best practices program


VHA HANDBOOKS 1200.17 AND 1400.2

Congress has largely left it up to VA to develop guidance for the NPCs.  VA General Counsel's interpretation of the authorizing statute and the scope of the NPCs are specified in Handbook 1200.17 of the VHA Research and Development Manual and Handbook 1400.2 of the VHA Education Manual.

All board members and senior staff should be familiar with either Handbook 1200.17 or 1400.2 depending on the scope of their specific NPC. In addition, NPC mission statements should reflect the purpose established in the authorizing legislation.

In Handbook 1200.17, the scope of VA research and education corporations is stated as:

a. Research and Education Corporations (“Corporations”) exist and may exist solely to facilitate research and education at the medical center by acting as a flexible funding mechanism. The Corporations are subject to dissolution should they not serve the best interest of VA. VA employees involved in any fashion in the affairs or operations of the Corporations must ensure that the Corporations further the interests of the Department, VHA, and VA research and education programs.

b. Every research project approved by the facility Research and Development (R&D) Committee is a VA research project, regardless of the source of funding or the entity administering the funds, and regardless of the research site (see VHA Directive 1200). 

In Handbook 1400.2, the scope of the VA education corporations is stated as:

Education Corporations (“Corporations”) exist and may exist solely to facilitate education at the medical center by acting as a flexible funding mechanism. The Corporations are subject to dissolution should they not serve the best interest of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA employees involved in any fashion in the affairs or operations of the Corporations must ensure that the Corporations further the interests of the Department, VHA, and VA education programs.

Helpful links

  • VHA Handbook for VA-affiliated research and education corporations - Handbook 1200.17
  • VHA Handbooks for VA-affiliated education corporations - Handbook 1400.2

  Back to Governing Documents >

 

Home | About NAVREF | Professional Development | Library | Advocacy | Legal Resources | For Clinical Research Sponsors

last updated: 01/31/08

 

©2008, National Association of Veterans' Research and Education Foundation.  All rights reserved.