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Behavioral health organizations often face a more specialized hiring challenge than general healthcare employers. ABA providers may need BCBAs and RBTs, while IDD/DD organizations, residential programs, group homes, and community-based providers depend on direct support professionals, mental health technicians, social workers, nurses, and other clinical or direct-care staff.

A behavioral health staffing agency can help organizations reach qualified candidates, manage screening and credentialing, and maintain coverage for roles that are difficult to fill through conventional recruiting alone.

The right partner depends on the care setting, roles required, geographic coverage, and preferred staffing model. Here are five behavioral health staffing agencies to consider in 2026.

Best Behavioral Health Staffing Agencies at a Glance

Agency

Best for

Relevant staffing areas

Focused Staffing 

Dedicated behavioral health talent pipelines

BCBAs, RBTs, DSPs, behavioral and clinical staff

Medix

ABA and specialized behavioral health

BCBAs, RBTs, counselors, case managers

Delta-T Group

Behavioral health and social services

Behavioral, social-service and direct-care professionals

Supplemental Health Care

Behavioral and mental health clinicians

Nurses, social workers, counselors, psychiatric staff

Amergis

Broad behavioral health and care staffing

Behavioral health, IDD, residential and clinical support

1. Focused Staffing Group

Focused Staffing provides specialized staffing for behavioral health and care organizations through its Focused Behavioral division.

The company works with ABA and autism service providers, IDD/DD organizations, residential programs, group homes, and community-based care organizations. Roles it recruits include BCBAs, RBTs, direct support professionals, residential aides, mental health technicians, case managers, care coordinators, and other behavioral and support positions.

One of the main differences in its model is its one-partner-per-market approach. Focused states that when it builds a candidate pipeline for an organization, it does not use that same pipeline to staff a direct competitor in the same region.

Focused also uses automated credentialing and supports temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct-hire staffing. Under its standard temp-to-hire model, there is no conversion fee when a professional moves onto the client's payroll.

This makes the company particularly relevant to organizations that want to develop an ongoing recruiting pipeline rather than use an agency only when a vacancy becomes urgent.

Best for: ABA, IDD/DD, residential, and community-based care organizations looking for a dedicated behavioral health staffing partner.

2. Medix

Medix provides staffing across healthcare and life sciences, including specialized behavioral health and ABA recruitment.

Relevant roles include BCBAs, BCaBAs, RBTs, counselors, social workers, and case managers. The company supports contract, contract-to-hire, and direct-hire arrangements.

Its ABA capabilities make Medix particularly relevant to autism service providers looking for credentialed behavioral professionals, while its broader healthcare recruiting infrastructure can support organizations with additional clinical workforce needs.

Best for: ABA providers and behavioral health organizations seeking specialized clinical and behavioral talent.

3. Delta-T Group

Delta-T Group specializes in behavioral health, social services, education, and related human-services staffing.

Its behavioral health network covers roles including behavior analysts, ABA professionals, social workers, counselors, direct-care staff, and other human-services professionals.

Delta-T can support needs ranging from individual professionals to larger workforce requirements. Its model centers on connecting organizations with independent professionals, so employers should consider the engagement structure when comparing it with conventional temporary or direct-hire staffing agencies.

Best for: Behavioral health and social-service organizations with flexible or high-volume workforce requirements.

4. Supplemental Health Care

Supplemental Health Care is a national healthcare staffing company with dedicated behavioral and mental health staffing capabilities.

Its behavioral and mental health coverage includes professionals such as psychiatric nurses, social workers, counselors, and other mental-health clinicians. The company supports several staffing models, including contract and direct-hire arrangements.

Because Supplemental Health Care operates across a broad healthcare workforce, it may be particularly useful to behavioral health organizations whose staffing requirements include nursing and other licensed clinical professionals.

Best for: Behavioral and mental health organizations requiring nursing, social work, counseling, and broader clinical coverage.

5. Amergis

Amergis provides workforce services across healthcare, behavioral health, education, and other care environments.

Its behavioral health staffing covers settings such as IDD programs and residential care, including direct support professionals, mental health technicians, social workers, and other clinical and support staff.

Its national staffing infrastructure can suit organizations needing multiple categories of care professionals.

Best for: Behavioral health, IDD, and residential organizations seeking broad workforce coverage.

How to Choose a Behavioral Health Staffing Agency

The right agency depends on the roles and care setting. An ABA provider recruiting BCBAs and RBTs has different requirements from a residential organization maintaining DSP coverage.

Before selecting an agency, consider:

  • Role specialization: Does it regularly recruit the positions you need?
  • Care-setting experience: Does it understand ABA, IDD/DD, residential, or community-based care?
  • Credentialing: How are credentials, clearances, and references verified?
  • Staffing model: Does it offer temporary, temp-to-hire, or direct hire?
  • Candidate pipeline: Can it provide ongoing access to talent?
  • Geographic coverage: Does it recruit where you operate?

These factors are often more useful than agency size alone.

Which Behavioral Health Staffing Agency Is Best?

There is no single best provider for every organization.

Medix is particularly relevant to ABA and specialized behavioral recruiting. Delta-T Group serves behavioral health and social services, while Supplemental Health Care provides broader mental health and clinical staffing. Amergis can support behavioral, direct-care, and clinical needs across multiple settings.

Focused Staffing Group is particularly suited to ABA, IDD/DD, residential, and community-based care organizations seeking a dedicated candidate pipeline. Its one-partner-per-market model means that pipeline is not shared with a direct local competitor.

Ultimately, the right staffing partner should understand both the professional being hired and the environment in which they will work.