Progress notes are best defined as what?

• A. Insurance billing entries
• B. Appointment reminders
• C. Therapist observations and thoughts/feelings related to the session
• D. Mental health records including assessment results, treatment plan, symptoms and progress summary

Answer: (D)

Progress notes capture the clinical record of therapy over time. They document what happened in a session, the client's symptoms and functioning, the assessment basis for treatment, the treatment plan or goals, the interventions used, and how the client responded so far. This creates a coherent record that tracks change and guides future care, and it sits within the client’s mental health chart as part of the official records.

They are not simply billing entries, which are focused on reimbursement requirements. They are not appointment reminders, which are administrative notices. While clinician observations may appear in progress notes, the emphasis is on recording the clinical content that shows how symptoms or functioning are changing and how the treatment plan is being implemented.