State officials have broken ground on a long-awaited psychiatric facility in Lubbock, one of several new hospitals funded through a $2.5 billion effort to overhaul Texas’ mental health care system.
Governor Greg Abbott announced that construction is officially underway on the Lubbock Psychiatric Center, a $121 million facility approved by the Texas Legislature during its last session.
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The new 50-bed, maximum-security hospital will sit off Peach Avenue near Highway 84 and is expected to be completed in 2027. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which will operate the facility, says the 108,000-square-foot building will incorporate modern mental health treatment standards aimed at promoting healing and recovery.
“Texas continues to increase access to mental healthcare in every corner of our state,” said Governor Abbott. “This new hospital will offer Texans in the South Plains high-quality treatment closer to home.”
Designed with safety in mind, the hospital will include perimeter fencing, video surveillance, alarms, electronic monitoring systems, and a higher staff-to-patient ratio. HHSC Deputy Executive Commissioner Scott Schalchlin said the goal is to create “a secure, state-of-the-art building that helps facilitate recovery.”
The Lubbock center is part of a broader statewide effort to improve mental health care infrastructure. Since 2017, Texas has invested more than $2.5 billion into replacing, renovating, or expanding psychiatric hospitals across the state. Facilities are currently under construction in Amarillo, Dallas, Wichita Falls, and Terrell. In 2024, new hospitals in Austin and San Antonio officially opened their doors.
State leaders say the Lubbock project underscores their commitment to serving rural and underserved communities in need of expanded mental health support.