Missouri added 47 behavioral health providers in the latest weekly CMS NPI registry update, representing 1% of the national total. This moderate influx indicates steady, rather than rapid, growth in the state's behavioral health workforce.
ABA Workforce Composition
Within the applied behavior analysis field, the update includes 16 Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and 1 Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). The data also identifies 1 individual holding both BCBA and RBT credentials, a common marker of career progression from technician to supervisor. The ratio of RBTs to BCBAs, with 16 RBTs and only 1 BCBA, highlights a potential bottleneck in supervision capacity, suggesting a high demand for more BCBAs to oversee direct service delivery.
Provider Demographics
Among the 40 individual providers, the workforce is predominantly female, with women accounting for 73% (29 individuals). Male providers comprise 20% (8 individuals), and 3 individuals (8%) identify as nonbinary. No single organization appeared multiple times in this week's data. The top cities for new providers include Saint Louis, Kansas City, and Liberty.
The consistent addition of RBTs suggests a growing capacity for direct ABA service delivery in Missouri, but the limited number of new BCBAs indicates a continued need for supervisory-level professionals to ensure quality and expand access.
