Montana added 15 behavioral health providers in the latest CMS NPI registry weekly update, representing a negligible portion of the national total. This modest increase brings the state's total listed providers in this dataset to 33, signaling a more localized and perhaps slower growth trajectory compared to larger markets.
ABA Workforce Dynamics
Within the applied behavior analysis (ABA) sector, the data reveals a critical shortage of supervisory capacity, with 0 BCBA credentials reported among the new registrations. Only 1 RBT credential was added. This stark imbalance highlights a significant challenge for ABA service expansion in Montana, as RBTs require direct supervision from BCBAs. Beyond ABA, the update included 4 LCPC credentials, 3 PCLC credentials, and other mental health and speech-language pathology professionals, indicating broader behavioral health activity.
Provider Demographics and Organizational Presence
Of the 20 individual providers registered, 17 (85%) are female and 3 (15%) are male, aligning with the female-majority trend often seen in behavioral health professions. The remaining 13 entries were organizational providers. No single organization appeared multiple times in this week's update, suggesting a diverse, rather than concentrated, pattern of organizational growth. The top cities for new providers include Missoula, Bozeman, and Billings.
The near absence of new BCBA credentials in this update suggests that Montana faces substantial hurdles in scaling its ABA services, potentially limiting access to care for individuals requiring behavior analytic interventions.
