Glossary
| AAHRPP | Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Program | An independent, non-profit accrediting body ensuring that research programs meet rigorous standards for quality and protection for human research subjects. |
| ACORP | Animal Component of Research Protocol | The official VA animal protocol form is the set of questions that must be considered during a review of animal protocols. It must be used by VA Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) when a project involving animal research is submitted for consideration of VA funding. |
| BVMRF | The Bronx Veterans Medical Research Foundation, Inc. | The Bronx Veterans Medical Research Foundation, Inc. (BVMRF) facilitates research and education activities conducted at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center (JJP VAMC) and the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System (VA HVHCS). |
| CRADA | Cooperative Research and Development Agreement | An agreement between a government agency and a private company to work together on research and development. |
| CSP | Cooperative Studies Program | The Division of VA Research & Development that is responsible for the planning and conduct of large multicenter clinical trials and epidemiological studies in the Department of Veterans Affairs. |
| DHHS | Department of Health & Human Services | The US government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. |
| F & A Rate | Facilities & Administrative Rate | F&A costs are those costs that are incurred for common or joint objectives and therefore cannot be identified readily and specifically with a particular sponsored project. |
| FAR | Federal Acquisition Regulations | This system consists of sets of regulations issued by agencies of the federal government to govern the process through which the government purchases goods and services. |
| GRECC | Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center | The focus of this Center is to improve and disseminate knowledge regarding the medical, psychological, and social needs of older Veterans (65 years of age and older). |
| HERC | Health Economics Resource Center | HERC is a national center located in Menlo Park, CA that assists VA researchers in assessing the cost-effectiveness of medical care, evaluating the efficiency of VA programs and providers, and conducting high-quality health economics research. |
| HSR&D | Health Services Research and Development Services | HSR&D services examines the organization, delivery, and financing of health care, from the perspectives of patients, caregivers, providers, and managers to improve the quality and economy of care. |
| IACUC | Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee | This is a self-regulating entity that, according to U.S. federal law, must be established by institutions that use laboratory animals for research or instructional purposes to oversee and evaluate all aspects of the institution's animal care and use program. |
| IP | Intergovernmental Personnel Act | The IPA Program provides for the temporary assignment of personnel between the Federal Government and state and local governments, colleges and universities, Indian tribal governments, federally funded research and development centers, and other eligible organizations. |
| IRB | Institutional Review Board | The IRB is a federally mandated panel that is charged with overseeing the protection of human participants in research. |
| JJP VAMC | James J. Peters VA Medical Center | The JJP VAMC provides Veterans with health care services at 4 locations in the Bronx, northern Queens, and Westchester counties. Its facilities include the James J. Peters VA Medical Center and 3 community-based outpatient clinics in Queens, White Plains, and Yonkers. |
| JPA | Joint Personnel Agreement | Cost reimbursement agreement by which BVMRF procures the services of a University employee devoting effort on a BVMRF project. |
| MIRECC | Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center | These Centers were established by Congress with the goal of researching the causes and treatments of mental disorders and using education to put new knowledge into routine clinical practice in the VA. |
| NAVREF | National Association of Veterans’ Research and Education Foundations | NAVREF is the nonprofit membership organization of research and education foundations affiliated with Department of Veterans Affairs medical Centers. |
| NIH | National Institutes of Health | The nation’s medical research agency is dedicated to making important discoveries that improve health and save lives. NIH is the largest source of funding for medical research in the world and funds thousands of scientists in universities and research institutions in every state across America and around the globe. |
| NPC | Non-Profit Corporation | BVMRF is one of the 79 VA-affiliated nonprofits supporting 100 VA medical centers. NPCs range in size from 1 employee to over 200 employees. NAVREF is the national association for VA-affiliated NPCs. |
| NPPO | Non-Profit Program Office | The mission of the Nonprofit Program Office (NPPO) is to provide oversight and guidance for the VA-affiliated research and education corporations (NPCs). |
| OGC | Office of General Counsel | The mission of the Office of General Counsel is to identify and meet the legal needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs. |
| OMB | Office of Management & Budget | The Office of Management and Budget assists the President in overseeing the preparation of the Federal budget and in supervising its administration in Federal agencies. The OMB also oversees and coordinates the Administration's procurement, financial management, information, and regulatory policies. |
| OPM | Office of Personnel Management | A human resources department for federal government employees. The Office of Personnel Management advocates for innovated human resources practices, encourages recognition opportunities of deserving employees, professional development opportunities, and assists federal employees with information regarding their pay rates and advancement opportunities within the public sector. |
| ORD | Office of Research and Development | The Veterans Health Administration Office of Research and Development is the research and development agency of the Veterans Health Administration in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. |
| ORO | Office of Research Oversight | The Office of Research Oversight serves as the primary VHA office in advising the Under Secretary for Health and exercising oversight concerning all matters of research compliance and assurance, including human subject protections, laboratory animal welfare, research safety, research laboratory security, research information security, research misconduct, debarment for research impropriety, and other matters that the Under Secretary for Health may assign. |
| PERC | Program Evaluation and Resource Center | PERC conducts evaluations of the national mental health program and policies for the VA Office of Mental Health Services and a program of health services research on chronic pain, substance use and mood disorders. |
| PI | Principal Investigator | NIH defines PI: The Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is defined as the individual(s) judged by the applicant organization to have the appropriate level of authority and responsibility to direct the project or program supported by the grant. |
| R&DC | Research and Development Committee | The R&D Committee is responsible, through the Chief of Staff (COS) to the Director, for advising and assisting the Director in providing oversight, planning, and execution of the VAPAHCS R&D program, and assisting the Director in maintaining high standards throughout the R&D program. |
| RDIS | Research and Development Information System | General Research Administration information and online application for R & D Committee project approval. |
| rJPA | Reverse Joint Personnel Agreement | Cost reimbursement agreement by which an affiliate University procures the services of a BVMRF employee devoting effort. |
| SRS | Subcommittee on Research Safety | The Research Safety Subcommittee (RSS) serves as an advisory committee to the Research and Development Committee (R&DC) on safety issues related to the performance of research studies. |
| VA | Veterans Affairs | The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) operates programs to benefit veterans and members of their families. The Department of Veterans Affairs consists of three organizations that administer veterans' programs: the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration. |
| VA HVHCS | VA Hudson Valley Health Care System | The VA HVHCS provides Veterans with health care services at 12 locations in New York, servicing an area along the Hudson River and north of New York City. Its facilities include hospitals in Montrose and Wappingers Falls, and 7 community-based outpatient clinics in Carmel, Goshen, Pine Plains, Monticello, New City, Port Jervis, and Poughkeepsie. VA HVHCS also offers health care services through 3 mobile clinics. |
| VISN | Veterans Integrated Service Network | The U.S. is divided into 21 Veterans Integrated Service Networks, or VISNs — regional systems of care working together to better meet local health care needs and provides greater access to care. |
| VISTA | Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture | VISTA, which is the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture. It is a rich, automated environment that supports day-to-day operations at local Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care facilities. |
| WOC | Without Compensation | WOC is a Without Compensation VA appointment authorized by 38 USC 7405, used by VA to employ individuals to do VA work (e.g., a task, service, research) without compensation. A WOC is a federal employee for all purposes with the exception of salary and benefits. |
| WRIISC | War Related Illness & Injury Study Center | The CA War Related Illness & Injury Study Center (WSRIISC) provides consultation services for post-deployment Veterans with a complex medical history that includes tests and treatment with little to no symptom improvement; possible deployment related environmental exposures; and for primary care physicians (PCP) who desire a second opinion using a multi-specialty team approach. |
RESOURCES