San Francisco Braces for Reduced Federal Funds for HIV/AIDS Services

San Francisco stands to lose up to $5.3 million for HIV/AIDS services under current proposals to extend funding for the federal Ryan White Program, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

On Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted unanimously to extend Ryan White funding for four years. The extension does not include a provision that would restore San Francisco's decreasing share of the funds, according to aides for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Since the 2006 reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act, San Francisco's allocations have steadily declined as HIV/AIDS cases among rural residents and women have increased.

Pelosi is supporting a provision that would permanently address the city's HIV/AIDS funding losses. Last year, Pelosi backed a similar provision that granted an additional $7 million to San Francisco.

Congress must approve the Ryan White extension by the end of October to ensure continuous funding for the program.

Registry in the Works

The current Ryan White extension bill also includes a three-year period for states to switch from a code-based HIV/AIDS tracking system to a name-based record system.

CDC hopes to create a national registry of people living with HIV/AIDS after states complete the process (Joseph, San Francisco Chronicle, 10/1).

In 2006, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed into law a bill to move California from a code-based HIV/AIDS tracking system to a name-based system (California Healthline, 4/18/06).

San Mateo County Cuts HIV Education

In related news, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors this week approved a budget that drastically cuts funding from the county's HIV/AIDS education program.

Although the program initially was slated to receive $1.6 million from the state this year, a July state budget revision eliminated $1.1 million of those funds.