San Francisco Postpones Agency Cuts, Los Angeles AIDS Clearinghouse Closes

San Francisco health officials "have postponed cutting" contracts for HIV/AIDS programs "until mid-October in order to give the Board of Supervisors time to respond to" larger cuts to services made by the state, the Bay Area Reporter reports. Last week the California Office of AIDS notified local jurisdictions of how much funding they would receive after the state cuts. HIV Prevention Director Grant Colfax said he has told local AIDS agencies that their funding will not be cut until October 15. "Working under guidelines set out by the city's HIV Prevention Planning Council, Colfax said priority will be given to funding HIV testing and counseling services; prevention for HIV-positive people; and treatment programs for gay men addicted to meth," according to the article. In the meantime, HIV/AIDS agency leaders are urging the supervisors to restore some of the losses in state funding with funds from the city budget (Bajko, 8/27).

In related news, the Los Angeles-based California AIDS Clearinghouse "will cease operations next week after receiving notice that its funding has been completely eliminated, one of many social service funding cuts by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger [R]," the Advocate.com reports. "The CAC provided technical assistance and training to about a thousand HIV/AIDS and STD programs. It also helped to develop HIV education and prevention materials and campaign for more accessible, targeted health care for" lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, according to the article (Centeno, 8/26).