Utah welcomed 69 behavioral health providers in the latest CMS NPI registry weekly update, representing 1% of the national total. This consistent, albeit smaller, contribution to the national workforce expansion reflects steady growth within the state's behavioral health sector, indicating ongoing demand for services.
ABA Workforce Composition
Within the applied behavior analysis field, the update includes 35 Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and 3 Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). It is important to note that these are credential counts, and 1 individual holds both BCBA and RBT credentials, signifying career progression. The high ratio of RBTs to BCBAs, approximately 11.6 to 1, suggests a strong base of direct service providers but a relatively limited number of new supervisors, which could create pressure on existing BCBAs and potentially impact the availability of supervision hours for RBTs pursuing advanced certification.
Provider Demographics
Among the 54 individual providers, the workforce is predominantly female, with 39 individuals identifying as female (72%). Male providers account for 11 individuals (20%), and 4 individuals identify as nonbinary (7%). No organizations appeared multiple times in this week's data, indicating a diverse range of new organizational entries.
The continued influx of RBTs, coupled with the current BCBA-to-RBT ratio, suggests that while direct ABA service capacity is expanding in Utah, the availability of supervisory resources may be a critical factor for future growth and access to care.
