ONAP and PACHA Acknowledge Fundacion Latinoamericana De Accion Social’s 30th Anniversary

Francisco Ruiz, Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, and PACHA Co-chair Marlene McNeeese acknowledge Fundacion Latinoamericana De Accion Social's 30 years of service in Houston.

Francisco Ruiz, Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), shared an anniversary message for Fundacion Latinoamericana De Accion Social (FLAS)Exit Disclaimerlast week as they celebrated 30 years of service to the Houston community. Francisco noted that FLAS has educated more than 750,000 individuals about HIV and reached more than 1.5 million people with crucial health services under the leadership of founder Elia Chino. Watch Francisco's remarks hereExit Disclaimer.

FLAS provides education, HIV and STI counseling and testing, treatment referrals, and other services across the Greater Houston area. Francisco said this aligns with the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), which emphasizes compassion, equity, and the pursuit of a better life for all. He noted that FLAS has developed innovative partnerships with the Mexican Consulate, local venues, faith-based organizations, and others to extend their outreach.

FLAS is one of the community-based organizations that Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) members visited during their March meeting in Houston. "With a syndemic approach, FLAS reinforces the importance of culturally affirming services to promote healthy Latino communities and meet people where they are," said PACHA Co-chair Marlene McNeese.

According to the CDC, in 2022, Hispanic/Latino people accounted for 32% of new HIV diagnoses (12,167), but according to Census.gov, Hispanic/Latinos (all ages) accounted for approximately 18% of the U.S. population. FLAS is addressing this disproportionate burden of HIV, making a profound impact, addressing health equity and enriching lives, Francisco said. He thanked FLAS for three decades of transformative service and for setting a standard in community health that resonates nationally and internationally.