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The United States may face a major mental health crisis unless immediate attention is given to the lack of community-based programs and coordinated services throughout the country.

In a statement submitted to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, I said that the United States needs a long-term, comprehensive, prevention-oriented strategy that not only responds to the immediate crisis, but addresses the intermediate and long-term mental health impact arising from the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The nation needs to understand that we are woefully unprepared for the mental health ramifications of the disasters, which we can expect to emerge. The medical evidence is clear that unpredictable acts of malice along with protracted recovery efforts lead to a higher incidence of mental health problems. An uncertainty of what the future will hold adds to the nation's level of stress.

The entire nation is at risk. Everyone has witnessed the trauma almost as if they were there. Individuals at the scenes of the attacks, and families and loved ones are at the greatest risk, but studies after the Oklahoma City bombing indicate that children miles away with no direct involvement reported higher levels of anxiety and stress because they witnessed the traumatic event on television.

Federal funding needs to be expanded to help local communities develop coordinated efforts linking mental health services with the systems of education, primary care, and the faith and business communities. This coordinated effort should focus on providing mental health prevention outreach programs to those at risk, and early identification and treatment of mental health problems.

As an urgent step, Congress must pass mental health parity legislation without hesitation before millions of Americans are left without protection from arbitrary health insurance limits on mental health coverage. I praised the committee for its unanimous vote in August in favor of the insurance parity legislation and urged the members to demand immediate congressional action.

The American economy is already losing an estimated $113 billion a year from untreated and mistreated mental illness. We cannot afford to let the lingering discrimination and stigma against mental illness stand in the way of meeting this serious public health crisis.