IA · Healthcare shortage profile
Des Moines County, IA
Peak severity leads this reading: Des Moines County's highest active HPSA score is 22.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 38,910.
- Active HPSAs
- 6
- Population
- 38,910
- Peak shortage score
- 22.0
- MUA Index
- -
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Des Moines County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 6 active HPSA designations, more than 54% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 6
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Mental-health shortages
- 22
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 46%
- US counties by volume
Based on HRSA primary/mental/dental shortage severity, Medically Underserved Area status, and estimated unmet provider need -- not patient outcomes, insurance access, facility quality, or wait times.
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Des Moines County, IA 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 22.0 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 Des Moines County's active designations would take about 11 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 3.8 primary care, 4.2 mental health, 2.6 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Des Moines County's 6 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 6).
Des Moines County's mid-pack ZIP footprint
12 Census ZCTAs intersect Des Moines County, between the 9 and 15 ZIP cuts across published counties: neither a postage-stamp footprint nor a metro-scale lattice.
Largest land-share ZCTAs
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.
Des Moines County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
6 Top 46% higher than 54% 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. Des Moines County falls in the upper half of IA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 26 of 99. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 19057. Population: 38,910.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Des Moines 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 6 active (designated) HPSAs in Des Moines County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Community Health Centers OF Southeastern Iowa Inc | mental_health | 22.0 |
| Community Health Centers OF Southeastern Iowa Inc | primary_care | 21.0 |
| Community Health Centers OF Southeastern Iowa Inc | dental | 19.0 |
| LI - Des Moines County | primary_care | 16.0 |
| LI-Des Moines County | dental | 15.0 |
| Southeast Counties | mental_health | 14.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Des Moines County
Peak severity leads this reading: Des Moines County's highest active HPSA score is 22.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Des Moines County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 22.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 21.0 of 25; Dental care reads 19.0 of 26. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Des Moines County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Des Moines County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 54% of counties) with 6 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (2/2/2) before assuming every care category is equally short.
Des Moines County falls in the upper half of IA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 26 of 99. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Mid-pack clinician FTE gap for Des Moines County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Des Moines County's active designations: about 11 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Des Moines County, IA · 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 Des Moines County's designations
Des Moines County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Des Moines County's 6 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 primary care burden compares with the rest of IA before you draw conclusions from a single score. IA 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.
Nearby mental-health score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active mental-health HPSA score to Des Moines County's 22.0. Open Palm Beach County, FL or Duval County, FL next.
Showing 3 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Des Moines County's peak score of 22.0?
- "COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS OF SOUTHEASTERN IOWA INC" leads the active set (score 22.0; mental health; 24,407 people in the service area; designated 10/26/2002). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 6 active rows: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental.
- Why is Des Moines County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Des Moines 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 Des Moines County's severity reading?
- After "COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS OF SOUTHEASTERN IOWA INC", the next active names on this release are "COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS OF SOUTHEASTERN IOWA INC", "LI - Des Moines County", "LI-Des Moines County" and "Southeast Counties". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~11 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Des Moines County's high-severity geography?
- Des Moines County's 6 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 "COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS OF SOUTHEASTERN IOWA INC".
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 19057. 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 19057 (Des Moines County, IA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 6; peak score 22.0; signature peak score 22.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.