LA · Healthcare shortage profile
Washington County, LA
Peak severity leads this reading: Washington County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 45,463.
- Active HPSAs
- 9
- Population
- 45,463
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- 57.6
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Washington County carries a heavier shortage burden than most US counties - 9 active HPSA designations, more than 75% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 9
- Active HPSA designations
- 3
- Mental-health shortages
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 25%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Washington County, LA 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 Washington County's active designations would take about 11 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 3.8 primary care, 2.6 mental health, 4.2 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Washington County's 9 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental (denominator 9).
Few Census ZCTAs touch Washington County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 6 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Washington 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.
Washington County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
9 Top 25% higher than 75% 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. Washington County falls in the upper half of LA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 18 of 64. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 22117. Population: 45,463.
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 9 active (designated) HPSAs in Washington County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| CF-Rayburn Correctional Center | mental_health | 21.0 |
| LI - Washington Parish | primary_care | 19.0 |
| Rayburn Correctional Center | mental_health | 18.0 |
| Washington Parish | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Washington Parish | dental | 11.0 |
| Rayburn Correctional Center | dental | 9.0 |
| CF-Rayburn Correctional Center | dental | 6.0 |
| Rayburn Correctional Center | primary_care | 3.0 |
| CF-Rayburn Correctional Center | primary_care | 3.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Washington County
Peak severity leads this reading: Washington County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Washington County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 21.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 19.0 of 25; Dental care reads 11.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 57.6, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Washington County above 75% of real US counties (9 active designations: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 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.
Washington County falls in the upper half of LA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 18 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.
Washington County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Primary care
Primary care
3 designations
- Mental health
Mental health
3 designations
Heavy-volume FTE gap in Washington County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Washington 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 Washington County, LA · 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
Washington County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Washington County's 9 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 LA before you draw conclusions from a single score. LA 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 Washington 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 Washington 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 “CF-RAYBURN CORRECTIONAL CENTER”).
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 Washington County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Washington County carries an MUA designation (index 57.6; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- Which record sets Washington County's peak score of 21.0?
- "CF-RAYBURN CORRECTIONAL CENTER" leads the active set (score 21.0; mental health; 1,769 people in the service area; ~0.9 FTE still needed on the record; designated 04/07/2026). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 9 active rows: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Washington County's severity reading?
- After "CF-RAYBURN CORRECTIONAL CENTER", the next active names on this release are "CF-RAYBURN CORRECTIONAL CENTER", "LI - Washington Parish", "Rayburn Correctional Center" and "Washington Parish". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~11 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Washington County's high-severity geography?
- Washington County's 9 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 "CF-RAYBURN CORRECTIONAL CENTER".
- How does Washington County's peak severity sit inside LA?
- Washington County holds 9 active HPSA rows with peak 21.0. Washington County falls in the upper half of LA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 18 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: 22117. 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 22117 (Washington County, LA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 9; peak score 21.0; signature peak score 21.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.