Washington D.C. saw 17 new behavioral health providers in the latest CMS update, accounting for 0% of the national weekly total. This low concentration indicates a minimal influx of new professionals compared to other regions, suggesting a slower growth pace for the District's behavioral health workforce this period.
ABA Workforce Composition
Within this group, the applied behavior analysis (ABA) sector saw limited additions, with only 1 Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) and no Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) or dual BCBA+RBT credential holders. This absence of new BCBAs, who are crucial for supervising RBTs, points to a critical gap in supervisory capacity for ABA services. The data also includes 1 Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and 1 Registered Nurse (RN), alongside a significant number of acupuncturists, indicating a broader range of health professions rather than a focused expansion in ABA.
Provider Demographics
Of the 13 individual providers, the gender breakdown shows 7 female providers, representing 54% of the individual workforce, while male providers account for 46%. No organizations appeared multiple times in this week's data, with all four organizational entities listed once. The new providers are primarily located within Washington D.C. itself.
Overall, this week's data for Washington D.C. suggests a very modest expansion in the behavioral health workforce, with particular challenges in building out the ABA service capacity due to the lack of new BCBA professionals.
