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.

Harmony Science Academy Bridgeland is set to open a $34 million campus for middle and high school students by fall 2028, officials from the charter district confirmed with Community Impact.

Latest update: The two-story charter school located west of the Grand Parkway will span more than 81,000 square feet with a gymnasium, outdoor basketball court and soccer fields, according to a project filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. All details submitted to TDLR are subject to change.

In case you missed it: Harmony Science Academy Bridgeland started as a 58,000-square-foot elementary school, which welcomed its inaugural class of students in August, according to previous Community Impact reporting. The elementary campus and soon-to-be secondary campus are located at 12800 Creekland Village Drive, Cypress. 

Looking forward: The new campus, opening in time for the 2028-29 school year, will hold approximately 850 students, officials said. Construction is set to begin in August, according to the TDLR filing. 

After years of being locked in a standstill, planners of the Coastal Texas Project announced the approval of two engineering design contracts.

The details: The Gulf Coast Protection District announced Dec. 2 that it had approved two contracts with global engineering firms Jacobs and HDR to design the gates, beaches and dunes portions of the initially authorized $34 billion project, respectively.

Why it matters: The gates are expected to be the world’s largest flood gate system when built and will be located along the 2-mile-wide waterway between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula. The dune system will strengthen coastal barriers against storm impact along the Bolivar Peninsula and West Galveston Island, according to a news release.

2026 is a big election year in Texas. Voters will see 18 statewide races, all congressional seats, most state legislative seats and a variety of local positions on the ballot.

The overview: The Republican and Democratic primary elections will be held March 3, and the midterm election is set for Nov. 3.

Texas holds primaries for all partisan elected positions, such as state officials; state and federal lawmakers; and county judges, commissioners and justices of the peace. Third-party candidates, including independents, Libertarian Party candidates and Green Party candidates, have separate election processes will not be listed on the primary ballots in March. Eligible candidates representing various parties will appear on the November ballot.

Looking back: All statewide offices on the ballot are currently held by Republicans, although some are not running for reelection. No Democrat or third-party candidate has won a statewide office in Texas since 1994, election records show.

Check out the full article for more details on election processes and an overview of state-level races.