Medically Underserved Area Two high-priority disciplines

NE · Healthcare shortage profile

Scotts Bluff County, NE

Peak severity leads this reading: Scotts Bluff County's highest active HPSA score is 24.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 36,084.

Active HPSAs
6
Population
36,084
Peak shortage score
24.0
MUA Index
MUA
NE state overview → About this data

Mid-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Scotts Bluff County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 6 active HPSA designations, more than 54% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.

6
Active HPSA designations
2
Dental shortages
24
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 46%
US counties by volume

Few Census ZCTAs touch Scotts Bluff County

The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 9 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Scotts Bluff 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 Scotts Bluff 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.

  1. Peak HPSA score 24.0 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 Scotts Bluff County's active designations would take about 7 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.

    HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.8 primary care, 3 mental health, 2.1 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. 33.3% of Scotts Bluff County's 6 active designations are primary care.

    Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 6).

Scotts Bluff County vs. every real US county

Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none

6 Top 46% higher than 54% 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. Scotts Bluff County falls in the upper quarter of NE counties by active-designation volume, at rank 21 of 92. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 31157. Population: 36,084.

2
Dental HPSAs
2
Mental Health HPSAs

Medically Underserved Area

MUA Designated

Active HPSA scores

Primary Care 16.0
Mental Health 21.0
Dental 24.0

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 6 active (designated) HPSAs in Scotts Bluff County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
Community Action Partnership OF Western Nebraska dental 24.0
Community Action Partnership OF Western Nebraska mental_health 21.0
Region 1 MH Catchment Area mental_health 19.0
Community Action Partnership OF Western Nebraska primary_care 16.0
LI - Scottsbluff County dental 16.0
LI - Scotts Bluff County primary_care 14.0

Moderate-burden reading for Scotts Bluff County

Peak severity leads this reading: Scotts Bluff County's highest active HPSA score is 24.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Scotts Bluff County's deepest shortage reading, 24.0 on HRSA's 0–26 dental scale, 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; Mental health reads 21.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, a separate HRSA designation from the HPSA records above.

Scotts Bluff County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 54% of counties) with 6 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (2/2/2) before assuming every care category is equally short.

Scotts Bluff County falls in the upper quarter of NE counties by active-designation volume, at rank 21 of 92. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.

Scotts Bluff County designations by care type

Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).

designations
Source HRSA Data Warehouse, designated HPSAs As of 2026

Mid-pack clinician FTE gap for Scotts Bluff County

HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Scotts Bluff County's active designations: about 7 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 Scotts Bluff County, NE · 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 Scotts Bluff County's designations

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

  • Scotts Bluff County's 6 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 NE before you draw conclusions from a single score. NE 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.

Nearby dental score peers

Closest U.S. counties on active dental HPSA score to Scotts Bluff County's 24.0. Open Camuy County, PR or Aguas Buenas County, PR next.

Showing 3 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.

Camuy County, PR

24.0 score 32,827 pop.

Aguas Buenas County, PR

24.0 score 24,223 pop.

Arroyo County, PR

24.0 score 15,843 pop.

Counties near Scotts Bluff County's dental score of 24.0

One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 24.0 (severity lead on this page is “COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF WESTERN NEBRASKA”).

Camuy County, PR

24.0 dental score · 32,827 pop.

Aguas Buenas County, PR

24.0 dental score · 24,223 pop.

Arroyo County, PR

24.0 dental score · 15,843 pop.

Atlantic County, NJ

24.0 dental score · 274,534 pop.

Sheboygan County, WI

24.0 dental score · 118,034 pop.

Apache County, AZ

24.0 dental score · 66,021 pop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Scotts Bluff County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
Yes - Scotts Bluff County carries an MUA designation in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
Which record sets Scotts Bluff County's peak score of 24.0?
"COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF WESTERN NEBRASKA" leads the active set (score 24.0; dental; 15,649 people in the service area; designated 10/26/2002). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 6 active rows: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental.
Which other active designations sit under Scotts Bluff County's severity reading?
After "COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF WESTERN NEBRASKA", the next active names on this release are "COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF WESTERN NEBRASKA", "COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF WESTERN NEBRASKA", "Region 1 MH Catchment Area" and "COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF WESTERN NEBRASKA". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~7 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Which federal pathways follow Scotts Bluff County's high-severity geography?
Scotts Bluff County's 6 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 "COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF WESTERN NEBRASKA".

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 31157. 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 31157 (Scotts Bluff County, NE), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 6; peak score 24.0; signature peak score 24.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.