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Residents in areas with fewer economic opportunities are struggling to find mental health care in their communities, according to a recent University of Houston study that mapped “mental health deserts” across Greater Houston.
The overview: The study, published Oct. 15, found that even neighboring ZIP codes may have sharp differences in mental health resources, as areas with lower education levels and higher poverty rates had fewer, sometimes zero, licensed mental health professionals.
The researchers said they mapped resources using data from Psychology Today’s registry of licensed mental health professionals and the U.S. Census Bureau’s Distressed Communities Index, or DCI.
The local impact: Several ZIP codes in the Cypress, Cy-Fair and Spring-Klein areas are ranked “prosperous” on the DCI, which was last updated with 2023 bureau data. However, some ZIP codes—particularly near Hwy. 249 and Jersey Village—came up as “mid tier” and “at risk,” with fewer mental health professionals than their “prosperous” counterparts.
Kristin Henshaw, clinical director of local mental health center Cy-Hope Counseling, said cost, time and transportation pose the biggest barriers to consistent care.
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