Louisiana recorded 79 behavioral health providers in the latest CMS NPI registry weekly update, representing 1% of the national total. Of these, 32 providers were new this week. This modest share suggests a consistent, rather than explosive, growth trajectory in the state's behavioral health workforce, indicating steady expansion efforts.
ABA Workforce Dynamics
Within the applied behavior analysis (ABA) sector, the data shows 2 BCBA credentials and 12 RBT credentials. It is important to note that these are distinct roles; BCBAs provide supervision for RBTs, who deliver direct services. There were no individuals holding both BCBA and RBT credentials in this update. The ratio of 2 BCBAs to 12 RBTs, or 1 BCBA for every 6 RBTs, highlights a potential bottleneck in supervisory capacity, which is critical for maintaining quality ABA services and supporting RBT development.
Provider Demographics and Organizational Presence
Of the 64 individual providers, 57 (89%) are female, while 7 (11%) are male. This gender distribution is typical across the behavioral health field. Notably, "DDMS OF LOUISIANA NO 2, LLC" appeared 5 times in the organizational data, indicating a significant multi-site presence or active recruitment efforts by this entity within Louisiana.
This data suggests a continued, albeit measured, expansion of the behavioral health workforce in Louisiana, with a particular need to monitor the BCBA-to-RBT ratio to ensure adequate supervision for growing direct service teams.
