California Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development

MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREA

Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) are based on the evaluation of criteria established through federal regulation to identify geographic areas or population groups with a shortage of Dental providers.

Definition of Mental Health Professional Shortage Area (MHPSA)

The federal HPSA designation (formerly Health Manpower Shortage Areas) identifies areas as having a shortage of mental health providers on the basis of availability of psychiatrist and mental health professionals.

Criteria: To qualify for designation as a MHPSA, an area must be:

1. A rational service area;
2. The population-to-core mental health professional and/or the population-to-psychiatrist ratio meet established shortage criteria; and
3. A lack of access to mental health care in surrounding areas because of excessive distance, overutilization, or access barriers,

Benefits of designation as a MHPSA include:

• Eligibility for the National Health Services Corp/State Loan Repayment Program;
• Improved Medicare reimbursement; and
• Enhanced federal grant eligibility.