MO · Healthcare shortage profile
Vernon County, MO
Designation volume is the standout signal for Vernon County: 9 active HPSA records, above 75% of real US counties. Population 19,707.
- Active HPSAs
- 9
- Population
- 19,707
- Peak shortage score
- 18.0
- MUA Index
- 52.0
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Vernon 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
- 18
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 25%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Vernon 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 Vernon County's active designations would take about 13 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 4.3 primary care, 5.2 mental health, 3.7 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Vernon 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).
Vernon County's mid-pack ZIP footprint
14 Census ZCTAs intersect Vernon County, between the 9 and 15 ZIP cuts across published counties: neither a postage-stamp footprint nor a metro-scale lattice.
Largest land-share ZCTAs
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.
Vernon 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. Vernon County falls in the upper half of MO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 41 of 115. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 29217. Population: 19,707.
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 Vernon County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada Regional Primary Care Center | mental_health | 18.0 |
| LI-Mhca 8 (Nevada Catchment Area) | mental_health | 18.0 |
| Nrmc Nowcare Clinic | mental_health | 18.0 |
| LI - Vernon/Barton Counties | primary_care | 17.0 |
| Nrmc Nowcare Clinic | dental | 17.0 |
| Nevada Regional Primary Care Center | dental | 17.0 |
| LI - Vernon/Cedar Counties | dental | 17.0 |
| Nrmc Nowcare Clinic | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Nevada Regional Primary Care Center | primary_care | 16.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Vernon County
Designation volume is the standout signal for Vernon County: 9 active HPSA records, above 75% of real US counties. Vernon 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 17.0 of 25; Dental care reads 17.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 52.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Vernon 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 18.0. 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.
Vernon County falls in the upper half of MO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 41 of 115. 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 Vernon County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Vernon County's active designations: about 13 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 Vernon County, MO · 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
Vernon County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Vernon County's 9 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 MO before you draw conclusions from a single score. MO 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 Mental Health Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA mental-health HPSA score is closest to Vernon County's 18.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Hendricks County, IN and Berrien County, MI.
Showing 6 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
High-volume peers of Vernon County (9 active)
One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 9 across the national corpus.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Vernon County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Vernon County carries an MUA designation (index 52.0; 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 Vernon County's 9 active HPSA designations?
- 9 Designated rows (3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "NEVADA REGIONAL PRIMARY CARE CENTER" (score 18.0; mental health; 45,867 people in the service area; designated 11/24/2025). Also active: "LI-MHCA 8 (Nevada Catchment Area)", "NRMC NOWCARE CLINIC", "LI - Vernon/Barton Counties". Above 75% of real US counties by volume.
- What does volume-plus-score look like for Vernon County?
- Peak active score 18.0 in mental health clears the 17-point line while volume sits at 9 rows.
- What clinician need sits behind Vernon County's designation volume?
- Closing published gaps would take about 13 additional clinician FTEs (id-de-duped providers_needed). "NEVADA REGIONAL PRIMARY CARE CENTER" is the severity lead inside that inventory.
- Which federal programs follow Vernon County's designation volume?
- 9 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 Vernon County's volume compare inside MO?
- 9 active HPSA rows · peak 18.0. Vernon County falls in the upper half of MO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 41 of 115. Score-nearest counties on this release include Hendricks County, IN and Berrien County, MI.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 29217. 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 29217 (Vernon County, MO), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 9; peak score 18.0; signature 9 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.