18588 (April 9, 2021). 

[FR Doc. 2024–01984 Filed 1–31–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Scientific Merit Review Board, Health 

Services Research and Development 

Service; Federal Register Notice of 

Meeting 

The Department of Veterans Affairs 

(VA) gives notice under the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. 10, 

that a meeting of the Health Services 

Research and Development Service 

Scientific (HSRD) Merit Review Board 

(hereinafter, ‘‘the Board’’) will be held 

on Monday, March 18, 2024, via WebEx 

from 12–1:30 p.m. EST. The meeting 

will be partially closed to the public, 

with an open portion from 12–12:15 

p.m. EST. The closed portion, from 

12:15–1:30 p.m. EST, will be used for 

discussion, examination of and 

reference to the research applications 

and scientific review. Discussions will 

involve reference to staff and consultant 

critiques of research proposals. 

Discussions will also cover the scientific 

merit of each proposal and the 

qualifications of the personnel 

conducting the studies, the disclosure of 

which would constitute a clearly 

unwarranted invasion of personal 

privacy. Additionally, premature 

disclosure of research information could 

significantly obstruct implementation of 

proposed agency action regarding the 

research proposals. As provided by 

Public Law 92–463 subsection 10(d), 

and amended by Public Law 94–409, 

closing the committee meeting is in 

accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6) and 

(9)(B). 

The objective of the Board is to 

provide for the fair and equitable 

selection of the most meritorious 

research projects for support by VA 

research funds and to offer advice for 

research program officials on program 

priorities and policies. The ultimate 

objective of the Board is to ensure that 

the VA HSRD program promotes 

functional independence and improves 

the quality of life for impaired and 

disabled Veterans. 

Board members advise the Director of 

HSRD and the Chief Research and 

Development Officer on the scientific 

and technical merit, mission relevance 

and protection of human subjects of 

HSRD proposals. The Board does not 

consider grants, contracts or other forms 

of extramural research. 

Members of the public may attend the 

open portion of the meeting via WebEx 

in listen-only mode, as the time-limited 

open agenda does not allow for public 

comment presentations. To attend the 

open portion of the meeting (12–12:15 

p.m. EST), the public may join by 


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