It has a new name; now it is getting some new resources.
The Lubbock Area United Way's Homeless Oversight Committee endorses two new facilities for "Tent City", recently renamed "High Cotton".
The committee is developing an open courtyard as an alternative for those who are homeless and need shelter, as well as a Psychiatric Emergency Service Center for mental health evaluation.
Les Burrus with LINK Ministries said the two developments go hand in hand.
"When you're on the street, by yourself, whether you have mental health problems or not, you get into some psychotic disorders," Burrus said. "But we have found that community stability alleviates a lot of that. But some of them still need help, and so if they have help, they can work, they can function in life, but they don't always have access to the medication. And that's what we're hoping. To intervene there and to provide that on an ongoing basis."
Burrus said collaboration is already underway with StarCare on the triage center. Texas Tech's Urban Tech architecture faculty and students will be helping with the courtyard design.
