CO · Healthcare shortage profile
Chaffee County, CO
Home to 19,476 residents, with 9 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 9
- Population
- 19,476
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- -
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Chaffee County carries a heavier shortage burden than most US counties - 9 active HPSA designations, more than 75% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.
- 9
- Active HPSA designations
- 4
- Mental-health shortages
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 25%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Chaffee County, CO on its own pages , computed from the retained designation mirror as of 2026-08-15. Each line carries its own denominator so it can be quoted as it stands.
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44.4% of Chaffee County's 9 active designations are mental health.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 4 mental health, 3 dental (denominator 9).
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Closing Chaffee County's active designations would take about 5.7 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 0.6 primary care, 3.9 mental health, 1.3 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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Peak HPSA score 21.0 clears HRSA's 17-point high-priority line.
Scores at or above 17 on the 0–25/26 scales open NHSC placement priority for the matching provider type; eligibility still follows the designated area, not the county boundary alone.
Chaffee County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
9 Top 25% higher than 75% of 3,289 real US counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more real US counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source HRSA Data Warehouse, designated HPSAs · 2026
State peer position. Chaffee County falls in the upper quarter of CO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 6 of 64. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 08015. Population: 19,476.
Peak severity scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Chaffee County in the current HRSA release, federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need. What counts as a high score?
Highest-severity HPSA designations
All 9 active (designated) HPSAs in Chaffee County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| CF-Buena Vista Correctional Complex | mental_health | 21.0 |
| West Central Mental Health Catchment Area | mental_health | 18.0 |
| LI - Buena Vista | primary_care | 17.0 |
| Salida Health Center | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Salida Health Center | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Buena Vista Correctional Complex | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Salida Health Center | dental | 15.0 |
| LI Buena Vista | dental | 12.0 |
| Buena Vista Correctional Facility | dental | 6.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Chaffee County
Chaffee County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 21.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 17.0 of 25; Dental care reads 15.0 of 26. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Chaffee County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Volume places Chaffee County above 75% of real US counties (9 active designations: 2 primary care, 4 mental health, 3 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 21.0. The table on this page lists the highest-severity records first so a reader can see which named facilities, geographies, or population groups drive that burden without treating the county total as a personal appointment forecast.
Chaffee County falls in the upper quarter of CO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 6 of 64. Heavy-burden counties are where NHSC placement, Community Health Center grant geography, and related federal instruments concentrate; eligibility still follows the designated area and provider type, not the county boundary alone.
Chaffee County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Mental health
Mental health
4 designations
- Primary care
Primary care
2 designations
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Chaffee County, CO · 2026 HRSA designation data updated quarterly; HPSA scores 0-25 (primary/mental) and 0-26 (dental); higher = greater shortage severity. Coverage tiers from U.S. Census ACS PUMS + KFF state tracker.
Acting on a heavy-burden county
Chaffee County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Chaffee County's 9 active designations make providers here eligible for National Health Service Corps loan repayment, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's mental health burden compares with the rest of CO before you draw conclusions from a single score. CO overview
- Check whether an area clears HRSA's 3,500:1 population-to-provider threshold with the provider-to-population ratio behind an HPSA score. HPSA score lookup
HPSA scores describe shortage severity within HRSA's designation criteria, not the availability of any individual provider. For a specific appointment, contact a provider or your insurer; use HRSA's current tools to verify a designation.
Counties With a Similar Mental Health Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA mental-health HPSA score is closest to Chaffee County's 21.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Sonoma County, CA and Cameron County, TX.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many healthcare shortage areas does Chaffee County have?
Chaffee County, CO has 9 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 2 in primary care, 4 in mental health, and 3 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
Is Chaffee County a Medically Underserved Area?
Chaffee County does not currently have a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) designation from HRSA. However, the county may still have individual HPSA designations for specific provider types.
What does Chaffee County's HPSA score of 21.0 mean?
21.0 in mental health clears 17, HRSA's high-priority line, which is what makes providers here eligible for NHSC placement and enhanced reimbursement.
What healthcare providers are needed in Chaffee County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Chaffee County needs additional providers in primary care (family physicians, internists, pediatricians), mental health (psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers), and dental care (dentists, dental hygienists). The National Health Service Corps offers loan repayment and scholarship programs for providers who serve in designated shortage areas.
Which federal programs do Chaffee County's designations unlock?
Chaffee County's 9 active designations open NHSC placement, Community Health Center grants, the Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, but eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not the county line.
How does Chaffee County compare to other counties in CO?
Chaffee County has 9 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 21.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in CO on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Chaffee County stands relative to the rest of the country. Score-nearest counties on this release include Sonoma County, CA and Cameron County, TX.
Learn More About Healthcare Shortages
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 08015. This county’s designations come from BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_PC.csv (primary care) , BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_MH.csv (mental health) and BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_DH.csv (dental) — download the normalized export on our open data page. PlainHealthAccess is not affiliated with HRSA or any government agency.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the HRSA Data Warehouse. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →
Every figure on PlainHealthAccess is rendered directly from HRSA source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page counts active HPSA rows for FIPS 08015 (Chaffee County, CO) from the current HRSA release and places that total among all real US counties. Designations describe federal shortage criteria, not appointment availability or care quality for any person. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, review the public data changelog, or report a data issue for this page. Data current as of 2026-08-15.