OR · Healthcare shortage profile
Washington County, OR
Peak severity leads this reading: Washington County's highest active HPSA score is 23.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 600,372.
- Active HPSAs
- 7
- Population
- 600,372
- Peak shortage score
- 23.0
- MUA Index
- 46.2
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Washington 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 dental the deepest gap.
- 7
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Mental-health shortages
- 23
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 30%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Washington County
Washington County intersects 32 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
20 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 Washington County, OR 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 23.0 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 Washington County's active designations would take about 1.9 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.9 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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42.9% of Washington County's 7 active designations are dental.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 3 dental (denominator 7).
Washington 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. Washington County falls in the lower half of OR counties by active-designation volume, at rank 23 of 36. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 41067. Population: 600,372.
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 Washington County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center | mental_health | 23.0 |
| Neighborhood Health Center | dental | 22.0 |
| Neighborhood Health Center | mental_health | 21.0 |
| Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center | dental | 20.0 |
| Neighborhood Health Center | primary_care | 18.0 |
| Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center | primary_care | 18.0 |
| Msfw - Western Washington County | dental | 16.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Washington County
Peak severity leads this reading: Washington County's highest active HPSA score is 23.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Washington County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 23.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 18.0 of 25; Dental care reads 22.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 46.2, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Washington County above 70% of real US counties (7 active designations: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 3 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 23.0. 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.
Washington County falls in the lower half of OR counties by active-designation volume, at rank 23 of 36. 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.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Washington County, OR · 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
Washington County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Washington County's 7 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 dental burden compares with the rest of OR before you draw conclusions from a single score. OR 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 Washington County's 23.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with El Paso County, CO and Luzerne County, PA.
Showing 6 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Washington County's mental score of 23.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 23.0 (severity lead on this page is “VIRGINIA GARCIA MEMORIAL HEALTH CENTER”).
El Paso County, CO
23.0 mental score · 730,395 pop.
Luzerne County, PA
23.0 mental score · 325,594 pop.
Yuma County, AZ
23.0 mental score · 203,881 pop.
Penobscot County, ME
23.0 mental score · 152,199 pop.
Dougherty County, GA
23.0 mental score · 85,790 pop.
Carson City County, NV
23.0 mental score · 58,639 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Washington County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Washington County carries an MUA designation (index 46.2; 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 Washington County's peak score of 23.0?
- "VIRGINIA GARCIA MEMORIAL HEALTH CENTER" leads the active set (score 23.0; mental health; 96,230 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 7 active rows: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 3 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Washington County's severity reading?
- After "VIRGINIA GARCIA MEMORIAL HEALTH CENTER", the next active names on this release are "VIRGINIA GARCIA MEMORIAL HEALTH CENTER", "NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER", "NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER" and "VIRGINIA GARCIA MEMORIAL HEALTH CENTER". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~1.9 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Washington County's high-severity geography?
- Washington 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 "VIRGINIA GARCIA MEMORIAL HEALTH CENTER".
- How does Washington County's peak severity sit inside OR?
- Washington County holds 7 active HPSA rows with peak 23.0. Washington County falls in the lower half of OR counties by active-designation volume, at rank 23 of 36. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include El Paso County, CO and Luzerne County, PA.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 41067. 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 41067 (Washington County, OR), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 7; peak score 23.0; signature peak score 23.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.