KS · Healthcare shortage profile
Ness County, KS
Home to 2,687 residents, with 5 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 5
- Population
- 2,687
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- 59.0
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Ness County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 5 active HPSA designations, more than 47% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.
- 5
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Mental-health shortages
- 17
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 53%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Ness County, KS on its own pages , computed from the retained designation mirror as of 2026-08-03. Each line carries its own denominator so it can be quoted as it stands.
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40% of Ness County's 5 active designations are mental health.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 5).
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Closing Ness County's active designations would take about 3.8 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 3.3 mental health, 0.5 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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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.
Ness County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
5 Top 53% higher than 47% 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. Ness County falls in the upper half of KS counties by active-designation volume, at rank 32 of 105. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 20135. Population: 2,687.
Single high-priority discipline
Ness County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is mental health
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 2 active mental health designations to Ness County , with a peak score of 17.0. Other care categories may still be designated here, but none of them clear HRSA's high-priority score line of 17 on the current release, NHSC and related instruments concentrate on the mental health records.
Medically Underserved Area
Active HPSA 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 5 active (designated) HPSAs in Ness County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Mhca 23 | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Grisell Memorial Hospital Rhc | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Grisell Memorial Hospital Rhc | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Grisell Memorial Hospital Rhc | dental | 15.0 |
| Ness County | dental | 10.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Ness County
Ness 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. Primary care reads 15.0 of 25; Dental care reads 15.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 59.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Ness County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 47% of counties) with 5 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (1/2/2) before assuming every care category is equally short.
Ness County falls in the upper half of KS counties by active-designation volume, at rank 32 of 105. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Acting on Ness County's high-priority mental health
Ness County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Ness 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 KS before drawing conclusions from a single score. KS 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.
Nearby mental-health score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active mental-health HPSA score to Ness County's 17.0. Open Platte County, MO or Ashtabula County, OH next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ness County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Ness County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 59.0. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Ness County have?
Ness County, KS has 5 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 1 in primary care, 2 in mental health, and 2 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Ness County's HPSA score of 17.0 mean?
17.0 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 Ness County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Ness 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.
Next read: The Mental-Health Provider Shortage · KS state overview · NHSC loan repayment
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 20135. 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 20135 (Ness County, KS) 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 2026-08-03.