Supervisors in San Mateo County, Calif., on September 29 unanimously approved budget cuts totaling $16 million from county programs, including HIV prevention and education.

The county health system's HIV education program in July received a $1.1 million cut under the state budget instead of an expected $1.6 million in funding. Under the county budget, the program will be forced to cut six staff members, half its staff, and will no longer present educational talks to schools or give funding to community groups for HIV prevention.

San Mateo County will continue offering free HIV testing, John Conley, director of public health programs, told the San Mateo County Times. "There won't be people turning up in emergency rooms tomorrow or the next day as a result of these cuts, but we do worry what will happen a year or two or three down the road."