Medically Underserved Area High-priority · mental health only

IN · Healthcare shortage profile

Rush County, IN

Peak severity leads this reading: Rush County's highest active HPSA score is 17.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 16,752.

Active HPSAs
2
Population
16,752
Peak shortage score
17.0
MUA Index
MUA

Light-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Rush County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 2 active HPSA designations, more than 10% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.

2
Active HPSA designations
1
Mental-health shortages
17
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 90%
US counties by volume

Dense ZCTA lattice over Rush County

Rush County intersects 16 Census ZCTAs, above the 15-ZIP dense-tercile cut. Shortage designations still attach at the county (or smaller HPSA) grain; the ZIP list is geography, not a second severity score.

Largest land-share ZCTAs in this county

4 additional ZCTAs 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 Rush County, IN 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.

  1. Peak HPSA score 17.0 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.

  2. Closing Rush County's active designations would take about 6.7 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.

    HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 5.7 mental health, 0.9 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. 50% of Rush County's 2 active designations are mental health.

    Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 0 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 2).

Rush County vs. every real US county

Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none

2 Top 90% higher than 10% of 3,289 real US counties

0–20: 3,115 real US counties (95%). This entry sits in this band. 20–40: 128 real US counties (4%). Above this entry. 40–60: 32 real US counties (1%). Above this entry. 60–80: 7 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 80–100: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 100–120: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 120–140: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 140–160: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 160–180: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 180–200: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 200–220: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 220–240: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 240–260: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 260–280: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. This county 0 280 every real US county, bucketed by value

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. Rush County falls in the lower half of IN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 61 of 92. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 18139. Population: 16,752.

Medically Underserved Area

MUA Designated

Active HPSA scores

Mental Health 17.0
Dental 16.0

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 2 active (designated) HPSAs in Rush County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
Mhca 8 - Rush/Fayette/Union/Wayne/Randolph Counties mental_health 17.0
LI - Rush County dental 16.0

Light-burden reading for Rush County

Peak severity leads this reading: Rush County's highest active HPSA score is 17.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Rush County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 17.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Dental care reads 16.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, a separate HRSA designation from the HPSA records above.

Rush County carries 2 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 10% 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.

Rush County falls in the lower half of IN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 61 of 92. 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 Rush County

HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Rush County's active designations: about 6.7 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

Acting on Rush County's high-priority mental health

Rush County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.

  • Rush 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 IN before drawing conclusions from a single score. IN 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 Rush County's mental score of 17.0

One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 17.0 (severity lead on this page is “MHCA 8 - Rush/Fayette/Union/Wayne/Randolph Counties”).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Rush County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
Yes - Rush 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 Rush County's peak score of 17.0?
"MHCA 8 - Rush/Fayette/Union/Wayne/Randolph Counties" leads the active set (score 17.0; mental health; 30,000 people in the service area; ~5.7 FTE still needed on the record; designated 02/02/2022). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 2 active rows: 0 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental.
Which other active designations sit under Rush County's severity reading?
After "MHCA 8 - Rush/Fayette/Union/Wayne/Randolph Counties", the next active names on this release are "MHCA 8 - Rush/Fayette/Union/Wayne/Randolph Counties" and "LI - Rush County". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~6.7 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 18139. This county’s designations come from 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 18139 (Rush County, IN), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 2; peak score 17.0; signature peak score 17.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.