July 2026 – Access to behavioral healthcare remains a challenge in many communities, particularly in rural areas where provider shortages can limit timely care. While traditional workforce data sources, such as licensing records and the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) registry, offer valuable information, they cannot distinguish between licensed providers and those who are actively delivering care or identify the types of insurance these providers accept.

In this issue brief, Onpoint Principal Health Data Analyst Kate Ahrens, PhD, and Director of Health Analytics Amy Kinner, MS, demonstrate how all-payer claims databases (APCDs) can be used to create a more accurate and up-to-date picture of the behavioral health provider workforce. Using APCD data from five states participating in the 2026 update of Onpoint’s Multi-State Behavioral Health Initiative – the inaugural project of our mission-driven Collective Impact program – they identified active behavioral health providers, examined differences in provider availability and workforce composition, and analyzed participation across commercial and Medicaid insurance.

The analysis found that states with greater behavioral health provider availability also tended to have higher use of outpatient behavioral health services, while variation in Medicaid participation revealed additional barriers to care that are not captured by traditional workforce data. The brief highlights how APCDs can help policymakers, researchers, and health leaders better understand provider availability, monitor access, and target workforce investments where they are needed most. Read the full issue brief.

Note: This issue brief is part of Onpoint’s 2026 Multi-State Behavioral Health Initiative, an exciting collaboration with five of our state APCD clients – Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, and Vermont – to leverage their collective data and explore the relationships between behavioral health, other medical conditions, and social drivers of health. Read more and explore the companion dashboards at our Collective Impact page.