Wisconsin Primary Care Programs

How do I Request a Shortage Designation?

Health Professional Shortage Area designation (primary care, dental or mental health HPSA):

• Please send a written request by e-mail to Anne Dopp

• Your request needs to identify:

  • The type of HPSA you are requesting (primary care, dental or mental health).
  • The geographic service area for your request.
  • Why your community needs a HPSA - which HPSA-linked benefits your community needs (federal loan repayment, Rural Health Clinic certification, Medicare provider bonus payments).

Medically Underserved Area/Population designation for new communities to apply for federal community health center funding:  

• Please fill out the request checklist and send to Anne Dopp or Fax:  608-267-2832
• Checklist to request a new MUA/MUP designation (PDF, 312 KB)

• This request checklist will help you identify:

• Which path you are taking to try to start a new Community Health Center (new applicant, planning grant, partner with existing CHC, etc.)
• Which area you are targeting for a new CHC site
• Where your community is in terms of in readiness to meet all federal requirements to submit an application for a new CHC.

Governor's Shortage Designation for Rural Health Clinics:

• Please send a written request by e-mail to Anne Dopp
• The Primary Care Office will prioritize requests for existing RHCs which do not have a current HPSA designation.
• Your request needs to identify:
   
  • Reason for your request:  to retain an existing RHC or to establish a new RHC in an area without a current HPSA designation.
  • Proposed service area.
  • RHC contact person who will help collect primary care physician FTE data for their service area (contact's name, phone and e-mail address).

Reminders:

• Plan ahead - It can take 6-12 months to review your request, collect the required provider data, submit a state application to HRSA, and for HRSA to approve a new designation.
• No guarantees - The Primary Care Office works very hard to see if communities can meet federal criteria for a shortage designation, but cannot guarantee that an area will meet the criteria required by federal law.

Last Revised: March 15, 2013