What are session notes in ABA?
Session notes are the clinical documentation completed after each ABA session, summarizing the interventions used, the learner's responses, progress toward goals, and any notable observations.
Session notes are one of the most common documentation tasks for RBTs and BCBAs. Each note records what actually happened: the programs run, the strategies and prompts used, how the client responded, and anything worth flagging for the supervising clinician.
They serve two purposes at once. Clinically, they give the BCBA the context behind the numbers. Administratively, they are the record that supports the claim — payers expect the note to match the service, date, duration, and provider being billed.
Because a note is required for every session, the time they take adds up quickly. Writing them alongside data capture, rather than reconstructing them at the end of the day, keeps them accurate and keeps billing moving.