Lucio Vasquez/Houston Public Media

Access to mental health services and prenatal care are among the top barriers facing Fort Bend County residents.

That's according to a recent study conducted by Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research and the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in partnership with the county southwest of Houston.

Researchers surveyed a random sample of about 3,500 residents, weighting their responses to reflect the county's demographics.

"What we have now really helps us to establish a really solid baseline going forward," said Dr. Letosha Gale-Lowe, the director of Fort Bend County Health and Human Services.

According to the study, about half of the survey respondents said they needed mental health care in the past year.

Black and Hispanic

See Full Page