Medically Underserved Area High-priority · mental health only

KS · Healthcare shortage profile

Morton County, KS

Designation volume is the standout signal for Morton County: 7 active HPSA records, above 70% of real US counties. Population 2,701.

Active HPSAs
7
Population
2,701
Peak shortage score
17.0
MUA Index
60.4

Heavy-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Morton County carries a heavier shortage burden than most US counties - 7 active HPSA designations, more than 70% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.

7
Active HPSA designations
3
Mental-health shortages
17
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 30%
US counties by volume

Few Census ZCTAs touch Morton County

The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 5 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Morton County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).

Intersecting ZCTA

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 Morton County, KS 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.

  1. 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.

  2. Closing Morton County's active designations would take about 4.3 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 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. 42.9% of Morton County's 7 active designations are mental health.

    Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 7).

Morton County vs. every real US county

Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none

7 Top 30% higher than 70% of 3,289 real US counties

0–20: 3,115 real US counties (95%). This entry sits in this band. 20–40: 128 real US counties (4%). Above this entry. 40–60: 32 real US counties (1%). Above this entry. 60–80: 7 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 80–100: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 100–120: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 120–140: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 140–160: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 160–180: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 180–200: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 200–220: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 220–240: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 240–260: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 260–280: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. This county 0 280 every real US county, bucketed by value

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. Morton County falls in the upper quarter of KS counties by active-designation volume, at rank 17 of 105. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 20129. Population: 2,701.

Single high-priority discipline

Morton County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is mental health

Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 3 active mental health designations to Morton County , with a peak score of 17.0. 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

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 60.4

Peak severity scores

Primary Care 15.0
Mental Health 17.0
Dental 15.0

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 7 active (designated) HPSAs in Morton County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
Rolla Medical Clinic mental_health 17.0
Mhca 24 mental_health 16.0
Morton County Medical Clinic mental_health 16.0
Rolla Medical Clinic primary_care 15.0
Morton County Medical Clinic primary_care 15.0
Morton County Medical Clinic dental 15.0
Rolla Medical Clinic dental 15.0

Heavy-burden reading for Morton County

Designation volume is the standout signal for Morton County: 7 active HPSA records, above 70% of real US counties. Morton County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 17.0 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 15.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 60.4, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.

Volume places Morton County above 70% of real US counties (7 active designations: 2 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 17.0. 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.

Morton County falls in the upper quarter of KS counties by active-designation volume, at rank 17 of 105. 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.

Acting on Morton County's high-priority mental health

Morton County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.

  • Morton 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 KS before drawing conclusions from a single score. KS 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 Morton County's 17.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Lafourche County, LA and Dane County, WI.

Showing 6 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.

High-volume peers of Morton County (7 active)

One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 7 across the national corpus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Morton County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
Yes - Morton County carries an MUA designation (index 60.4; 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 Morton County's 7 active HPSA designations?
7 Designated rows (2 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "ROLLA MEDICAL CLINIC" (score 17.0; mental health; 14,163 people in the service area; designated 02/11/2020). Also active: "MHCA 24", "MORTON COUNTY MEDICAL CLINIC", "ROLLA MEDICAL CLINIC". Above 70% of real US counties by volume.
What does volume-plus-score look like for Morton County?
Peak active score 17.0 in mental health clears the 17-point line while volume sits at 7 rows.
What clinician need sits behind Morton County's designation volume?
Closing published gaps would take about 4.3 additional clinician FTEs (id-de-duped providers_needed). "ROLLA MEDICAL CLINIC" is the severity lead inside that inventory.
Which federal programs follow Morton County's designation volume?
7 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 Morton County's volume compare inside KS?
7 active HPSA rows · peak 17.0. Morton County falls in the upper quarter of KS counties by active-designation volume, at rank 17 of 105. Score-nearest counties on this release include Lafourche County, LA and Dane County, WI.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 20129. 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 20129 (Morton County, KS), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 7; peak score 17.0; signature 7 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.