Oklahoma saw 111 behavioral health providers added in the latest weekly CMS NPI registry update, representing 1% of the national total. Of these, 44 were new this week, contributing to 48 new providers this year. This modest share suggests a steady, rather than surging, growth in the state's behavioral health workforce, with 97 individuals and 14 organizations joining the registry.
ABA Workforce Composition
Focusing on the ABA sector, the data shows 5 Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and 23 Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) among the new entries. It's important to note that these counts reflect credentials listed and may overlap with other professional taxonomies. There were no providers identified with dual BCBA and RBT credentials in this update. The ratio of RBTs to BCBAs, approximately 4.6 to 1, indicates a healthy structure for direct service delivery under qualified supervision, which is crucial for expanding access to ABA therapy.
Provider Demographics
Among the 97 individual providers, the workforce exhibits a clear gender distribution: 80% female (78 individuals), 18% male (17 individuals), and 2% nonbinary (2 individuals). This aligns with national trends showing a high representation of women in behavioral health fields. No organizations appeared multiple times in this week's data, indicating a diverse range of new entities rather than significant expansion from a few dominant players.
This data suggests Oklahoma is experiencing consistent, albeit not rapid, growth in its behavioral health workforce, particularly within the ABA field, which is vital for addressing the ongoing demand for services across the state.
