From the Field - June 2026

Over the past several months, a theme has consistently surfaced in conversations with clinical directors, practice owners, and behavioral health executives.

Leaders across ABA, pediatric psychology, and community mental health are asking the same question:

“How do we build a model clinicians actually want to stay in?”

What is striking is how much the conversation has shifted from recruitment metrics to clinical culture.

A regional ABA director recently shared that, despite offering highly competitive salaries for BCBAs, turnover remained high until the organization reduced administrative workload and redesigned supervision structures.

“We realized people weren’t leaving because they disliked the work but because the pace made it impossible to do the work well,” she told us. 

That sentiment is becoming increasingly common.

Clinic leaders are describing similar challenges, particularly among early-career clinicians navigating high-acuity caseloads alongside documentation demands, insurance pressures, and increasing patient complexity. 

Another growing concern around clinical leadership fatigue has been surfacing.

Many senior BCBAs, psychologists and clinicians are carrying multiple responsibilities such as managing clinical quality, supervising teams, supporting families, handling staffing shortages, and maintaining productivity expectations simultaneously.

The organizations having the most success are not necessarily eliminating stress as behavioral health work will always be demanding, but they are becoming more intentional about reducing preventable strain.

And perhaps most importantly, leaders are talking more openly about clinician well-being than ever before.

Seeing these conversations move from private concerns to executive-level operational priorities is encouraging. It reflects a broader shift within behavioral health.

If you’re thinking about what sustainable clinical work should look like, you’re not alone.

Schedule a thoughtful conversation