South Dakota registered 15 behavioral health providers in the latest CMS NPI registry weekly update. While representing a very small fraction (0%) of the national weekly total, 8 new additions this week reflect a modest, localized influx of professionals. This limited growth is typical for states with smaller populations and less dense urban centers compared to national averages.
ABA Workforce Snapshot
Within the applied behavior analysis (ABA) sector, the data reveals 1 RBT credential and 0 BCBA credentials among the new additions. This absence of new BCBAs is a critical indicator for the ABA industry, as BCBAs are essential for supervising RBTs and designing comprehensive treatment plans. Without new BCBAs, the capacity for expanding supervised ABA services in South Dakota appears severely limited, despite the addition of an RBT. Other new individual providers include those with credentials such as 2 LCSW, 1 M.S., 1 MA, LMHP, 1 M.A., 1 LMFT, and 1 LP, indicating growth in broader mental health fields.
Provider Demographics
Of the 13 individual providers, 77% are female, 15% male, and 8% nonbinary. This gender distribution aligns with broader trends observed across the behavioral health field. The data did not identify any specific organizations appearing multiple times in this week's update. New providers are distributed across cities including Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Spearfish.
The limited number of new behavioral health providers, particularly the absence of BCBAs, suggests a significant challenge for expanding access to ABA services and addressing potential workforce shortages in South Dakota.
