Iowa registered 60 behavioral health providers in the latest CMS NPI registry weekly update, representing 1% of the national total. This modest number suggests a smaller, perhaps more localized, behavioral health market compared to more populous states, or a slower pace of new provider entry.
ABA Workforce Composition
Focusing on the applied behavior analysis (ABA) sector, the data shows 4 BCBA credentials and 9 RBT credentials. It is important to note that these figures are not mutually exclusive, as 1 individual holds both BCBA and RBT credentials, often reflecting a career progression from direct service to supervisory roles. The resulting ratio of approximately 2.25 RBTs for every BCBA indicates a relatively low RBT-to-BCBA ratio, which could mean either a strong supervisory capacity or a need for more RBTs to meet direct service demand under existing BCBA supervision.
Provider Demographics
Among the 48 individual providers, 73% are female, 25% are male, and 2% identify as nonbinary. This gender distribution aligns with national trends in the behavioral health field. No specific organizations appeared multiple times in this week's new registrations, indicating a diverse entry of providers rather than a dominant expansion by a single entity.
This week's data points to a steady, albeit small, growth in Iowa's behavioral health workforce, with a particular need for more RBTs to leverage the existing BCBA supervisory capacity and expand ABA access.
