MT · Healthcare shortage profile
Powell County, MT
Peak severity leads this reading: Powell County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 6,946.
- Active HPSAs
- 9
- Population
- 6,946
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- 58.6
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Powell County carries a heavier shortage burden than most US counties - 9 active HPSA designations, more than 75% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 9
- Active HPSA designations
- 3
- Mental-health shortages
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 25%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Powell County, MT 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 21.0 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 Powell County's active designations would take about 4.1 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1 primary care, 1.6 mental health, 1.4 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Powell County's 9 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental (denominator 9).
Few Census ZCTAs touch Powell County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 8 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Powell County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).
Intersecting ZCTA
3 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.
Powell County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
9 Top 25% higher than 75% 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. Powell County falls in the upper quarter of MT counties by active-designation volume, at rank 12 of 56. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 30077. Population: 6,946.
Single high-priority discipline
Powell County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is mental health
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 3 active mental health designations to Powell County , with a peak score of 21.0. 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.
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 9 active (designated) HPSAs in Powell County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| CF-Montana State Prison | mental_health | 21.0 |
| Deer Lodge Medical Center | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Deer Lodge Medical Center | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Deer Lodge Medical Center | dental | 15.0 |
| Powell County | mental_health | 14.0 |
| ME-Powell County | dental | 13.0 |
| LI - Powell County | primary_care | 7.0 |
| CF-Montana State Prison | primary_care | 6.0 |
| CF-Montana State Prison | dental | 6.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Powell County
Peak severity leads this reading: Powell County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Powell County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 21.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 16.0 of 25; Dental care reads 15.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 58.6, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Powell County above 75% of real US counties (9 active designations: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 21.0. 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.
Powell County falls in the upper quarter of MT counties by active-designation volume, at rank 12 of 56. 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.
Heavy-volume FTE gap in Powell County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Powell County's active designations: about 4.1 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Powell County's high-priority mental health
Powell County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Powell 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 MT before drawing conclusions from a single score. MT 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 Powell County's 21.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Prince William County, VA and Orange County, NY.
Showing 6 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Powell County's mental score of 21.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 21.0 (severity lead on this page is “CF-Montana State Prison”).
Prince William County, VA
21.0 mental score · 482,204 pop.
Orange County, NY
21.0 mental score · 401,310 pop.
Lorain County, OH
21.0 mental score · 312,964 pop.
New London County, CT
21.0 mental score · 268,555 pop.
Sacramento County, CA
21.0 mental score · 1,585,055 pop.
Snohomish County, WA
21.0 mental score · 827,957 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Powell County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Powell County carries an MUA designation (index 58.6; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- Which record sets Powell County's peak score of 21.0?
- "CF-Montana State Prison" leads the active set (score 21.0; mental health; 2,569 people in the service area; ~1.3 FTE still needed on the record; designated 08/16/2013). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 9 active rows: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Powell County's severity reading?
- After "CF-Montana State Prison", the next active names on this release are "CF-Montana State Prison", "DEER LODGE MEDICAL CENTER", "DEER LODGE MEDICAL CENTER" and "DEER LODGE MEDICAL CENTER". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~4.1 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Powell County's high-severity geography?
- Powell County's 9 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 "CF-Montana State Prison".
- How does Powell County's peak severity sit inside MT?
- Powell County holds 9 active HPSA rows with peak 21.0. Powell County falls in the upper quarter of MT counties by active-designation volume, at rank 12 of 56. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Prince William County, VA and Orange County, NY.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 30077. 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 30077 (Powell County, MT), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 9; peak score 21.0; signature peak score 21.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.