Louisiana added 32 new behavioral health providers in the latest CMS NPI registry update, contributing 1% of the national weekly total. The state's total new providers this year reached 36, with 89 total providers in the dataset, comprising 75 individuals and 14 organizations. This modest share suggests a steady but not rapidly expanding workforce compared to larger states.
ABA Workforce Composition
Within the ABA sector, the data shows 11 providers with BCBA credentials and 13 with RBT credentials. Notably, 1 individual holds both BCBA and RBT credentials, signifying a career progression. The low ratio of RBTs to BCBAs (approximately 1.2 RBTs per BCBA) is unusual for a growing ABA market, where a higher ratio of direct service providers to supervisors is typically observed. This could indicate a nascent market or a high proportion of BCBAs providing direct service. Additionally, 2 providers hold the state-level LBA license alongside their BCBA credential, indicating compliance with Louisiana's licensure requirements for independent practice.
Provider Demographics
The individual provider workforce in Louisiana is predominantly female, with 69 individuals (92%). Five individuals (7%) are male, and one individual (1%) identifies as nonbinary. No specific organizations appeared multiple times in this week's update.
This data suggests a small but growing behavioral health workforce in Louisiana, with a particularly tight supervision ratio in ABA that warrants monitoring for service access and quality.
