Why this matters
More than a third of Americans live in an area without enough mental health providers. If finding care has felt impossible, the problem is usually the system — not you.
The shortage is real and uneven
Mental health professionals are concentrated in cities and higher-income areas. Rural and lower-income counties are often left with a handful of providers — sometimes none — serving tens of thousands of people. The result is long waits, long drives, and people quietly giving up on care.
CareGap exists to make that invisible gap visible, and to make sure everyone leaves with a concrete next step.
How the severity score is computed
The Shortage Severity Score is a 0–100 number where higher means a more severe shortage. It's based primarily on the provider-to-population ratio — how many people each mental health provider in the county must serve.
- We start from people-per-provider. The federal benchmark for a shortage is roughly 350 people per provider.
- Ratios near or below that benchmark map to lower scores (green, adequate access). Ratios many times higher map to higher scores (red, severe shortage).
- Counties with zero providers receive the maximum score of 100.
What the score does and doesn't say
The score describes availability, not quality. A green score doesn't guarantee a quick appointment, and a red score doesn't mean care is impossible — telehealth and national low-cost services are available everywhere, regardless of county.
Data sources
This early version uses a structured sample dataset of representative U.S. counties for demonstration. It's built so the data layer can be swapped for live public sources, including:
- HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) — official federal shortage designations.
- U.S. Census population estimates — for per-provider ratios.
- Provider directories — for live, local listings.