NE · Healthcare shortage profile
Phelps County, NE
Designation volume is the standout signal for Phelps County: 7 active HPSA records, above 70% of real US counties. Population 8,968.
- Active HPSAs
- 7
- Population
- 8,968
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- -
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Phelps 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 Phelps County, NE 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.
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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.
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Closing Phelps County's active designations would take about 5.1 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 5.1 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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42.9% of Phelps 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).
Phelps County's mid-pack ZIP footprint
10 Census ZCTAs intersect Phelps 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.
Phelps 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. Phelps 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: 31137. Population: 8,968.
Single high-priority discipline
Phelps County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is mental health
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 3 active mental health designations to Phelps 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 Phelps 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 Phelps County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Phelps Medical Group | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Lexington Regional Health Center Bertrand Clinic | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Lexington Regional Health Center Bertrand Clinic | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Phelps Medical Group | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Mental Health Catchment Area 3 | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Phelps Medical Group | dental | 11.0 |
| Lexington Regional Health Center Bertrand Clinic | dental | 11.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Phelps County
Designation volume is the standout signal for Phelps County: 7 active HPSA records, above 70% of real US counties. Phelps 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 11.0 of 26. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Phelps County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Volume places Phelps 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.
Phelps 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 Phelps County's high-priority mental health
Phelps County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Phelps 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 Phelps County's 17.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Thurston County, WA and Boone County, MO.
Showing 6 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
High-volume peers of Phelps County (7 active)
One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 7 across the national corpus.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes up Phelps County's 7 active HPSA designations?
- 7 Designated rows (2 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "PHELPS MEDICAL GROUP" (score 17.0; mental health; 28,941 people in the service area; designated 12/28/2021). Also active: "LEXINGTON REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER BERTRAND CLINIC", "LEXINGTON REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER BERTRAND CLINIC", "PHELPS MEDICAL GROUP". Above 70% of real US counties by volume.
- Why is Phelps County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Phelps County has no MUA designation on this release. Federal shortage support here runs through the active HPSA record set alone.
- What does volume-plus-score look like for Phelps County?
- Peak active score 17.0 in mental health clears the 17-point line while volume sits at 7 rows.
- What clinician need sits behind Phelps County's designation volume?
- Closing published gaps would take about 5.1 additional clinician FTEs (id-de-duped providers_needed). "PHELPS MEDICAL GROUP" is the severity lead inside that inventory.
- Which federal programs follow Phelps County's designation volume?
- 7 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 Phelps County's volume compare inside NE?
- 7 active HPSA rows · peak 17.0. Phelps County falls in the upper quarter of NE counties by active-designation volume, at rank 16 of 92. Score-nearest counties on this release include Thurston County, WA and Boone County, MO.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 31137. 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 31137 (Phelps County, NE), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 7; peak score 17.0; signature 7 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.