Hawaii saw 31 behavioral health providers registered in the latest CMS NPI registry weekly update, with 18 of these being new this week. This represents less than 1% of the national total for the week, signaling a relatively small, but consistent, contribution to the national behavioral health workforce expansion. Of these, 30 are individuals and 1 is an organization.
ABA Workforce Dynamics
Within the applied behavior analysis (ABA) sector, Hawaii's new registrations include 1 BCBA credential and 13 RBT credentials. There were no individuals holding both BCBA and RBT credentials among this week's additions. This ratio highlights a significant imbalance in the state's ABA workforce, indicating a strong capacity for direct service delivery but a critical shortage of supervisory BCBAs. This imbalance could pose challenges for RBT supervision requirements and limit the expansion of ABA services, despite the presence of direct care providers. Beyond ABA, other behavioral health credentials include 3 LCSWs, 2 LMHCs, and 1 LSCW, DBH, among others, reflecting a broader mix of mental health professionals.
Provider Demographics and Geographic Focus
The individual provider demographic data shows a workforce predominantly composed of women, with 21 (70%) identifying as female. 8 (27%) are male, and 1 (3%) is nonbinary. This gender distribution aligns with broader trends in the behavioral health field. No specific organizations appeared multiple times in this week's new registrations. The top cities for new providers include Honolulu, Aiea, Kailua, Kapolei, and Ewa Beach, suggesting these urban centers are key hubs for behavioral health activity.
While Hawaii continues to add to its behavioral health workforce, the notable disparity between RBTs and BCBAs suggests that increasing supervisory capacity will be crucial for improving ABA access and ensuring sustainable, high-quality care across the islands.
