CO · Healthcare shortage profile
Chaffee County, CO
Peak severity leads this reading: Chaffee County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 19,476.
- Active HPSAs
- 9
- Population
- 19,476
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- -
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Chaffee 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 mental health the deepest gap.
- 9
- Active HPSA designations
- 4
- Mental-health shortages
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 25%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Chaffee County, CO 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 21.0 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 Chaffee County's active designations would take about 5.7 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 primary care, 3.9 mental health, 1.3 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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44.4% of Chaffee County's 9 active designations are mental health.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 4 mental health, 3 dental (denominator 9).
Few Census ZCTAs touch Chaffee County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 7 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Chaffee County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).
Intersecting ZCTA
2 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.
Chaffee 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. Chaffee County falls in the upper quarter of CO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 6 of 64. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 08015. Population: 19,476.
Peak severity scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Chaffee 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 9 active (designated) HPSAs in Chaffee County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| CF-Buena Vista Correctional Complex | mental_health | 21.0 |
| West Central Mental Health Catchment Area | mental_health | 18.0 |
| LI - Buena Vista | primary_care | 17.0 |
| Salida Health Center | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Salida Health Center | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Buena Vista Correctional Complex | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Salida Health Center | dental | 15.0 |
| LI Buena Vista | dental | 12.0 |
| Buena Vista Correctional Facility | dental | 6.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Chaffee County
Peak severity leads this reading: Chaffee County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Chaffee County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 21.0 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 15.0 of 26. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Chaffee County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Volume places Chaffee County above 75% of real US counties (9 active designations: 2 primary care, 4 mental health, 3 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 21.0. 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.
Chaffee County falls in the upper quarter of CO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 6 of 64. 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.
Chaffee County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Mental health
Mental health
4 designations
- Primary care
Primary care
2 designations
Heavy-volume FTE gap in Chaffee County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Chaffee County's active designations: about 5.7 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 Chaffee County, CO · 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
Chaffee County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Chaffee 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 mental health burden compares with the rest of CO before you draw conclusions from a single score. CO 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 Chaffee County's 21.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Prince William County, VA and Orange County, NY.
Showing 6 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Chaffee County's mental score of 21.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 21.0 (severity lead on this page is “CF-Buena Vista Correctional Complex”).
Prince William County, VA
21.0 mental score · 482,204 pop.
Orange County, NY
21.0 mental score · 401,310 pop.
Lorain County, OH
21.0 mental score · 312,964 pop.
New London County, CT
21.0 mental score · 268,555 pop.
Sacramento County, CA
21.0 mental score · 1,585,055 pop.
Snohomish County, WA
21.0 mental score · 827,957 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Chaffee County's peak score of 21.0?
- "CF-Buena Vista Correctional Complex" leads the active set (score 21.0; mental health; 1,015 people in the service area; ~0.5 FTE still needed on the record; designated 04/14/2026). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 9 active rows: 2 primary care, 4 mental health, 3 dental.
- Why is Chaffee County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Chaffee County has no MUA designation on this release. Federal shortage support here runs through the active HPSA record set alone.
- Which other active designations sit under Chaffee County's severity reading?
- After "CF-Buena Vista Correctional Complex", the next active names on this release are "CF-Buena Vista Correctional Complex", "West Central Mental Health Catchment Area", "LI - Buena Vista" and "SALIDA HEALTH CENTER". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~5.7 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Chaffee County's high-severity geography?
- Chaffee County's 9 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 "CF-Buena Vista Correctional Complex".
- How does Chaffee County's peak severity sit inside CO?
- Chaffee County holds 9 active HPSA rows with peak 21.0. Chaffee County falls in the upper quarter of CO counties by active-designation volume, at rank 6 of 64. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Prince William County, VA and Orange County, NY.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 08015. 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 08015 (Chaffee County, CO), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 9; peak score 21.0; signature peak score 21.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.