What is a Health Profession Shortage Area and Underserved Area?
There are three shortage area categories: primary care, dental care, and mental health care. The table below shows the types of designations and their requirements. Medically underserved areas are different in that they are only available for primary care. Designation Type General Requirements Geographic Everyone has difficulty getting healthcare services Population Low-income, migrant, or homeless populations have difficulty getting care Facility A facility not in a designated area, but who serves residents from a designated shortage area Federally Recognized Tribe American Indian and Alaska Native Correctional Facility Medium or maximum security facility Back to Top Designation Benefits There are over 30 federal and state programs that use designations. The table below shows the most popular used in our state. Each one has more requirements. Please follow the links under the program titles to learn more about the program. Program Professional Shortage Area Underserved Designation Fed
