VA Directive 6371.pdf

The document is a VA Directive (6371) issued on April 8, 2014, focusing on the destruction of temporary paper records within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The directive establishes department-wide policy for securely and effectively destroying temporary paper records containing sensitive information, such as Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and other VA sensitive data.

Key implementation procedures include requiring federal agencies to follow regulations for destroying temporary records, ensuring sensitive records are sold as wastepaper or definitively destroyed through methods like burning, pulping, or shredding. The directive mandates that all VA Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and key officials are responsible for communicating the policy, monitoring security practices, allocating resources for compliance, and developing mechanisms to enhance the VA's information security culture. The document provides detailed guidelines for interim and final destruction of records, including requirements for documentation, contractor qualifications, physical security measures, and chain of custody for sensitive paper records.