In little more than a year, we will have a gambling casino in our midst. We've already worked through the traffic problem, the neighbor problem and the ugly garage problem. But the problem that may well result in real human tragedy -- family disintegration and the long-term weakening of our region's culture -- is nowhere near to being solved.

A study by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, released last month, clearly showed that most of the region's social service agencies are not now equipped to deal with the inevitable increase in problem gambling that comes with the opening of a casino.

While those agencies which already treat gambling addictions recognize there's trouble afoot, most other agencies don't see gambling as one of their issues. Yet, it is well known that most problem gamblers have other mental health issues, including depression, mood and personality disorders, and substance abuse. Add in the economic and family crises they cause and we will have more of the heart-and-soul issues that already swamp virtually every social service agency in existence.

Our study, "Raising the Stakes: Assessing Allegheny County's Human Service Response Capacity to the Social Impact of Casino Gambling," revealed that:

• Two-thirds of the agencies surveyed don't see problem gambling as an issue for their clients or are not interested in training staff to deal with gambling, lack the resources to train them or don't know where to find those resources.

• More than three-quarters do not screen, treat or refer clients for gambling-related problems.

• Fewer than one-third were familiar with any public awareness or educational campaigns about problem gambling; only 10 percent are educating their own clients and even fewer -- 4 percent -- are informing the community about gambling-related problems.

Who is to blame for this lack of preparation?

Certainly not the agencies themselves. Most of them are perpetually underfunded, understaffed and underappreciated, even as they are in the throes of ongoing battles with the most stubborn and perplexing social demons that beset society. Can they be expected to take on this new and formidable challenge themselves?

Since our study was released, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, regional foundations and some local service providers have formed a task force to jumpstart the important work that needs to be done before next spring when the Pittsburgh casino is scheduled to open on the North Shore. This is the kind of leadership -- albeit now on deadline -- that we've come to expect from the county's human services sector and from the foundation community. But there is a vital component still conspicuously missing.

Where is the state government? After all, didn't our gambling halls begin in the halls of the state Capitol?

Pennsylvania has agreed to set aside .001 percent of gaming revenue to mitigate the social costs of gambling. Initially, that means the state will provide $1.5 million to cover education, prevention, training, treatment and monitoring of the negative impact of gambling. That amounts to about $15.50 to cover all of the costs for each expected problem gambler in the state. Where will that .001 percent get us?

The state needs to do more. Other regions have devoted larger percentages to cover the social costs of gambling. Ontario, Canada, for instance, sets aside a full 2 percent of gaming revenues for this purpose -- two thousand times the percentage of Pennsylvania's commitment.

In addition, the state needs to launch a powerful public awareness campaign about problem gambling. And it needs to ensure that training is available and affordable for all mental health and substance abuse clinical practitioners with Pennsylvania professional licenses.

In academia, we need to conduct studies to establish baseline information on the extent and nature of current gambling behavior so that the state and its citizens can monitor the impact of our new casinos.

Only by bringing to bear the collective will and urgent commitment of the state, the county, foundations, social service agencies and academia will we stand a chance to beat the odds and mitigate the impact of problem gambling on our community.