Hawaii added 14 new behavioral health providers this week, contributing 0% of the national total to the CMS NPI registry. This brings the state's total to 21 individual providers, all of whom were new this year, highlighting a recent, albeit small, expansion of the workforce. The concentration of new providers in cities like Honolulu, Aiea, and Waianae suggests growth is focused in key population centers.
ABA Workforce Dynamics
Within the applied behavior analysis (ABA) sector, the data shows 1 BCBA and 13 RBTs. These categories are not mutually exclusive; 2 of the RBTs also hold a PSYD credential, indicating diverse professional backgrounds. With no individuals holding both BCBA and RBT credentials, the high ratio of RBTs to BCBAs—13 RBTs for every BCBA—signals a significant need for more supervisory capacity to ensure quality ABA service delivery. Other behavioral health professionals include 2 PSYD, 1 LCSW, and 1 LMSW.
Provider Demographics
The workforce in Hawaii is predominantly female, with 18 providers (86%) identifying as female and 3 providers (14%) as male. There were no organizational registrations this week, with all 21 additions being individual practitioners. This gender distribution aligns with broader trends observed across the behavioral health field.
This small but growing influx of individual providers, particularly RBTs, suggests a rising demand for direct ABA services in Hawaii, but the low BCBA count indicates a potential bottleneck for supervision and overall access to comprehensive ABA care.
