MT · Healthcare shortage profile
Richland County, MT
Peak severity leads this reading: Richland County's highest active HPSA score is 18.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 11,491.
- Active HPSAs
- 2
- Population
- 11,491
- Peak shortage score
- 18.0
- MUA Index
- -
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Richland County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 2 active HPSA designations, more than 10% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 2
- Active HPSA designations
- 1
- Mental-health shortages
- 18
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 90%
- US counties by volume
Few Census ZCTAs touch Richland County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 9 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Richland County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).
Intersecting ZCTA
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 Richland County, MT 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.
-
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.
-
Closing Richland County's active designations would take about 4.5 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 0.2 primary care, 4.3 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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50% of Richland County's 2 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 0 dental (denominator 2).
Richland County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
2 Top 90% higher than 10% 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. Richland County falls in the lower half of MT counties by active-designation volume, at rank 39 of 56. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 30083. Population: 11,491.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Richland County in the current HRSA release, federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need. What counts as a high score?
Highest-severity HPSA designations
All 2 active (designated) HPSAs in Richland County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Montana | mental_health | 18.0 |
| Mfw - Richland County | primary_care | 7.0 |
Light-burden reading for Richland County
Peak severity leads this reading: Richland County's highest active HPSA score is 18.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Richland 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 7.0 of 25. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Richland County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Richland County carries 2 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 10% of counties). A light footprint still matters: a single high-score dental or mental-health record can open program geography even when the county total looks small next to heavy peers.
Richland County falls in the lower half of MT counties by active-designation volume, at rank 39 of 56. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.
Light-volume FTE gap for Richland County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Richland County's active designations: about 4.5 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Richland County's high-priority mental health
Richland County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Richland 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 MT before drawing conclusions from a single score. MT 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 near Richland County's mental score of 18.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 18.0 (severity lead on this page is “Eastern Montana”).
Hendricks County, IN
18.0 mental score · 174,788 pop.
Berrien County, MI
18.0 mental score · 154,316 pop.
Skagit County, WA
18.0 mental score · 129,523 pop.
Northwest Hills County, CT
18.0 mental score · 112,696 pop.
Will County, IL
18.0 mental score · 696,355 pop.
Galveston County, TX
18.0 mental score · 350,682 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Richland County's peak score of 18.0?
- "Eastern Montana" leads the active set (score 18.0; mental health; 18,000 people in the service area; ~4.3 FTE still needed on the record; designated 12/19/1980). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 2 active rows: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 0 dental.
- Why is Richland County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Richland County has no MUA designation on this release. Federal shortage support here runs through the active HPSA record set alone.
- Which other active designations sit under Richland County's severity reading?
- After "Eastern Montana", the next active names on this release are "Eastern Montana" and "MFW - Richland County". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~4.5 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 30083. This county’s designations come from BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_PC.csv (primary care) and BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_MH.csv (mental health) — 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 30083 (Richland County, MT), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 2; peak score 18.0; signature peak score 18.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.