June 30 was a landmark day for the public health community in Massachusetts. Governor Deval Patrick signed the Fiscal Year 2011 budget into law that day, and budget bill included creation of a Substance Abuse Treatment Fund in the Department of Public Health. Proceeds from the alcohol sales tax -- about $110 million this year -- will go into the fund and ensure secure revenues for these critically important services that help more than 100,000 Massachusetts residents.
