Arkansas registered 66 total behavioral health providers in the latest CMS NPI registry weekly update, accounting for 1% of the national total. A notable 26 providers were new this week, indicating a steady, albeit smaller-scale, expansion of the behavioral health workforce in the state. This consistent activity suggests an ongoing effort to meet service demands within Arkansas's regional market.
ABA Workforce Dynamics
Within the applied behavior analysis (ABA) sector, the data shows 3 BCBA credentials and 13 RBT credentials. It is important to note that these categories are not mutually exclusive, as 2 individuals hold both BCBA and RBT credentials, signaling career progression from direct service to supervisory roles. The ratio of RBTs to BCBAs, with significantly more RBTs, highlights a strong demand for direct service providers in Arkansas. This necessitates robust supervision from BCBAs to ensure the delivery of high-quality, ethical ABA therapy, a common challenge in states with developing ABA infrastructure.
Provider Demographics and Organizational Presence
Of the 55 individual providers, 46 (84%) are female, 8 (15%) are male, and 1 (2%) identifies as nonbinary. This gender distribution aligns with national trends in the behavioral health field. Among the 11 organizations registered, no single entity appeared multiple times in this week's data, suggesting a diverse, rather than consolidated, organizational landscape for new entries. Top cities for activity included Little Rock, Jonesboro, and Paragould.
This data suggests a gradual but consistent growth in Arkansas's behavioral health workforce, particularly in direct ABA service roles, which is vital for improving access to care across the state.
