Hawaii’s behavioral health sector registered 26 providers in the latest CMS NPI update, with 13 new providers joining this week. This activity constitutes a small fraction of the national total, reflecting the state's size, but points to continued local growth in the field. The new registrants were split between 24 individuals and 2 organizations, with activity centered in Honolulu, Aiea, and Waipahu.
ABA Credential Mix
The data reveals a workforce heavily weighted toward direct-care staff. Among the new registrants, there were 13 Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and 2 Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). This ratio of more than six RBTs for every one BCBA highlights a significant need for clinical supervision. While this structure supports service delivery, it can also strain the capacity of supervising BCBAs. The update included no providers with dual BCBA-RBT credentials, and other licensed professionals such as clinical social workers and counselors also appeared.
Workforce Demographics
Among individual providers, the workforce is predominantly female, comprising 71% of the group, while male providers make up the remaining 29%. No single ABA organization or healthcare system appeared multiple times in this week's data, suggesting that new registrants are spread across various employers rather than being concentrated within a large, multi-state chain. This pattern can indicate a diverse and competitive local market for ABA talent.
This week's data suggests Hawaii's ABA workforce is expanding at the technician level, which will require a corresponding growth in supervisory roles to ensure sustainable access to care.
