Medically Underserved Area High-priority · mental health only

MN · Healthcare shortage profile

Lac qui Parle County, MN

Home to 6,719 residents, with 12 active HRSA shortage designations.

Active HPSAs
12
Population
6,719
Peak shortage score
19.0
MUA Index
59.6

Heavy-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Lac qui Parle County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 12 active HPSA designations, more than 85% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.

12
Active HPSA designations
4
Mental-health shortages
19
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 15%
US counties by volume

Key findings

What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Lac qui Parle County, MN 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. 33.3% of Lac qui Parle County's 12 active designations are primary care.

    Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental (denominator 12).

  2. Closing Lac qui Parle County's active designations would take about 20 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.

    HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1 primary care, 19 mental health, 0.2 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. Peak HPSA score 19.0 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.

Lac qui Parle County vs. every real US county

Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none

12 Top 15% higher than 85% 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. Lac qui Parle County falls in the upper quarter of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 10 of 85. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 27073. Population: 6,719.

Single high-priority discipline

Lac qui Parle County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is mental health

Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 4 active mental health designations to Lac qui Parle County , with a peak score of 19.0. 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

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 59.6

Peak severity scores

Primary Care 13.0
Mental Health 19.0
Dental 15.0

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 12 active (designated) HPSAs in Lac qui Parle County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
Southwest Central Region Mhca mental_health 19.0
Lac Qui Parle Clinic Madison mental_health 18.0
Johnson Memorial Boyd Clinic mental_health 18.0
Dawson Clinic mental_health 17.0
Johnson Memorial Boyd Clinic dental 15.0
Lac Qui Parle Clinic Madison dental 15.0
Dawson Clinic dental 15.0
Lac Qui Parle Clinic Madison primary_care 13.0
Dawson Clinic primary_care 13.0
Johnson Memorial Boyd Clinic primary_care 13.0
Lac Qui Parle County primary_care 11.0
Lac Qui Parle County dental 9.0

Heavy-burden reading for Lac qui Parle County

Lac qui Parle County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 19.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 13.0 of 25; Dental care reads 15.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 59.6, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.

Volume places Lac qui Parle County above 85% of real US counties (12 active designations: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 19.0. 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.

Lac qui Parle County falls in the upper quarter of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 10 of 85. 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.

Acting on Lac qui Parle County's high-priority mental health

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

  • Lac qui Parle 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 MN before drawing conclusions from a single score. MN 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 With a Similar Mental Health Shortage Score

Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA mental-health HPSA score is closest to Lac qui Parle County's 19.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Monroe County, IN and Daviess County, KY.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lac qui Parle County a Medically Underserved Area?

Yes, Lac qui Parle County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 59.6. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.

How many healthcare shortage areas does Lac qui Parle County have?

Lac qui Parle County, MN has 12 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 4 in primary care, 4 in mental health, and 4 in dental care, according to HRSA data.

What does Lac qui Parle County's HPSA score of 19.0 mean?

19.0 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 Lac qui Parle County?

Based on HRSA shortage designations, Lac qui Parle 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.

Which federal programs do Lac qui Parle County's designations unlock?

Lac qui Parle County's 12 active designations open NHSC placement, Community Health Center grants, the Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, but eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not the county line.

How does Lac qui Parle County compare to other counties in MN?

Lac qui Parle County has 12 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 19.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in MN on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Lac qui Parle County stands relative to the rest of the country. Score-nearest counties on this release include Monroe County, IN and Daviess County, KY.

Next read: The Mental-Health Provider Shortage · MN state overview · NHSC loan repayment

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 27073. 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.

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.

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 27073 (Lac qui Parle County, MN) 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 2026-08-15.