CO · Healthcare shortage profile
La Plata County, CO
Peak severity leads this reading: La Plata County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 55,638.
- Active HPSAs
- 7
- Population
- 55,638
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- MUA
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, La Plata County carries a heavier shortage burden than most US counties - 7 active HPSA designations, more than 70% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.
- 7
- Active HPSA designations
- 3
- Mental-health shortages
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 30%
- US counties by volume
Few Census ZCTAs touch La Plata County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 6 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting La Plata County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).
Intersecting ZCTA
1 additional ZCTA intersect this county in the crosswalk (ordered by land share).
Source: Census ZCTA–county relationship file joined to this portal's county FIPS set. As of 2026-08-15.
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for La Plata 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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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.
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Closing La Plata County's active designations would take about 8.2 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 8.2 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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42.9% of La Plata County's 7 active designations are mental health.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 7).
La Plata County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
7 Top 30% higher than 70% 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. La Plata County falls in the upper quarter of CO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 of 64. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 08067. Population: 55,638.
Medically Underserved Area
Peak severity scores
Current designated records only. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need. What counts as a high score?
Highest-severity HPSA designations
All 7 active (designated) HPSAs in La Plata County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center, Inc | primary_care | 21.0 |
| Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center, Inc | mental_health | 21.0 |
| Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center, Inc | dental | 21.0 |
| Southern Ute Health Center | dental | 20.0 |
| Southern Ute Health Center | primary_care | 19.0 |
| Axis Health System Mhca | mental_health | 18.0 |
| Southern Ute Health Center | mental_health | 17.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for La Plata County
Peak severity leads this reading: La Plata County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. La Plata County's shortage runs equally deep in primary care and mental health and dental care: both scored 21.0 by HRSA, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, a separate HRSA designation from the HPSA records above.
Volume places La Plata County above 70% of real US counties (7 active designations: 2 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 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.
La Plata County falls in the upper quarter of CO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 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.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for La Plata 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
La Plata County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- La Plata County's 7 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 La Plata County's 21.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Winnebago County, IL and King County, WA.
Showing 6 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near La Plata County's mental score of 21.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 21.0 (severity lead on this page is “SOUTHWEST COLORADO MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, INC”).
Winnebago County, IL
21.0 mental score · 285,350 pop.
King County, WA
21.0 mental score · 2,269,675 pop.
Westchester County, NY
21.0 mental score · 1,004,457 pop.
Lake County, IL
21.0 mental score · 714,342 pop.
Guilford County, NC
21.0 mental score · 541,299 pop.
Jefferson County, LA
21.0 mental score · 440,781 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does La Plata County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - La Plata County carries an MUA designation in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- Which record sets La Plata County's peak score of 21.0?
- "SOUTHWEST COLORADO MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, INC" leads the active set (score 21.0; primary care; 17,398 people in the service area; designated 11/01/2013). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 7 active rows: 2 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under La Plata County's severity reading?
- After "SOUTHWEST COLORADO MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, INC", the next active names on this release are "SOUTHWEST COLORADO MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, INC", "SOUTHWEST COLORADO MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, INC", "SOUTHWEST COLORADO MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, INC" and "Southern Ute Health Center". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~8.2 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow La Plata County's high-severity geography?
- La Plata County's 7 active designations can open NHSC placement, CHC grants, Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not merely the county line around "SOUTHWEST COLORADO MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, INC".
- How does La Plata County's peak severity sit inside CO?
- La Plata County holds 7 active HPSA rows with peak 21.0. La Plata County falls in the upper quarter of CO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 of 64. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Winnebago County, IL and King County, WA.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 08067. 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.
HRSA Data Warehouse HPSA + MUA/P records for FIPS 08067 (La Plata County, CO), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 7; peak score 21.0; signature peak score 21.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.