Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) are service areas or population groups that have been designated as having too few primary medical care, dental, or mental health providers to meet the needs of the population. 

• In Utah and throughout the nation, areas, populations, and facilities with a shortage of health workers can receive a federally-recognized Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation score.
• HPSAs can be geographic areas, populations, or facilities. 
• These areas have a shortage of primary, dental, or mental healthcare providers. 
• HPSA scores indicate there are not enough providers for the population, and are specific to dental care, mental health, and primary care.
• HPSA scores range from 1 to 25, with a higher score indicating greater needs.
• The approximate average HPSA score in Utah for primary care is 11, dental health is 12, and mental health is 14.
• Resources like incentives for medical providers, funding for programs, and training are offered based on HPSA scores.

An auto-HPSA is a facility that meets the criteria to be considered a HPSA, such as serving an underserved population. The following facility types are eligible to become an auto-HPSA:

• Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs),
• FQHC Look-a-likes (LALs),
• CMS Certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), or
• Certified Indian Health Services facilities/Tribal Facilities/Urban Indian Centers (ITUs).

A Maternity Care Target Area (MCTA) is an area that is 1) already a primary care HPSA and 2) doesn’t have enough maternity healthcare providers is designated as a Maternity Care Target Area (MCTA).

• An area designated as a MCTA may qualify for resources intended to reduce the problem. 
• PCRH offers incentives to help bring providers to MCTA and HPSA shortage areas like student loan repayment programs. 
• Thirty-five percent of Utah’s counties have insufficient access to prenatal, labor/delivery, and postnatal care.
• Ten Utah counties have an insufficient number of providers to meet prenatal, labor/delivery and postnatal healthcare needs: Tooele, Juab, Sanpete, Sevier, Iron, Beaver, San Juan, Grand, Uintah and Duchesne.
• Four Utah counties, Rich, Emery, Kane and Wayne, have no access to prenatal, labor/delivery and postnatal care.