Findings from the study indicate that 80 to 90 percent of children whose mothers suffer from mental illness are more likely to report incidents of maltreatment over the course of their childhood, compared to 67 percent for other children. In addition, children whose mothers suffered from mental illness were more than twice as likely as other children to be placed in foster care. Mothers who suffered from mood and anxiety disorders put their children at greater risk for new reports of maltreatment, while mothers who suffered from anxiety disorders put their children at an increased risk for placement in foster care. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mental illness in mothers and their children's long-term safety and stability. Data for the study were taken from a larger study that compared the mental health and stability of poor and maltreated children to poverty only children. A sample of 4,895 low-income families were followed from 1993 or 1994 until March 2009, and information was obtained on new reports of maltreatment, foster care placement, and incidences of schizophrenic disorders, episodic mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. The findings from the study indicate that children whose mothers suffer from mental illness are at increased risk for reports of maltreatment and increased risk for placement in foster care, compromising the long-term safety and stability of the children. These findings show a need for more coordination and more effective approaches between child welfare agencies and providers of adult mental health services. Tables, figures, and references