Welcome!

Welcome to the new Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH) blog!

As we launch the new name and identity of our organization (formerly the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Corporations of Massachusetts, Inc.) we also begin to engage with the online community in a more direct manner through this new blog. We hope to establish an invaluable forum for people to turn to for information and perspectives on public policy issues relating to behavioral healthcare in Massachusetts.

Engaging with online advocacy and healthcare communities will enable ABH to amplify its presence and impact. We are excited about the opportunities that open up as our advocacy group enters the online conversation.

Inevitably, the backdrop of our new organizational initiatives is colored by the economic conditions that have sharply reduced public spending in Massachusetts and across the country. Knowing that we are not alone is cold comfort to the tens of thousands of Bay State residents who have had services cut, or who have lost access to critically important programs and counselors.

ABH is working with Legislators and the Executive agencies to shore up spending on these programs. The sales tax on alcohol -- one of our core policy initiatives for 2009 – has helped fund crucial programs at the Bureau of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services.

We look to better times in the near future, and new models and ideas for delivering services in the coming year.

Meanwhile, we invite you to explore the resources on this blog, share links and information, and pass the word about ABH.

-- Vic DiGravio