Iowa's behavioral health sector registered 27 providers in the latest weekly CMS update, a figure representing less than 1% of the national total. This small cohort, consisting of 19 individuals and 8 organizations, suggests a relatively quiet period of workforce growth for the state. Of these providers, eight are listed with multiple taxonomies, indicating a diversity of service offerings within single entities.
Credential Mix and Supervision
The update shows a notable absence of new Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), with 0 appearing in the data. However, 3 Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) were added. This lack of new supervisory-level ABA professionals alongside a small number of new technicians could point to a potential strain on supervision capacity for ABA services across the state. The remaining individual providers represent a mix of other mental health credentials, including Licensed Independent Social Workers (LISWs) and Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs).
Provider Demographics
Among the new individual providers, the workforce is overwhelmingly female, with 16 women making up 84% of the group. In contrast, two providers are male (11%) and one provider identifies as nonbinary (5%). On the organizational side, Shelby County Chris A. Myrtue Memorial Hospital was the only entity to appear more than once, with 2 new listings, highlighting activity within a hospital-based system rather than a dedicated ABA agency.
This week's data, characterized by a lack of new BCBAs, suggests that while Iowa's broader mental health workforce is seeing minor additions, the growth of specialized ABA service capacity may be limited.
