Criteria for designation of mental health professional shortage areas--PHS. Final rule.

This final rule amends the existing regulations governing the criteria for designation of health manpower shortage areas, or HMSAs (now health professional shortage areas, or HPSAs; name changed by Public Law 101-597, the National Health Service Corps Revitalization Amendments of 1990) under section 332 of the Public Health Service Act. Specifically, this amendment revises the existing criteria for designation of HMSAs having shortages of psychiatric manpower, transforming them into criteria for designation of HPSAs having shortages of mental health professionals, to take into account not only psychiatrists but also mental health service providers other than psychiatrists. The intended effect of this amendment is to more accurately assess the supply of mental health service providers when making shortage area determinations. This notice also summarizes the comments received by the Department on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published on August 8, 1989, which set forth the proposed methodology for making this and other changes to the HMSA criteria. It also formally changes "HMSA" to "HPSA" throughout the regulation, to conform with Public Law 101-597.