Washington saw a total of 555 behavioral health providers in the latest CMS NPI registry update, representing 3% of the national weekly total. This substantial number, with 101 new providers added this week, indicates a significant and growing behavioral health workforce in the state, crucial for meeting diverse community needs. Of these, 527 were individuals and 28 were organizations.

ABA Workforce Dynamics

Within the applied behavior analysis (ABA) sector, the data shows 4 BCBA credentials and 44 RBT credentials. It is important to note that these categories are not mutually exclusive, as 2 individuals hold both BCBA and RBT credentials, often signifying career progression or a comprehensive skill set. This high ratio of RBTs to BCBAs (approximately 11:1) suggests a robust pipeline of direct service providers. However, a lower number of BCBAs relative to RBTs could indicate a potential bottleneck in supervision capacity, which is essential for ensuring high-quality ABA therapy delivery and RBT professional development.

Provider Demographics

The individual provider workforce in Washington exhibits a clear gender distribution: 367 (70%) are female, 147 (28%) are male, and 13 (2%) identify as nonbinary. This demographic breakdown generally aligns with broader trends observed in the behavioral health field nationwide, which often sees a higher representation of female professionals. No specific organizations appeared multiple times in this week's data, suggesting a diverse landscape of employers rather than dominance by a few large multi-state chains.

The continued growth in Washington's behavioral health professionals, particularly the strong RBT presence, is vital for expanding access to critical services, though careful attention to BCBA supervision capacity will be key for sustainable growth.