Oklahoma added 46 behavioral health providers in the latest CMS NPI registry weekly update, representing 1% of the national total. All 46 providers were new this week, comprising 36 individuals and 10 organizations. This consistent, albeit modest, influx suggests ongoing efforts to meet behavioral health demands within the state.
ABA Workforce Composition
Within the applied behavior analysis field, the update includes 21 Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and 1 Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). No individuals reported dual BCBA and RBT credentials in this update. This significantly skewed ratio of RBTs to BCBAs suggests a potential bottleneck in supervision capacity, which is critical for RBTs to practice effectively. Additionally, the data shows 1 provider with an MS,LPC-C credential, 1 with an MCMHC, and 1 with an LPC, contributing to the broader behavioral health landscape.
Provider Demographics
Among the 36 individual providers, the workforce exhibits a clear gender distribution. Women constitute the majority at 75% (27 individuals), while men account for 8% (3 individuals). Notably, 17% (6 individuals) identified as nonbinary. No specific organizations appeared multiple times in this week's data, suggesting a diverse entry of new entities rather than expansion by existing large chains.
The current data highlights a significant need for more BCBAs in Oklahoma to support the growing RBT workforce, which is crucial for expanding direct ABA service access across the state.
