ABA Documentation: Session Notes, Data, Supervision and Codes
By WellNotes Clinical Team. Facts checked against the linked pages and the sources below. Last reviewed . Last updated: . See sources.
What does ABA documentation include?
ABA documentation is the written record of each session and the work around it: session notes with targets, prompt levels and behavior data, ABC data and the behavior intervention plan, supervision records for each RBT, and the CPT and ICD-10 codes the notes support. This hub links every WellNotes guide and free tool for each part.
The pages are grouped in the order the work usually happens: collect data, follow the plan, write the session note, log supervision, then code the service. Each one is written for RBTs, BCBAs and the clinic staff who review their notes.
Requirements come from the BACB, your payers, your state and your organization, and they change. Each linked page names its sources and the date it was last checked; confirm the current rules with those sources before you rely on them.
How the pieces fit together
One session usually touches every group on this page, in this order:
- Collect the data. Record what happened during the session: trial data, prompt levels, ABC entries or interval data, as the behavior plan specifies.
- Follow the plan. The behavior intervention plan written by the supervising BCBA decides which procedures run and what is measured.
- Write the session note. Summarize the targets, procedures, data and client response in the note, in the format your organization uses.
- Log supervision. Keep a monthly record that shows each RBT met the BACB supervision minimums.
- Code the service. The note should support the CPT code billed for the session and the diagnosis code on the claim.
Session notes
How to write the note for each direct session, with examples.
Data and behavior plans
Free browser tools for the data and the plan behind each session.
- ABC data sheetRecord antecedent, behavior and consequence entries in your browser, see summary counts, export a CSV or print a blank sheet.
- Behavior intervention plan builderA guided form that arranges the plan you write, from the operational definition and hypothesized function to data collection and the review date.
Supervision
The BACB rules for RBT supervision and BCBA fieldwork, and two tools for tracking them.
- RBT supervision requirementsThe BACB 5% monthly rule, the required contacts and observation, and who can supervise.
- BCBA fieldwork and supervision requirementsThe 2026 fieldwork rules for BCBA applicants and the changes for applicants from January 1, 2027.
- BCBA supervision calculatorWorks out the 5% monthly supervision minimum for each RBT from their service hours, across several RBTs and clients.
- RBT supervision trackerA browser-only monthly log that checks each month against the BACB RBT Handbook, with CSV export and a printable blank log.
Billing and codes
The adaptive behavior CPT codes, one page per code, and the autism diagnosis code.
- ABA CPT codes: the full list97151 to 97158, 0362T and 0373T, who delivers each code, and the changes that take effect January 1, 2027.
- CPT 97151Behavior identification assessment by a qualified health care professional, such as a BCBA.
- CPT 97152Supporting assessment, face to face with the client, by a technician under the professional’s direction.
- CPT 97153One-to-one adaptive behavior treatment by protocol, delivered by a technician such as an RBT.
- CPT 97154Group adaptive behavior treatment by protocol.
- CPT 97155Adaptive behavior treatment with protocol modification by the qualified professional.
- CPT 97156Family adaptive behavior treatment guidance for caregivers.
- ICD-10 code for autism (F84.0)F84.0 and the F84 family, with the Asperger Excludes1 note and the code also rule.
Terms
One-concept reference pages, each with how the term shows up in session data and in the note.
- ABA Terms GlossaryEvery ABA concept page in one list, written for RBTs, BCBAs and students.
- Prompt HierarchyPrompt types from full physical to independent, most-to-least vs least-to-most, and how to record prompt levels.
- Discontinuous MeasurementPartial interval, whole interval and momentary time sampling, with a worked example of how each scores the same observation.
- Differential ReinforcementDRA, DRI, DRO and DRL compared, with examples, how to record them and a session note example.
- Token EconomyThe six components of a token economy, token boards, thinning and how to record token data in a session note.
Tools and software
Drafting help for the note itself, a software comparison, and what WellNotes offers each role.
- Free ABA session note generatorDrafts an ABA session note in Goal, Intervention, Response, Plan order from the targets, procedures and de-identified data you enter.
- Best ABA session note software in 2026CentralReach, Motivity, Raven Health, RethinkBH and WellNotes compared.
- WellNotes for BCBAsSession and supervision documentation for behavior analysts.
- WellNotes for RBTsObjective, structured session notes for registered behavior technicians.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should an ABA session note include?
Most ABA session notes record the date and times, the setting and who was present, the targets and procedures run, prompt levels and data for each target, behavior data, the client’s response and the plan for the next session. Payer and agency requirements vary, so check the ones that apply to you.
How much supervision does an RBT need each month?
Under the current BACB RBT requirements, an RBT must be supervised for at least 5% of the hours they provide behavior-analytic services each month, with at least two real-time contacts, at least one of them individual, and observation of the RBT with a client in at least one contact. Confirm details in the current RBT Handbook at bacb.com.
Which CPT codes are used for ABA?
Through December 31, 2026, ABA services are reported with the adaptive behavior codes 97151 to 97158 and Category III codes 0362T and 0373T, counted in 15-minute units. A revised code set takes effect January 1, 2027. The ABA CPT codes guide lists both sets.
Does WellNotes collect ABA data or bill for sessions?
No. The ABC data sheet, behavior intervention plan builder and RBT supervision tracker run in your browser and do not send or store your entries. WellNotes drafts session notes from what you type, and you review and edit each one. It does not choose codes, bill or submit claims.
Sources
- BACB: Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
- BACB: Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
- ABA Coding Coalition: 2027 billing codes
- CDC NCHS: ICD-10-CM and the ICD-10-CM Browser Tool
For documentation support, not clinical, billing or legal advice. The behavior plan written by the supervising BCBA, your payers, your state and the BACB set the requirements that apply to you.
Draft the ABA session note from your session data
Enter the targets, trial counts and behavior data from your session, and the free ABA session note generator drafts the note. You review and edit every note before you use it.