TX · Healthcare shortage profile
Deaf Smith County, TX
Peak severity leads this reading: Deaf Smith County's highest active HPSA score is 17.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 18,583.
- Active HPSAs
- 6
- Population
- 18,583
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- -
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Deaf Smith County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 6 active HPSA designations, more than 54% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 6
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Mental-health shortages
- 17
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 46%
- US counties by volume
Based on HRSA primary/mental/dental shortage severity, Medically Underserved Area status, and estimated unmet provider need -- not patient outcomes, insurance access, facility quality, or wait times.
Few Census ZCTAs touch Deaf Smith County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 6 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Deaf Smith County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).
Intersecting ZCTA
1 additional ZCTA 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 Deaf Smith County, TX 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 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 Deaf Smith County's active designations would take about 3.9 additional clinician FTEs, with primary care the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.6 primary care, 0.9 mental health, 1.3 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Deaf Smith County's 6 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 6).
Deaf Smith County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
6 Top 46% higher than 54% 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. Deaf Smith County falls in the upper quarter of TX counties by active-designation volume, at rank 26 of 254. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 48117. Population: 18,583.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Deaf Smith 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 6 active (designated) HPSAs in Deaf Smith County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Hereford Health Clinic | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Deaf Smith County | mental_health | 17.0 |
| LI - Deaf Smith County | dental | 17.0 |
| Deaf Smith County | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Hereford Health Clinic | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Hereford Health Clinic | dental | 15.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Deaf Smith County
Peak severity leads this reading: Deaf Smith County's highest active HPSA score is 17.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Deaf Smith County's shortage runs equally deep in mental health and dental care: both scored 17.0 by HRSA, 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. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Deaf Smith County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Deaf Smith County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 54% of counties) with 6 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (2/2/2) before assuming every care category is equally short.
Deaf Smith County falls in the upper quarter of TX counties by active-designation volume, at rank 26 of 254. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Deaf Smith County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Mental health
Mental health
2 designations
- Dental
Dental
2 designations
Mid-pack clinician FTE gap for Deaf Smith County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Deaf Smith County's active designations: about 3.9 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 Deaf Smith County, TX · 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 Deaf Smith County's designations
Deaf Smith County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Deaf Smith County's 6 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 TX before you draw conclusions from a single score. TX 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.
Nearby mental-health score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active mental-health HPSA score to Deaf Smith County's 17.0. Open Lafourche County, LA or Dane County, WI next.
Showing 3 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Deaf Smith County's peak score of 17.0?
- "HEREFORD HEALTH CLINIC" leads the active set (score 17.0; mental health; 25,927 people in the service area; designated 02/11/2020). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 6 active rows: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental.
- Why is Deaf Smith County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Deaf Smith 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 Deaf Smith County's severity reading?
- After "HEREFORD HEALTH CLINIC", the next active names on this release are "HEREFORD HEALTH CLINIC", "Deaf Smith County" and "LI - Deaf Smith County". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~3.9 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Deaf Smith County's high-severity geography?
- Deaf Smith County's 6 active designations can open NHSC placement, CHC grants, Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not merely the county line around "HEREFORD HEALTH CLINIC".
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 48117. 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 48117 (Deaf Smith County, TX), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 6; peak score 17.0; signature peak score 17.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.