ID · Healthcare shortage profile
Valley County, ID
Peak severity leads this reading: Valley County's highest active HPSA score is 18.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 11,746.
- Active HPSAs
- 7
- Population
- 11,746
- Peak shortage score
- 18.0
- MUA Index
- 55.5
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Valley 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 primary care the deepest gap.
- 7
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Mental-health shortages
- 18
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 30%
- US counties by volume
Few Census ZCTAs touch Valley County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 5 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Valley 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 Valley County, ID 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.
-
Peak HPSA score 18.0 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.
-
Closing Valley County's active designations would take about 8.3 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.4 primary care, 6.2 mental health, 0.8 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
-
42.9% of Valley County's 7 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 3 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 7).
Valley 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. Valley County falls in the upper half of ID counties by active-designation volume, at rank 17 of 44. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 16085. Population: 11,746.
Single high-priority discipline
Valley County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is mental health
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 2 active mental health designations to Valley County , with a peak score of 18.0. 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
Peak severity scores
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 Valley County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Li/mfw - District 4/Central Idaho | mental_health | 18.0 |
| LI - Adams County/Northwest Valley County | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Cascade Family Practice | primary_care | 14.0 |
| East Valley Sub County | primary_care | 14.0 |
| LI - Adams and Valley Counties | dental | 14.0 |
| Cascade Family Practice | dental | 13.0 |
| Cascade Family Practice | mental_health | 9.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Valley County
Peak severity leads this reading: Valley County's highest active HPSA score is 18.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Valley County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 18.0 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 14.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 55.5, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Valley County above 70% of real US counties (7 active designations: 3 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 18.0. 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.
Valley County falls in the upper half of ID counties by active-designation volume, at rank 17 of 44. 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.
Heavy-volume FTE gap in Valley County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Valley County's active designations: about 8.3 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Valley County's high-priority mental health
Valley County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Valley 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 ID before drawing conclusions from a single score. ID 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 Valley County's 18.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Clackamas County, OR and Weber County, UT.
Showing 6 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Valley County's mental score of 18.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 18.0 (severity lead on this page is “LI/MFW - District 4/Central Idaho”).
Clackamas County, OR
18.0 mental score · 421,401 pop.
Weber County, UT
18.0 mental score · 262,223 pop.
Santa Rosa County, FL
18.0 mental score · 188,000 pop.
Washington County, MD
18.0 mental score · 154,705 pop.
Tazewell County, IL
18.0 mental score · 131,343 pop.
Missoula County, MT
18.0 mental score · 117,922 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Valley County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Valley County carries an MUA designation (index 55.5; 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 Valley County's peak score of 18.0?
- "LI/MFW - District 4/Central Idaho" leads the active set (score 18.0; mental health; 41,546 people in the service area; ~6.2 FTE still needed on the record; designated 12/10/2021). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 7 active rows: 3 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Valley County's severity reading?
- After "LI/MFW - District 4/Central Idaho", the next active names on this release are "LI/MFW - District 4/Central Idaho", "LI - Adams County/Northwest Valley County", "CASCADE FAMILY PRACTICE" and "East Valley Sub County". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~8.3 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Valley County's high-severity geography?
- Valley County's 7 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 "LI/MFW - District 4/Central Idaho".
- How does Valley County's peak severity sit inside ID?
- Valley County holds 7 active HPSA rows with peak 18.0. Valley County falls in the upper half of ID counties by active-designation volume, at rank 17 of 44. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Clackamas County, OR and Weber County, UT.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 16085. 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 16085 (Valley County, ID), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 7; peak score 18.0; signature peak score 18.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.