Washington added 52 behavioral health providers in the latest weekly CMS NPI registry update, representing 2% of the national total. This moderate influx suggests a steady, rather than explosive, growth in the state's behavioral health workforce compared to other regions.
ABA Workforce Dynamics
Focusing on applied behavior analysis, the update shows 17 Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and 1 Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) among the new credentials. It's important to note that these counts reflect credentials listed and may overlap with primary taxonomies. The data indicates no individuals with dual BCBA and RBT credentials in this week's additions. This significant imbalance, with 17 RBTs for every BCBA, highlights a potential bottleneck in supervision capacity, crucial for RBTs to deliver services effectively. The state also saw additions like a Clinical Social Worker (SWAICL), an Addiction Counselor (SUDPT), and a Mental Health Counselor (MA, LMHC).
Provider Demographics and Organizations
Of the 41 individual providers added, women constitute the majority at 29 individuals (71%). Male providers account for 9 individuals, while 3 individuals identify as nonbinary. Among the 11 organizations added this week, "MELISSA OWENS LPC, LLC" appeared twice, indicating a possible expansion or new registration for an existing entity. The top cities for new providers include Lakewood, Tacoma, Seattle, Bellevue, and Everett.
The high ratio of new RBTs to BCBAs suggests that while the direct service workforce is growing, Washington may need to prioritize increasing its supervisory capacity to ensure quality and access to ABA services.
