If veteran and newly elected state legislators are looking for measures to champion that would improve the quality of life and the safety of the people they represent, there are a number of ideas they might consider. Shore up whatever needs to be strengthened to prevent more hospitals from going under, beef up penalties for violent crimes and take whatever next steps are necessary to raise Georgia’s record on mental health services from the gutter.

COVID-19 is not the only problem thrashing hospitals. Costs are spiraling out of control from every direction. It’s costing them a large fortune just to keep nurses on staff, and that’s even if they can find them to hire them, a situation likely to get worse.

Add the always rising costs of medical supplies and technology to the list, and it is surprising that more have not shuttered and bolted their doors.

The fact that more patients are either unable to pay for services rendered or are struggling to pay only compounds the difficulty of trying to stay afloat.

Rural hospitals have not been the only ones to close in Georgia. The most recent hospital to shut down was Wellstar Health System’s Atlanta Medical Center in Atlanta, a Level 1 trauma center.

Any plan that would alleviate some of the stress on the health care system would be worth consideration.

Crimes of violence, much of it driven by the increasing aggressiveness of gangs and lack of police, are becoming a bigger issue even in smaller communities. Oftentimes the culprits are repeat offenders.

This needs to be addressed. Felons who refuse to live peaceably among others should not be allowed to freely roam the streets.

Penalties for stalking others, as well as the way these cases are handled, ought to be a lot stiffer too. Women should not have to worry being terrorized by a spurned co-worker or by someone from a former relationship.

Legislators during this year’s session of the Georgia General Assembly did a lot to begin tackling the state’s dismal record on mental health services.

But it is far too early to stick this issue in the pile of “completed tasks.” State House and Senate members should demand a full report on what progress has been made to determine what might require booster funds or actions.

Their attention to mental health should not stop there, however. Georgia has a long way to go to correct what has been ignored for decades.