NE · Healthcare shortage profile
Otoe County, NE
Designation volume is the standout signal for Otoe County: 7 active HPSA records, above 70% of real US counties. Population 15,912.
- Active HPSAs
- 7
- Population
- 15,912
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- -
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Otoe 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
Dense ZCTA lattice over Otoe County
Otoe County intersects 20 Census ZCTAs, above the 15-ZIP dense-tercile cut. Shortage designations still attach at the county (or smaller HPSA) grain; the ZIP list is geography, not a second severity score.
Largest land-share ZCTAs in this county
8 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 Otoe County, NE 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 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 Otoe County's active designations would take about 12 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 12 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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42.9% of Otoe 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).
Otoe 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
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. Otoe County falls in the upper quarter of NE counties by active-designation volume, at rank 16 of 92. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 31131. Population: 15,912.
Single high-priority discipline
Otoe County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is mental health
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 3 active mental health designations to Otoe 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.
Peak severity scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Otoe 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 7 active (designated) HPSAs in Otoe County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska City Medical Clinic | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Syracuse Area Health | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Nebraska City Medical Clinic | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Nebraska City Medical Clinic | dental | 15.0 |
| Mental Health Catchment Area 5 | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Syracuse Area Health | dental | 11.0 |
| Syracuse Area Health | primary_care | 7.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Otoe County
Designation volume is the standout signal for Otoe County: 7 active HPSA records, above 70% of real US counties. Otoe 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. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Otoe County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Volume places Otoe 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.
Otoe County falls in the upper quarter of NE counties by active-designation volume, at rank 16 of 92. 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 Otoe County's high-priority mental health
Otoe County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Otoe 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 NE before drawing conclusions from a single score. NE 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 Otoe County's 17.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Thurston County, WA and Boone County, MO.
Showing 6 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
High-volume peers of Otoe County (7 active)
One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 7 across the national corpus.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes up Otoe County's 7 active HPSA designations?
- 7 Designated rows (2 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "NEBRASKA CITY MEDICAL CLINIC" (score 17.0; mental health; 55,939 people in the service area; designated 08/24/2009). Also active: "SYRACUSE AREA HEALTH", "NEBRASKA CITY MEDICAL CLINIC", "NEBRASKA CITY MEDICAL CLINIC". Above 70% of real US counties by volume.
- Why is Otoe County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Otoe County has no MUA designation on this release. Federal shortage support here runs through the active HPSA record set alone.
- What does volume-plus-score look like for Otoe 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 Otoe County's designation volume?
- Closing published gaps would take about 12 additional clinician FTEs (id-de-duped providers_needed). "NEBRASKA CITY MEDICAL CLINIC" is the severity lead inside that inventory.
- Which federal programs follow Otoe 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 Otoe County's volume compare inside NE?
- 7 active HPSA rows · peak 17.0. Otoe County falls in the upper quarter of NE counties by active-designation volume, at rank 16 of 92. Score-nearest counties on this release include Thurston County, WA and Boone County, MO.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 31131. 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 31131 (Otoe County, NE), 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.