Oklahoma's behavioral health sector added 123 providers in the latest CMS NPI registry update, representing 1% of the national weekly total. Of these, 61 providers were new registrations this week alone, contributing to the 68 new providers added to the registry this year to date. This indicates a recent, concentrated surge in NPI applications within the state, with 102 individuals and 21 organizations joining the registry.
ABA Workforce Composition
Focusing on the ABA workforce, the data shows 3 BCBA professionals and 35 RBT individuals. Notably, there were 0 dual credentials reported for BCBA and RBT roles in this update, indicating distinct career paths for these roles within this cohort. The resulting ratio of approximately 11.7 RBTs for every BCBA is higher than the typical 8-10:1 industry standard, potentially signaling a considerable demand for BCBA supervision or a developing BCBA pipeline in Oklahoma. Beyond ABA, the registry also captured a diverse range of other behavioral health professionals, including 5 LPCs and 2 SLPs, reflecting a broader spectrum of mental health and therapeutic services.
Provider Demographics and Geographic Focus
Among the 102 individual providers, the gender breakdown shows 81 female providers, making up 79% of the individual workforce. Male providers account for 17%, while 4% identify as nonbinary. No specific organizations were noted as appearing multiple times in this update. The top cities for these new providers include Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Edmond, Mustang, and Norman.
This data suggests a growing behavioral health workforce in Oklahoma, particularly within the RBT segment, which could enhance access to direct ABA services but also highlights a potential need for increased BCBA supervision capacity to maintain service quality and support career progression.
