ND · Healthcare shortage profile
McLean County, ND
Designation volume is the standout signal for McLean County: 15 active HPSA records, above 91% of real US counties. Population 9,771.
- Active HPSAs
- 15
- Population
- 9,771
- Peak shortage score
- 20.0
- MUA Index
- 60.2
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, McLean County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 15 active HPSA designations, more than 91% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 15
- Active HPSA designations
- 5
- Dental shortages
- 20
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 9%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for McLean County, ND 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 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.
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Closing McLean County's active designations would take about 4.8 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.5 primary care, 3 mental health, 0.4 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of McLean County's 15 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 5 primary care, 5 mental health, 5 dental (denominator 15).
Dense ZCTA lattice over McLean County
McLean County intersects 18 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
6 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.
McLean County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
15 Top 9% higher than 91% 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. McLean County is tied for the highest active-designation count among 53 real counties in ND. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 38055. Population: 9,771.
Medically Underserved Area
Peak severity scores
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 15 active (designated) HPSAs in McLean County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Northland Health Partners Community Health Center | dental | 20.0 |
| Mha Nation | primary_care | 17.0 |
| White Shield Field Clinic | dental | 16.0 |
| Northland Health Partners Community Health Center | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Northland Health Partners Community Health Center | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Garrison Family Clinic | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Garrison Family Clinic | dental | 15.0 |
| White Shield Field Clinic | mental_health | 14.0 |
| White Shield Field Clinic | primary_care | 13.0 |
| Chi St Alexius Health Clinic | primary_care | 13.0 |
| Region VII West Central Human Service Center | mental_health | 11.0 |
| Chi St Alexius Health Clinic | mental_health | 11.0 |
| Chi St Alexius Health Clinic | dental | 11.0 |
| McLean County | dental | 9.0 |
| Garrison Family Clinic | primary_care | 5.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for McLean County
Designation volume is the standout signal for McLean County: 15 active HPSA records, above 91% of real US counties. Dental care carries McLean County's deepest shortage reading, 20.0 on HRSA's 0–26 dental scale, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 17.0 of 25; Mental health reads 15.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 60.2, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places McLean County above 91% of real US counties (15 active designations: 5 primary care, 5 mental health, 5 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.
McLean County is tied for the highest active-designation count among 53 real counties in ND. 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.
McLean County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Primary care
Primary care
5 designations
- Dental
Dental
5 designations
Heavy-volume FTE gap in McLean County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for McLean County's active designations: about 4.8 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 McLean County, ND · 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
McLean County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- McLean County's 15 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 ND before you draw conclusions from a single score. ND 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 Dental Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA dental HPSA score is closest to McLean County's 20.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Allegan County, MI and Umatilla County, OR.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
High-volume peers of McLean County (15 active)
One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 15 across the national corpus.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does McLean County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - McLean County carries an MUA designation (index 60.2; 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 McLean County's 15 active HPSA designations?
- 15 Designated rows (5 primary care, 5 mental health, 5 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "NORTHLAND HEALTH PARTNERS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER" (score 20.0; dental; 23,212 people in the service area; designated 10/26/2002). Also active: "MHA Nation", "White Shield Field Clinic", "NORTHLAND HEALTH PARTNERS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER". Above 91% of real US counties by volume.
- What does volume-plus-score look like for McLean County?
- Peak active score 20.0 in dental care clears the 17-point line while volume sits at 15 rows.
- What clinician need sits behind McLean County's designation volume?
- Closing published gaps would take about 4.8 additional clinician FTEs (id-de-duped providers_needed). "NORTHLAND HEALTH PARTNERS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER" is the severity lead inside that inventory.
- Which federal programs follow McLean County's designation volume?
- 15 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 McLean County's volume compare inside ND?
- 15 active HPSA rows · peak 20.0. McLean County is tied for the highest active-designation count among 53 real counties in ND. Score-nearest counties on this release include Allegan County, MI and Umatilla County, OR.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 38055. 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 38055 (McLean County, ND), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 15; peak score 20.0; signature 15 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.