Arizona added 60 behavioral health providers in the latest weekly CMS update, representing 1% of the national total. This modest but consistent influx of new providers signals ongoing growth in the state's behavioral health sector, addressing demand for services.
ABA Workforce Composition
Within the applied behavior analysis field, the update includes 2 BCBAs and 20 RBTs. These credential counts can overlap, though no individuals in this week's data held both BCBA and RBT credentials simultaneously. The 10-to-1 ratio of RBTs to BCBAs suggests a strong pipeline of direct service providers, but also highlights a potential need for more BCBA-level supervisors to ensure adequate clinical oversight for the growing RBT workforce.
Provider Demographics
Among the 47 individual providers, the workforce is predominantly female, with 40 female providers accounting for 85% of the total. 6 male providers made up 13%, and 1 nonbinary provider represented 2%. No organizations appeared multiple times in this week's data. The top cities for new providers include Phoenix, Tucson, Glendale, Scottsdale, and Tempe.
The high ratio of RBTs to BCBAs indicates a robust entry-level workforce but points to a critical need for increased BCBA certification to support supervision capacity and ensure continued access to quality ABA services across Arizona.
