Medically Underserved Area Two high-priority disciplines

MS · Healthcare shortage profile

Scott County, MS

Designation volume is the standout signal for Scott County: 12 active HPSA records, above 85% of real US counties. Population 27,990.

Active HPSAs
12
Population
27,990
Peak shortage score
20.0
MUA Index
62.0

Heavy-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Scott 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
Primary-care shortages
20
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 15%
US counties by volume

Key findings

What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Scott County, MS 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 20.0 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 Scott County's active designations would take about 13 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.

    HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 3.2 primary care, 9.6 mental health, 0 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. 33.3% of Scott 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).

Scott County's mid-pack ZIP footprint

10 Census ZCTAs intersect Scott County, between the 9 and 15 ZIP cuts across published counties: neither a postage-stamp footprint nor a metro-scale lattice.

Largest land-share ZCTAs

2 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.

Scott 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. Scott County sits among the top three county rank positions in MS, at rank 3 of 82. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 28123. Population: 27,990.

4
Primary Care HPSAs
4
Mental Health HPSAs

Medically Underserved Area

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 62.0

Peak severity scores

Primary Care 20.0
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 12 active (designated) HPSAs in Scott County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
Community Health Clinic primary_care 20.0
Lackey Pediatric Clinic primary_care 20.0
Main Street Medical Clinic OF Morton primary_care 19.0
Main Street Medical Clinic OF Morton mental_health 18.0
Community Health Clinic mental_health 17.0
Lackey Pediatric Clinic mental_health 17.0
Mental Health Catchment Area 10 mental_health 16.0
Scott County primary_care 15.0
Community Health Clinic dental 15.0
Lackey Pediatric Clinic dental 15.0
Main Street Medical Clinic OF Morton dental 13.0
LI-Scott County dental 12.0

Heavy-burden reading for Scott County

Designation volume is the standout signal for Scott County: 12 active HPSA records, above 85% of real US counties. Primary care is where Scott County is stretched thinnest: HRSA scores it 20.0 of 25, the county's highest severity reading and past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Mental health reads 18.0 of 25; Dental care reads 15.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 62.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.

Volume places Scott 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 20.0. 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.

Scott County sits among the top three county rank positions in MS, at rank 3 of 82. 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.

Scott County designations by care type

Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).

designations
Source HRSA Data Warehouse, designated HPSAs As of 2026

Heavy-volume FTE gap in Scott County

HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Scott County's active designations: about 13 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 Scott County, MS · 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

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

  • Scott County's 12 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 MS before you draw conclusions from a single score. MS 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 Primary Care Shortage Score

Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA primary-care HPSA score is closest to Scott County's 20.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Frederick County, MD and El Dorado County, CA.

Showing 6 of 2932 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.

High-volume peers of Scott County (12 active)

One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 12 across the national corpus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Scott County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
Yes - Scott County carries an MUA designation (index 62.0; 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 Scott County's 12 active HPSA designations?
12 Designated rows (4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC" (score 20.0; primary care; 46,213 people in the service area; designated 08/18/2019). Also active: "LACKEY PEDIATRIC CLINIC", "MAIN STREET MEDICAL CLINIC OF MORTON", "MAIN STREET MEDICAL CLINIC OF MORTON". Above 85% of real US counties by volume.
What does volume-plus-score look like for Scott County?
Peak active score 20.0 in primary care clears the 17-point line while volume sits at 12 rows.
What clinician need sits behind Scott County's designation volume?
Closing published gaps would take about 13 additional clinician FTEs (id-de-duped providers_needed). "COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC" is the severity lead inside that inventory.
Which federal programs follow Scott County's designation volume?
12 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 Scott County's volume compare inside MS?
12 active HPSA rows · peak 20.0. Scott County sits among the top three county rank positions in MS, at rank 3 of 82. Score-nearest counties on this release include Frederick County, MD and El Dorado County, CA.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 28123. 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 28123 (Scott County, MS), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 12; peak score 20.0; signature 12 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.