Health care was one five critical policy areas discussed Wednesday at the Southern Nevada Forum, a confab with lawmakers to discuss legislative priorities for 2019.

Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel, D-Henderson, is pictured in this file photo. (Ben Botkin/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Nevada Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, is pictured in this file photo. (Las Vegas Review-Journal/Cathleen Allison)

As a former nurse and hospital administrator, longtime Las Vegas resident Roman Reid saw firsthand how homelessness drains the health care system. That’s why Reid wants the Nevada Legislature to address the issue when it next convenes.

“It became evident how important it is to find a way to treat the underlying causes of the homelessness and to provide the support at the same time,” said Reid, 36, now a law student and a father of five. “It’s costing us a lot of money from the ER standpoint at all the hospitals I’ve worked at. We’ve had to close the emergency rooms because of an influx of people who really don’t need to be there.”

Health care was one of five critical policy areas discussed Wednesday at the Southern Nevada Forum, a confab with lawmakers to discuss legislative priorities for 2019.

Others topics included economic development, education, good governance and transportation and infrastructure. Lawmakers were eager to hear ideas about how the Legislature next year could address some of the Silver State’s most pressing problems.

Residents on Wednesday formed committees to tackle each of the five policy areas. The committees are chaired by up to four legislators — one from each political party in both the state Senate and Assembly.

Nevada assembly members can sponsor 10 bills while senators can introduce 20 bills during the 120-day legislative session. The public, including those who attended the forum, provide input and suggest new state laws.

In the health care committee that Reid joined, a handful of residents asked lawmakers to look into addressing the opioid crisis, how medical marijuana can help patients, veterans’ health care and more.

The state recently came under fire after an audit revealed deplorable conditions at state-funded homes for people with mental illness. Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, who will lead the health care committee, said providing safe and sanitary homes for those with mental disabilities is her top priority.

“Mental health touches on lots of different places,” Carlton said. “There’s more that need to be done.”

Across the room at the transportation and infrastructure committee, members brainstormed ways to address the Las Vegas Valley’s growth and its strain on infrastructure. Jay Craddock, a Senate District 21 candidate, said the east side is “neglected” and all the sewer treatment plants are in his district.

Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel, D-Henderson, who will chair the committee, said she wants to see improvements in the public transit system based on what riders want — including more routes and consistent schedules.

The Southern Nevada Forum in the past has formed successful policies related to transportation, workforce development and higher education, including regionalization of mental health services and securing funding for UNLV’s School of Medicine.

Contact Ramona Giwargis at rgiwargis@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4538. Follow @RamonaGiwargis on Twitter.