Estimates indicate that over 158,000 women in Illinois have alcohol or other drug problems. Nearly 250,000 women who gave birth in 1992 used some type of illicit drug at least once during the pregnancy, and the use of alcohol and tobacco was even higher. Recognizing the high cost of addiction and the need for specialized treatment services for women, the Committee on Women's Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment of the Illinois Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependency was created by the Illinois General Assembly in 1990. While this committee is pleased that hundreds of babies are born drug-free as a result of innovative programs for women, the committee believes the number of women served and outcomes can be improved by addressing several programmatic issues. Funding for women's treatment issues in fiscal years 1995-1997 will total approximately $34.4 million and will serve 80,000 women. The Illinois Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (DASA) is working with other agencies to develop successful interagency programs for women, for example, a training manual for counseling female drug abusers, a workplace parenting program, outreach in high-risk communities, an intensive outpatient program for neglectful mothers, and a child care plan to break down barriers to drug treatment for mothers. The committee recommends that DASA develop drug treatment services for mentally ill, female drug abusers and that the Illinois Department of Corrections implement additional treatment programs for female offenders. Five specific areas in which to build on earlier accomplishments are identified that focus on access to existing drug treatment services, housing for recovering drug abusers, interagency collaboration, managed care, and program evaluation and outcome studies.