MO · Healthcare shortage profile
Atchison County, MO
Peak severity leads this reading: Atchison County's highest active HPSA score is 18.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 5,305.
- Active HPSAs
- 3
- Population
- 5,305
- Peak shortage score
- 18.0
- MUA Index
- 59.0
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Atchison County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 3 active HPSA designations, more than 20% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 3
- Active HPSA designations
- 1
- Mental-health shortages
- 18
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 80%
- US counties by volume
Few Census ZCTAs touch Atchison County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 9 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Atchison County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).
Intersecting ZCTA
4 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.
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Atchison County, MO 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 18.0 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 Atchison County's active designations would take about 5 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 0.5 primary care, 3.7 mental health, 0.8 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Atchison County's 3 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 3).
Atchison County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
3 Top 80% higher than 20% 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. Atchison County falls in the lower half of MO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 89 of 115. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 29005. Population: 5,305.
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 3 active (designated) HPSAs in Atchison County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| LI - St. Joseph Mhca #1 | mental_health | 18.0 |
| LI - Holt/Atchison Counties | dental | 16.0 |
| LI-Atchison County | primary_care | 15.0 |
Light-burden reading for Atchison County
Peak severity leads this reading: Atchison County's highest active HPSA score is 18.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Atchison County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 18.0 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 16.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 59.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Atchison County carries 3 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 20% of counties). A light footprint still matters: a single high-score dental or mental-health record can open program geography even when the county total looks small next to heavy peers.
Atchison County falls in the lower half of MO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 89 of 115. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.
Light-volume FTE gap for Atchison County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Atchison County's active designations: about 5 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Atchison County's high-priority mental health
Atchison County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Atchison 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 MO before drawing conclusions from a single score. MO 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 near Atchison County's mental score of 18.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 18.0 (severity lead on this page is “LI - St. Joseph MHCA #1”).
Hendricks County, IN
18.0 mental score · 174,788 pop.
Berrien County, MI
18.0 mental score · 154,316 pop.
Skagit County, WA
18.0 mental score · 129,523 pop.
Northwest Hills County, CT
18.0 mental score · 112,696 pop.
Will County, IL
18.0 mental score · 696,355 pop.
Galveston County, TX
18.0 mental score · 350,682 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Atchison County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Atchison County carries an MUA designation (index 59.0; 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 Atchison County's peak score of 18.0?
- "LI - St. Joseph MHCA #1" leads the active set (score 18.0; mental health; 55,440 people in the service area; ~3.7 FTE still needed on the record; designated 04/14/2026). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 3 active rows: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Atchison County's severity reading?
- After "LI - St. Joseph MHCA #1", the next active names on this release are "LI - St. Joseph MHCA #1", "LI - Holt/Atchison Counties" and "LI-Atchison County". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~5 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 29005. 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 29005 (Atchison County, MO), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 3; peak score 18.0; signature peak score 18.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.