CO · Healthcare shortage profile
Mineral County, CO
Peak severity leads this reading: Mineral County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 865.
- Active HPSAs
- 3
- Population
- 865
- Peak shortage score
- 19.0
- MUA Index
- -
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Mineral County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 3 active HPSA designations, more than 20% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 3
- Active HPSA designations
- 1
- Mental-health shortages
- 19
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 80%
- US counties by volume
Few Census ZCTAs touch Mineral County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 3 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Mineral County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).
Intersecting ZCTA
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 Mineral 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 19.0 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 Mineral County's active designations would take about 1.9 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 0.2 primary care, 1.5 mental health, 0.2 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Mineral County's 3 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 3).
Mineral County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
3 Top 80% higher than 20% 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. Mineral County falls in the lower half of CO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 39 of 64. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 08079. Population: 865.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Mineral 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 3 active (designated) HPSAs in Mineral County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| San Luis Valley Mhca | mental_health | 19.0 |
| Mineral County | primary_care | 7.0 |
| Mineral County | dental | 6.0 |
Light-burden reading for Mineral County
Peak severity leads this reading: Mineral County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Mineral County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 19.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 7.0 of 25; Dental care reads 6.0 of 26. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Mineral County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Mineral County carries 3 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 20% of counties). A light footprint still matters: a single high-score dental or mental-health record can open program geography even when the county total looks small next to heavy peers.
Mineral County falls in the lower half of CO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 39 of 64. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.
Light-volume FTE gap for Mineral County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Mineral County's active designations: about 1.9 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Mineral County's high-priority mental health
Mineral County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Mineral County's high-priority mental health designations are where NHSC placement geography concentrates, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's mental health burden compares with the rest of CO before drawing conclusions from a single score. CO overview
- Check the provider-to-population ratio behind an HPSA score against HRSA's designation thresholds. 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 near Mineral County's mental score of 19.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 19.0 (severity lead on this page is “San Luis Valley MHCA”).
Butte County, CA
19.0 mental score · 211,632 pop.
Stearns County, MN
19.0 mental score · 158,292 pop.
Tompkins County, NY
19.0 mental score · 105,740 pop.
Twin Falls County, ID
19.0 mental score · 90,046 pop.
Davidson County, TN
19.0 mental score · 715,884 pop.
Mercer County, NJ
19.0 mental score · 387,340 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Mineral County's peak score of 19.0?
- "San Luis Valley MHCA" leads the active set (score 19.0; mental health; 22,500 people in the service area; ~1.5 FTE still needed on the record; designated 02/17/2021). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 3 active rows: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental.
- Why is Mineral County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Mineral County has no MUA designation on this release. Federal shortage support here runs through the active HPSA record set alone.
- Which other active designations sit under Mineral County's severity reading?
- After "San Luis Valley MHCA", the next active names on this release are "San Luis Valley MHCA", "Mineral County" and "Mineral County". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~1.9 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 08079. 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 08079 (Mineral County, CO), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 3; peak score 19.0; signature peak score 19.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.