MN · Healthcare shortage profile
Sibley County, MN
Home to 14,836 residents, with 11 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 11
- Population
- 14,836
- Peak shortage score
- 18.0
- MUA Index
- 61.9
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Sibley County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 11 active HPSA designations, more than 84% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 11
- Active HPSA designations
- 4
- Mental-health shortages
- 18
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 16%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Sibley County, MN 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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36.4% of Sibley County's 11 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 3 dental (denominator 11).
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Closing Sibley County's active designations would take about 14 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 3.5 primary care, 11 mental health. 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.
Sibley County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
11 Top 16% higher than 84% 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. Sibley County falls in the upper quarter of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 of 85. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 27143. Population: 14,836.
Single high-priority discipline
Sibley County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is mental health
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 4 active mental health designations to Sibley County , with a peak score of 18.0. 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
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 11 active (designated) HPSAs in Sibley County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Ridgeview Winthrop Clinic | mental_health | 18.0 |
| Ridgeview Arlington Clinic | mental_health | 18.0 |
| South Central Region | mental_health | 18.0 |
| Ridgeview Gaylord Clinic | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Ridgeview Winthrop Clinic | dental | 15.0 |
| Ridgeview Gaylord Clinic | dental | 15.0 |
| Ridgeview Arlington Clinic | dental | 15.0 |
| Ridgeview Gaylord Clinic | primary_care | 13.0 |
| Ridgeview Winthrop Clinic | primary_care | 13.0 |
| Sibley County | primary_care | 13.0 |
| Ridgeview Arlington Clinic | primary_care | 11.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Sibley County
Sibley County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 18.0 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 61.9, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Sibley County above 84% of real US counties (11 active designations: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 3 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 18.0. 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.
Sibley County falls in the upper quarter of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 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 Sibley County's high-priority mental health
Sibley County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Sibley 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 Sibley County's 18.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Skagit County, WA and Northwest Hills County, CT.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sibley County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Sibley County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 61.9. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Sibley County have?
Sibley County, MN has 11 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 4 in primary care, 4 in mental health, and 3 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Sibley County's HPSA score of 18.0 mean?
18.0 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 Sibley County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Sibley 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 Sibley County's designations unlock?
Sibley County's 11 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 Sibley County compare to other counties in MN?
Sibley County has 11 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 18.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in MN on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Sibley County stands relative to the rest of the country. Score-nearest counties on this release include Skagit County, WA and Northwest Hills County, CT.
Next read: The Mental-Health Provider Shortage · MN state overview · NHSC loan repayment
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 27143. 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 27143 (Sibley 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 2026-08-03.