Puerto Rico added 26 behavioral health providers in the latest CMS NPI registry update, representing less than 1% of the national total. This modest weekly addition suggests a steady, albeit smaller, growth trajectory for behavioral health services in the territory compared to larger states.
Behavioral Health Credential Landscape
Crucially for the ABA industry, this week's data shows no new BCBA or RBT credentials in Puerto Rico. This indicates that the ABA-specific workforce, which relies on BCBAs for supervision and RBTs for direct service, did not see expansion in this update. Instead, the 14 individual providers include a mix of other behavioral health professionals. These include two with PSY.D., two with LCSW, and one each holding M.E., PLC, MHS, PHD, MCSW, DSW, MSW, and PSYD credentials. This highlights growth in disciplines like psychology and social work, which are vital for comprehensive behavioral health, but points to a static week for the ABA workforce specifically.
Workforce Demographics
Among the individual providers, the workforce shows a significant gender imbalance, with 11 (79%) are female and 3 (21%) are male. This aligns with national trends where women predominantly staff behavioral health roles. No specific organizations appeared multiple times in this week's registrations, indicating a diverse range of smaller practices or individual practitioners rather than expansion from large multi-state chains. The 12 organizations and 14 individuals contribute to a varied provider base.
This week's NPI data suggests that while Puerto Rico's broader behavioral health sector is seeing incremental growth, the specific ABA workforce did not expand, indicating a continued need for targeted development of BCBA and RBT professionals to improve access to ABA services.
