WASHINGTON, DC (April 16, 2024) – CAI today issued the following statement on the appointment of Francisco Ruiz as Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP):
CAI congratulates Francisco Ruiz on his appointment to lead the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. We’re at a critical point in the country’s efforts to end the HIV epidemic, and we look forward to working with Mr. Ruiz and his team as they build on the strong foundation laid by Harold Phillips.
Mr. Ruiz is a seasoned public health professional deeply committed to achieving the goals of the National HIV Strategy and Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. This personal commitment, support for innovation, and action to overcome barriers such as stigma, racism, and lack of access to quality health care make Mr. Ruiz an excellent choice to meet the challenge. His successful work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, promoting health equity by providing technical assistance to state and local health departments, forecasts great results under his leadership.
Mr. Ruiz’s leadership and advocacy will be crucial in addressing the multifaceted challenges of the HIV epidemic by strengthening vital partnerships and making strides to address health inequities, while ensuring that we don’t lose ground in our country’s efforts to end the epidemic. We look forward to working closely with Mr. Ruiz and his team on our shared mission of ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S.
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CAI helps organizations improve the quality of their services, particularly for communities that have been marginalized. We do this by providing tailored training, ongoing technical assistance, peer learning collaboratives, and other capacity-building support. CAI has helped improve HIV services since the first days of the epidemic. CAI was one of the first organizations in the world to provide training for HIV counseling in 1985, and since that time, CAI has been at the forefront of efforts to use education, training, and technical assistance to build broad-based capacity to respond effectively to the virus.