Mental Health Evaluations in exchange for Firearm Liecensing

This whole Oregon community college shooting has me questioning my own stance on this topic. Public shootings have become all too frequent for Americans over the past few years.  This has spurred a lengthy, complex debate over the 2nd amendment rights of American citizens.  Pro-Gun right activists have grown over the past few years as well.  After reading an article on NBC news, I learned that the violent crime rate in this country has actually dipped to just under half the rate was in the early 1990's. That alone shocked me.  The question that has been bouncing around my head is why does it seem so much more prevalent than it did then?  This may be in part to the fact that I was still a child and the news did not interest me, or could it be in part that these kind of occurrences are just so much more publicized now that various forms of news media have become more readily available to the American people?  Although I believe in the benefits of the 2nd amendment and support it, I believe there has to be some sort of structure given to the process.  I believe that there should be a background and mental screening prior to obtaining a license to own a firearm.  I also believe that a gun owner's educational course should be administered prior to obtaining a license.  We have to attempt to educate gun owners about safety, use, and even how to secure your firearms from your children.  If we look closely at the public shooters of late, we can see a common trend of confused, delusional, and irresponsible young men.  Many of who would have been denied access if a parent did not allow the possession of the firearm or if a simple mental health screen would have certainly denied their ownership.
There is no doubt that my suggestions on this topic will certainly receive many rebuttals, and understandably so. Any time our government seems to be taking away our rights, we as people tend to get really pro-constitution.  We fear that more is to come, and resist.  This being said, we have seen throughout history that we have a choice we make in regards to our safety in this country. Is the sacrifice of a small amount of liberty worth a safer environment for us to live in?  To me, it is.  I'm open to all forms of aiding this problem and understand fully that this may not be the correct method, but I do believe we have to start somewhere.  This does not infringe upon rights, this would just aim to add responsibility, aim to make sure that guns are in the hands of mentally healthy owners legally, and potentially could lessen the possibility like the tragedy in Oregon.  May God Bless those people, their families, and the family of the shooters.  May all of you receive some type of peace.