MI · Healthcare shortage profile
Branch County, MI
Home to 44,862 residents, with 5 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 5
- Population
- 44,862
- Peak shortage score
- 18.0
- MUA Index
- 49.9
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Branch County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 5 active HPSA designations, more than 47% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 5
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Dental shortages
- 18
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 53%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Branch County, MI 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 Branch County's 5 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 1 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 5).
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Closing Branch County's active designations would take about 7.8 additional clinician FTEs, with primary care the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 3.6 primary care, 0.7 mental health, 3.5 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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Peak HPSA score 18.0 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.
Branch 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. Branch County falls in the lower half of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 56 of 83. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 26023. Population: 44,862.
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 Branch County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| CF - Lakeland | mental_health | 18.0 |
| LI - Branch County | dental | 18.0 |
| LI-Branch County | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Lakeland Correctional Facility | dental | 12.0 |
| CF - Lakeland | primary_care | 6.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Branch County
Branch County's shortage runs equally deep in mental health and dental care: both scored 18.0 by HRSA, 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. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 49.9, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Branch 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 (2/1/2) before assuming every care category is equally short.
Branch County falls in the lower half of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 56 of 83. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Branch County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Dental
Dental
2 designations
- Mental health
Mental health
1 designations
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Branch County, MI · 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 Branch County's designations
Branch County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Branch County's 5 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 MI before you draw conclusions from a single score. MI 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 dental score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active dental HPSA score to Branch County's 18.0. Open Atascosa County, TX or Jackson County, NC next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Branch County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Branch County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 49.9. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Branch County have?
Branch County, MI has 5 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 2 in primary care, 1 in mental health, and 2 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Branch County's HPSA score of 18.0 mean?
18.0 in mental health and dental care 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 Branch County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Branch 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: Dental Shortage in America · MI state overview · NHSC loan repayment
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 26023. 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 26023 (Branch County, MI) 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.