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Despite nearly half of Greater Houston zip codes showing a lack of mental health providers, a University of Houston “mental health deserts” study found Missouri City and Sugar Land’s mental health needs mostly met.

About the study: The study, published Oct. 15, found that even neighboring ZIP codes may have sharp differences in accessibility to mental health resources, as areas with lower education levels and higher poverty rates had fewer—sometimes zero—licensed mental health professionals.

The local impact: Locally, the Sugar Land area ranks consistently “prosperous”—with only ZIP code 77498 considered “comfortable”—on the distressed communities index.

Meanwhile, Missouri City has three ZIP codes in the “prosperous” or “comfortable” range, while ZIP code 77071—which consists of Fondren Park and the east side of Brays Oaks—is considered “distressed.”

The big picture: Of the 96 ZIP codes mapped, 43% were considered “distressed”—averaging only 1.9 licensed mental health professionals, with 39 having none at all, per the report.

Claw Paradise, a claw-machine themed arcade, celebrated a year of business in Sugar Land in January.

The details: Located near the intersection of Hwy. 6 and Settlers Way Boulevard, Claw Paradise is an arcade for all ages. At the arcade, visitors can purchase tokens to play games and win prizes, such as stuffed animals. 

Before you go: Claw Paradise is open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with extended hours on the weekend, according to the company’s social media.

• 3530 Hwy. 6, Sugar Land

Eat Drink HTX, the sister fundraiser to Houston Restaurant Weeks, will return for its fifth year from Feb. 14 through Feb. 28, according to a Jan. 12 news release from the Cleverley Stone Foundation. 

At a glance: The two-week dining event was designed around the casual dining experience and features lower price points than Houston Restaurant Weeks. While menus won’t go live until Feb. 1, the foundation announced dinner will be priced at $25, with lunch and brunch both priced at $15. 

The local impact: Both Houston Restaurant Weeks and Eat Drink HTX were inspired by Cleverley Stone, the late philanthropist and food correspondent who was passionate about bringing business to restaurants during traditionally slower seasons of the year, according to the release.