RI · Healthcare shortage profile
Newport County, RI
Home to 85,643 residents, with 5 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 5
- Population
- 85,643
- Peak shortage score
- 25.0
- MUA Index
- 60.4
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Newport County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 5 active HPSA designations, more than 47% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.
- 5
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Dental shortages
- 25
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 53%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Newport County, RI 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.
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40% of Newport County's 5 active designations are mental health.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 5).
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Closing Newport County's active designations would take about 3 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.8 mental health, 1.1 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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Peak HPSA score 25.0 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.
Newport County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
5 Top 53% higher than 47% 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. Newport County sits among the top three county rank positions in RI, at rank 3 of 5. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 44005. Population: 85,643.
Single high-priority discipline
Newport County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 2 active dental care designations to Newport County , with a peak score of 25.0. 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 dental care records.
Medically Underserved Area
Active HPSA 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 5 active (designated) HPSAs in Newport County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| East Bay Community Action Program | dental | 25.0 |
| East Bay Community Action Program | mental_health | 16.0 |
| ME - Newport/Middletown | dental | 15.0 |
| East Bay Community Action Program | primary_care | 11.0 |
| Newport County | mental_health | 8.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Newport County
Dental care carries Newport County's deepest shortage reading, 25.0 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 11.0 of 25; Mental health reads 16.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 60.4, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Newport County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 47% of counties) with 5 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (1/2/2) before assuming every care category is equally short.
Newport County sits among the top three county rank positions in RI, at rank 3 of 5. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Acting on Newport County's high-priority dental care
Newport County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Newport County's high-priority dental care designations are where NHSC placement geography concentrates, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's dental care burden compares with the rest of RI before drawing conclusions from a single score. RI 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.
Nearby dental score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active dental HPSA score to Newport County's 25.0.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Newport County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Newport County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 60.4. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Newport County have?
Newport County, RI has 5 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 1 in primary care, 2 in mental health, and 2 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Newport County's HPSA score of 25.0 mean?
25.0 in dental care 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 Newport County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Newport 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.
Next read: Dental Shortage in America · RI state overview · NHSC loan repayment
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 44005. 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 44005 (Newport County, RI) 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.