NE · Healthcare shortage profile
Otoe County, NE
Home to 15,912 residents, with 7 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 7
- Population
- 15,912
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- -
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Otoe County carries a heavier shortage burden than most US counties - 7 active HPSA designations, more than 70% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.
- 7
- Active HPSA designations
- 3
- Mental-health shortages
- 17
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 30%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Otoe County, NE 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.
-
42.9% of Otoe County's 7 active designations are mental health.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 7).
-
Closing Otoe County's active designations would take about 12 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 12 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
-
Peak HPSA score 17.0 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.
Otoe County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
7 Top 30% higher than 70% 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. Otoe County falls in the upper quarter of NE counties by active-designation volume, at rank 16 of 92. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 31131. Population: 15,912.
Single high-priority discipline
Otoe County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is mental health
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 3 active mental health designations to Otoe County , with a peak score of 17.0. 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.
Peak severity scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Otoe 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 7 active (designated) HPSAs in Otoe County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska City Medical Clinic | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Syracuse Area Health | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Nebraska City Medical Clinic | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Nebraska City Medical Clinic | dental | 15.0 |
| Mental Health Catchment Area 5 | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Syracuse Area Health | dental | 11.0 |
| Syracuse Area Health | primary_care | 7.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Otoe County
Otoe County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 17.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 15.0 of 25; Dental care reads 15.0 of 26. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Otoe County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Volume places Otoe County above 70% of real US counties (7 active designations: 2 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 17.0. 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.
Otoe County falls in the upper quarter of NE counties by active-designation volume, at rank 16 of 92. 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 Otoe County's high-priority mental health
Otoe County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Otoe 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 NE before drawing conclusions from a single score. NE 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 Otoe County's 17.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Kalamazoo County, MI and Hampshire County, MA.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many healthcare shortage areas does Otoe County have?
Otoe County, NE has 7 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 2 in primary care, 3 in mental health, and 2 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
Is Otoe County a Medically Underserved Area?
Otoe County does not currently have a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) designation from HRSA. However, the county may still have individual HPSA designations for specific provider types.
What does Otoe County's HPSA score of 17.0 mean?
17.0 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 Otoe County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Otoe 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 Otoe County's designations unlock?
Otoe County's 7 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 Otoe County compare to other counties in NE?
Otoe County has 7 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 17.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in NE on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Otoe County stands relative to the rest of the country. Score-nearest counties on this release include Kalamazoo County, MI and Hampshire County, MA.
Next read: The Mental-Health Provider Shortage · NE state overview · NHSC loan repayment
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 31131. 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 31131 (Otoe County, NE) 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.