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HIV & AIDS Programs Face State Budget Cuts

SALINAS, Calif. - Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has just signed off on $52 million in budget cuts, affecting state-run HIV and AIDS programs. That concerns non-profits like Salinas-based John XXIII, who provide services to clients in Monterey County.

The organization provides not only education and prevention, but housing, HIV and Hepatitis C testing as well as a needle exchange program.

While they aren't clear how much they'll lose, Supervisor Jim Smith says, their anticipating drastic cuts of at least $150,000 in just their education and prevention program alone.

They're now planning to limit the amount of testing they do. In the past, they were been able to provide free HIV testing to everyone, but will now only offer it to high-risk individuals.

Also, they plan to decrease their hours. They used to be open five days a week, now they're cutting back to three days a week. Not to mention they've already let go of a handful of employees.

"If people can't get tested for HIV, and they don't have the money to pay for it, where are they going to go?," says Smith. "Just because the money has stopped, doesn't mean HIV is going to slow down. It's still a disease. It's still out there. It affects everybody."

Despite the cuts in state funding, they will continue to offer services and seek out other sources of funding, including private donors and grants.

Last year, Smith says, eight people tested positive with HIV out of 700 tests they did.