According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, a Health Professional Shortage Area is an urban or rural area, population group, or medical or other public facility which has received federal designation as having a shortage of health care providers. Each year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) evaluates HPSA designations and awards them through state Primary Care Offices (PCO). There are separate designations for Primary Care, Dental Care, and Mental Health Care. All federally qualified health centers facilities receive automatic facility HPSA designation, while Rural Health Clinics must request facility HPSA designation. For more information, see: https://bhw.hrsa.gov/shortage-designation/hpsas.
