Tennessee added 47 behavioral health providers in the latest CMS update, representing 2% of the national weekly total. This consistent influx of new professionals, all enrolled this week, indicates a steady, albeit smaller, growth trajectory for the state's behavioral health sector, with all 47 providers being new this week.
ABA Workforce Composition
Within the applied behavior analysis field, the update includes 23 Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and 9 Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). These credential and taxonomy counts can overlap, as providers may hold multiple certifications. Notably, no individuals were identified with dual BCBA and RBT credentials this week. One provider holds both BCBA and the state-level LBA license, indicating a fully licensed supervisor. The RBT-to-BCBA ratio of approximately 2.5-to-1 suggests a foundational workforce of direct service providers, highlighting the ongoing need for BCBA supervisors to support a growing RBT base.
Provider Demographics
Among the 42 individual providers, the workforce is predominantly female, with women accounting for 76%. Male providers comprise 7%, and 17% identify as nonbinary. The data also includes 5 organizations. No specific organizations appeared multiple times in this week's update, indicating a diverse range of new entities and individual practitioners entering the market.
This week's data points to a continued expansion of the RBT workforce in Tennessee, which is crucial for increasing direct ABA service capacity across the state.
