Alabama registered 49 total behavioral health providers in the latest CMS NPI registry weekly update, representing 1% of the national total. Of these, 22 providers were new this week, contributing to 23 new providers for the year. This modest influx indicates a steady, albeit smaller, expansion of the behavioral health workforce in the state compared to national trends.
ABA Workforce Composition
Within the applied behavior analysis (ABA) sector, the data shows 5 BCBA credentials and 9 RBT credentials. It is important to note that one of the BCBAs also holds an LBA, signifying state licensure in addition to national certification. No individuals were identified as holding both BCBA and RBT credentials concurrently. The ratio of approximately 1.8 RBTs for every BCBA is lower than often seen, suggesting a potential high demand for BCBA supervisors or a relatively smaller RBT workforce under supervision in Alabama.
Provider Demographics
The new registrations include 41 individual providers and 8 organizations. The individual provider demographic data shows a significant female majority, with 34 individuals identifying as female (83%) and 7 individuals identifying as male (17%). No organizations appeared multiple times in this week's data, indicating a diverse range of new entities rather than expansion by a single dominant provider.
This week's data suggests a consistent, though not rapid, growth in Alabama's behavioral health workforce, with a particular need for BCBA supervisors to support the RBT workforce and enhance ABA service accessibility across the state.
