Advocates the use of criminal prosecution of pregnant women who abuse illegal substances. Discusses the views that use of drugs is a form of illness and that pregnant women should be exempt from laws. Concludes that court supervision and sanctions can improve treatment. Argues that punishment and treatment need not be mutually exclusive and…

Increase in number of children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and consequential developmental disabilities of these children are discussed. Families caring for HIV-infected children express four recurrent themes: psychological stress, grief and mourning, guilt and self-blame, and isolation and fear of discrimination. Flexible…

A framework is presented for developing collaborative, community-based programs to assist substance-using women and their young children. Five types of service providers are identified: medical personnel, welfare and child protective services, illicit drug use and mental health programs, community protection services, and ethnically based advocacy…