As Douglas Brooks brings his work to a close as Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, the NWPC wishes to express our appreciation for his pioneering leadership in many areas, including his invaluable contributions to advancing responses in the U.S. to unmet employment needs in the continuum of HIV care and prevention. One month before being named to his role at ONAP, Douglas moderated a panel on HIV and Employment for the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. He expressed strong interest in developing integration of assessment and addressing of employment needs in the continuum of HIV services, and then carried it forward at ONAP throughout his tenure there.
Douglas has demonstrated a great understanding of the importance of social and economic security and wellbeing to improving the HIV Care Continuum, which is visible in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy: Updated to 2020, released in July of 2015. He engaged NWPC leadership in the planning and facilitation of meetings on HIV and Employment at the White House, and participated in support of a range of convenings including the 2015 Institute on HIV & Employment for the U.S. Conference on AIDS in DC. As the NWPC collaborates with community and government partners to build on this foundation, we do so with gratitude for Douglas’ commitment to advancing this work with key partners from the worlds of HIV, vocational rehabilitation, workforce development, housing, legal and other services and policy.
As a result of Douglas Brooks, and his including employment among his priorities working at ONAP, there is greater acknowledgement than ever before of the critical roles in health disparities played by economic insecurity and marginalization, by unemployment and underemployment. As we work to realize the needed access to information, services and resources to address employment needs of people living with or at greater risk for HIV, the National Working Positive Coalition extends our deep thanks to Douglas, and very best wishes to him for the next chapters of his life and work ahead.
