Medically Underserved Area High-priority · mental health only

MN · Healthcare shortage profile

Sibley County, MN

Designation volume is the standout signal for Sibley County: 11 active HPSA records, above 84% of real US counties. Population 14,836.

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

Dense ZCTA lattice over Sibley County

Sibley County intersects 16 Census ZCTAs, above the 15-ZIP dense-tercile cut. Shortage designations still attach at the county (or smaller HPSA) grain; the ZIP list is geography, not a second severity score.

Largest land-share ZCTAs in this county

4 additional ZCTAs 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.

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 2026-08-15. Each line carries its own denominator so it can be quoted as it stands.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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).

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

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. 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

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 61.9

Peak severity scores

Primary Care 13.0
Mental Health 18.0
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 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

Designation volume is the standout signal for Sibley County: 11 active HPSA records, above 84% of real US counties. 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.

Heavy-volume FTE gap in Sibley County

HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Sibley County's active designations: about 14 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

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 Clackamas County, OR and Weber County, UT.

Showing 6 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.

High-volume peers of Sibley County (11 active)

One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 11 across the national corpus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Sibley County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
Yes - Sibley County carries an MUA designation (index 61.9; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
What makes up Sibley County's 11 active HPSA designations?
11 Designated rows (4 primary care, 4 mental health, 3 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "RIDGEVIEW WINTHROP CLINIC" (score 18.0; mental health; 41,559 people in the service area; designated 05/26/2017). Also active: "RIDGEVIEW ARLINGTON CLINIC", "South Central Region", "RIDGEVIEW GAYLORD CLINIC". Above 84% of real US counties by volume.
What does volume-plus-score look like for Sibley County?
Peak active score 18.0 in mental health clears the 17-point line while volume sits at 11 rows.
What clinician need sits behind Sibley County's designation volume?
Closing published gaps would take about 14 additional clinician FTEs (id-de-duped providers_needed). "RIDGEVIEW WINTHROP CLINIC" is the severity lead inside that inventory.
Which federal programs follow Sibley County's designation volume?
11 active designations can open NHSC placement, CHC grants, Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, by designated area and provider type, not by county line alone.
How does Sibley County's volume compare inside MN?
11 active HPSA rows · peak 18.0. Sibley County falls in the upper quarter of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 of 85. Score-nearest counties on this release include Clackamas County, OR and Weber County, UT.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 27143. 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 27143 (Sibley County, MN), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 11; peak score 18.0; signature 11 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.