Office of National AIDS Policy

Summary

The Office of National AIDS Policy, established under President Clinton in 1993, coordinates the continuing domestic efforts to implement the President's National HIV/AIDS Strategy.[1] In addition, the office works to coordinate an increasingly integrated approach to the prevention, care and treatment of HIV/AIDS. As a unit of the Domestic Policy Council, the Office of National AIDS Policy coordinates with other White House offices. It is led by a director, who is appointed by the president.

Following the inauguration of President Trump on January 20, 2017, the website for the Office of National AIDS Policy became inaccessible and it was reported the office was closed with the departure of the previous director, Amy Lansky, with no clear plans if or when President Trump planned to reopen it.[2] In June 2017, six members of the council filed letters of resignation,[3] citing that above all things the current administration "...simply does not care..." about the HIV/AIDS situation in the United States.[4]

Function edit

The Office of National AIDS Policy is part of the White House Domestic Policy Council and is tasked with coordinating the continuing efforts of the government to reduce the number of HIV infections across the United States. The office emphasizes prevention through wide-ranging education initiatives and helps to coordinate the care and treatment of citizens with HIV/AIDS.[citation needed]

The Office of National AIDS Policy also coordinates with the National Security Council and the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator at the Department of State, and works with international bodies to ensure that America's response to the global pandemic is fully integrated with other prevention, care, and treatment efforts around the world. Through the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiative, the U.S. has taken steps in responding to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, working with countries heavily impacted by HIV/AIDS to help expand access to treatment, care, and prevention.[5]

National HIV/AIDS Strategy edit

In July 2010, President Obama released the National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States, the first comprehensive strategy to achieve a coordinated response to domestic HIV. The National HIV/AIDS Strategy sought to reduce the number of new infections in the United States, improve health outcomes for people living with HIV, and reduce HIV-related disparities by coordinating the response across Federal agencies. The strategy was implemented across U.S. departments and agencies, including the Department Health and Human Services, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and Department of Veterans Affairs. The strategy had four main goals:[citation needed]

  • 1) To reduce new HIV infections
  • 2) To increase access to care and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV
  • 3) To reduce HIV-related disparities
  • 4) To achieve a more coordinated response

List of directors of the Office of National AIDS Policy edit

Parties
 
President Barack Obama talks with Director Grant Colfax before the White House International AIDS Conference reception, 2012

  Democratic   Republican

No. Image Name Took office Left office President(s)
  Kristine M. Gebbie
(AIDS Policy Coordinator)
June 25, 1993 August 2, 1994 Bill Clinton
1 Patricia "Patsy" S. Fleming August 2, 1994 (acting)
November 10, 1994 (official)
February 1997
  Eric P. Goosby, MD (acting) February 1997 April 7, 1997
2 Sandra L. Thurman, MA April 7, 1997 January 20, 2001
3 Scott H. Evertz April 9, 2001 July 19, 2002 George W. Bush
4 Joseph O'Neill, MD, MS, MPH July 19, 2002 August 2003
5   Carol Thompson August 2003 (acting)
May 12, 2004 (official)
February 10, 2006
6   Jeffrey Crowley, MPH February 26, 2009 December 20, 2011 Barack Obama
7   Grant Colfax, MD March 14, 2012 January 13, 2014
8 Douglas M. Brooks, MSW March 24, 2014 March 24, 2016
9   Amy Lansky, PhD, MPH March 25, 2016 January 4, 2017
10 Harold J. Phillips, MRP June 7, 2021 Incumbent Joe Biden

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ J, Gomez Eduardo (2014-09-17). Contested Epidemics: Policy Responses In Brazil And The Us And What The Brics Can Learn. World Scientific. ISBN 9781783265169.
  2. ^ Tracer, Dan. "Report: Trump closes down White House Office of AIDS Policy". Queerty. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  3. ^ Goldberg, Michelle (2017-07-14). "Opinion | The Playboy President and Women's Health". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
  4. ^ "Trump doesn't care about HIV. We're outta here". Newsweek. 2017-06-16. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
  5. ^ "About ONAP". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 2010-02-26 – via National Archives.

External links edit

  • Office of National AIDS Policy webpage
  • AIDS.gov - The U.S. Federal Domestic HIV/AIDS Resource Archived 2017-06-02 at the Wayback Machine
  • HIVtest.org - Find an HIV testing site near you