Medically Underserved Area High-priority · mental health only

LA · Healthcare shortage profile

West Carroll County, LA

Peak severity leads this reading: West Carroll County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 9,751.

Active HPSAs
2
Population
9,751
Peak shortage score
19.0
MUA Index
57.0

Light-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, West Carroll County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 2 active HPSA designations, more than 10% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.

2
Active HPSA designations
1
Mental-health shortages
19
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 90%
US counties by volume

Few Census ZCTAs touch West Carroll County

The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 5 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting West Carroll 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 West Carroll County, LA 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 19.0 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 West Carroll County's active designations would take about 1.2 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.

    HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 0.6 mental health, 0.5 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. 50% of West Carroll County's 2 active designations are mental health.

    Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 0 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 2).

West Carroll County vs. every real US county

Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none

2 Top 90% higher than 10% 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. West Carroll County falls in the lower half of LA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 59 of 64. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 22123. Population: 9,751.

Medically Underserved Area

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 57.0

Active HPSA scores

Mental Health 19.0
Dental 8.0

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 2 active (designated) HPSAs in West Carroll County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
West Carroll Parish mental_health 19.0
West Carroll Parish dental 8.0

Light-burden reading for West Carroll County

Peak severity leads this reading: West Carroll County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. West Carroll County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 19.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Dental care reads 8.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 57.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.

West Carroll County carries 2 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 10% 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.

West Carroll County falls in the lower half of LA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 59 of 64. 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 West Carroll County

HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for West Carroll County's active designations: about 1.2 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

Acting on West Carroll County's high-priority mental health

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

  • West Carroll 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 LA before drawing conclusions from a single score. LA 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 West Carroll County's mental score of 19.0

One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 19.0 (severity lead on this page is “West Carroll Parish”).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does West Carroll County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
Yes - West Carroll County carries an MUA designation (index 57.0; 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 West Carroll County's peak score of 19.0?
"West Carroll Parish" leads the active set (score 19.0; mental health; 9,360 people in the service area; ~0.6 FTE still needed on the record; designated 01/03/2022). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 2 active rows: 0 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental.
Which other active designations sit under West Carroll County's severity reading?
After "West Carroll Parish", the next active names on this release are "West Carroll Parish" and "West Carroll Parish". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~1.2 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 22123. This county’s designations come from 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 22123 (West Carroll County, LA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 2; peak score 19.0; signature peak score 19.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.