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Behavioral Health CPT Codes

Quick reference for 24 common CPT codes used in psychotherapy, ABA, assessment, and crisis services, with time rules, documentation tips, and common denial reasons. Search by code or description.

90791Assessment & Evaluation

Psychiatric Diagnostic Evaluation

An integrated biopsychosocial assessment including history, mental status exam, and diagnosis. This is a diagnostic evaluation performed without medical services (no E/M component). Used for initial intake assessments by therapists, counselors, psychologists, and social workers.

Not a timed code. CPT sets no minimum or maximum duration, so 90791 is reported once for the evaluation whether it takes 45 or 90 minutes. Record the actual time anyway; some payers expect it.

90792Assessment & Evaluation

Psychiatric Diagnostic Evaluation with Medical Services

A diagnostic evaluation that includes medical services such as physical examination, medication assessment, and prescription management. This code is used by physicians (psychiatrists) and other qualified prescribers performing an integrated psychiatric and medical evaluation.

Not a timed code. CPT sets no minimum duration. The evaluation must include both the psychiatric diagnostic assessment and medical services.

96127Assessment & Evaluation

Brief Emotional/Behavioral Assessment

Administration of a brief standardized emotional or behavioral instrument, such as a depression, anxiety, or ADHD measure, with scoring and documentation. Each instrument is one unit. Used in primary care, pediatrics, psychiatry, and, where payers allow, therapy practices that use measurement-based care.

Not time-based. One unit per standardized instrument administered, scored, and documented. Payers often limit the number of units per date of service.

96156Assessment & Evaluation

Health Behavior Assessment or Re-Assessment

Assessment of the psychological, behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and social factors that affect the prevention, treatment, or management of a physical health problem. The focus is the physical condition, not a primary mental health diagnosis.

Not time-based in CPT. It is reported once per assessment, though payers may limit how often it is billed.

90832Individual Therapy

Individual Psychotherapy, 16-37 minutes

Individual psychotherapy lasting 16 to 37 minutes. This is the shortest individual psychotherapy code and fits brief check-ins, focused interventions, or sessions that end early. The session must include psychotherapeutic techniques, not only supportive conversation.

16 to 37 minutes of psychotherapy time with the client (CPT lists 30 minutes). Under 16 minutes is not reported as psychotherapy.

90834Individual Therapy

Individual Psychotherapy, 38-52 minutes

Individual psychotherapy lasting 38 to 52 minutes, the length of a typical weekly therapy session. Appropriate for any psychotherapy modality when the time and the psychotherapeutic work are documented.

38 to 52 minutes of psychotherapy time with the client (CPT lists 45 minutes). Time spent on notes, scheduling, or billing does not count.

90837Individual Therapy

Individual Psychotherapy, 53+ minutes

Individual psychotherapy for sessions lasting 53 minutes or longer. Appropriate when the clinical work requires the longer time, for example trauma processing or complex presentations. Some payers scrutinize this code more closely than 90834.

53 minutes or more of psychotherapy time with the client (CPT lists 60 minutes). Longer sessions are still reported as 90837.

90833Individual Therapy

Psychotherapy Add-On with E/M, 16-37 minutes

Psychotherapy add-on for clinicians who provide an evaluation and management (E/M) service and psychotherapy at the same visit, such as a medication management visit followed by a block of psychotherapy. The E/M must be significant and separately identifiable, and psychotherapy time cannot include time spent on the E/M.

16 to 37 minutes of psychotherapy (CPT lists 30 minutes), counted separately from E/M time. Under 16 minutes of psychotherapy is not reported.

90836Individual Therapy

Psychotherapy Add-On with E/M, 38-52 minutes

Psychotherapy add-on for clinicians who provide an E/M service and 38 to 52 minutes of psychotherapy at the same visit. Typically billed by psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners who combine medication management with psychotherapy.

38 to 52 minutes of psychotherapy (CPT lists 45 minutes), counted separately from E/M time.

90838Individual Therapy

Psychotherapy Add-On with E/M, 53+ minutes

Psychotherapy add-on for clinicians who provide an E/M service and 53 minutes or more of psychotherapy at the same visit. Less common than 90833 and 90836, and more likely to be reviewed by payers.

53 minutes or more of psychotherapy (CPT lists 60 minutes), counted separately from E/M time.

90846Individual Therapy

Family Psychotherapy without Patient Present

Family or couples psychotherapy conducted without the identified client present. Used when a clinician meets with family members to address family dynamics, psychoeducation, or treatment strategies related to the identified client's condition.

CPT lists 50 minutes. It is not reported for family psychotherapy under 26 minutes. Some payers set their own time expectations.

90847Individual Therapy

Family Psychotherapy with Patient Present

Family or couples psychotherapy with the identified client present along with one or more family members. This is the code for conjoint sessions, couples counseling, and family systems work where the identified client participates.

CPT lists 50 minutes. It is not reported for family psychotherapy under 26 minutes. Some payers set their own time expectations.

90785Individual Therapy

Interactive Complexity (Add-On)

An add-on code reported with a primary diagnostic evaluation or psychotherapy code when one of four specific communication factors is present. It is not a standalone code and is not a substitute for a longer time-based code.

No time of its own. It is reported once with the primary service and adds no minutes.

90853Group Therapy

Group Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy delivered to a group of clients at the same time. The therapist uses group process and interventions toward each member's treatment goals. Each member is billed separately under their own insurance.

CPT assigns no time to 90853. Payers may set a minimum session length. Report one unit per client per session.

97151Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Behavior Identification Assessment

Comprehensive behavioral assessment by a qualified health care professional, typically a BCBA. Includes interviews, direct observation, standardized assessments, functional behavior assessment, and development of the treatment plan. This is the foundational assessment code for ABA services.

Per 15 minutes of the qualified professional's time. Under the CPT time rule a unit is generally met once 8 minutes have passed, though payers may set their own unit rules. Total units are set by authorization.

97152Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Behavior Identification Supporting Assessment

Supporting behavioral assessment administered by a technician under the direction of a qualified health care professional. Often used for structured observations, preference assessments, and data collection that feed the BCBA's assessment.

Per 15 minutes of the technician's face-to-face time with the client. Payers may set their own unit rules.

97153Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Adaptive Behavior Treatment by Protocol

Direct ABA treatment by a technician following a protocol designed by a qualified professional. The technician runs skill acquisition and behavior reduction programs and collects data during the session.

Per 15 minutes of face-to-face time with one client. Weekly hours come from the treatment plan and authorization. Payers may set their own unit rules.

97154Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Group Adaptive Behavior Treatment by Protocol

ABA treatment delivered to two or more clients at the same time by a technician following protocols designed by a qualified professional. Each client must have an individualized treatment plan.

Per 15 minutes per client. Each client present is billed individually. Payers may set their own unit rules.

97155Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Adaptive Behavior Treatment with Protocol Modification

ABA treatment by a qualified professional that involves direct client contact and modification of the treatment protocol, including real-time adjustments based on client data and direction of the technician during the session.

Per 15 minutes of face-to-face time with one client. Payers may set their own unit rules.

97156Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Family Adaptive Behavior Treatment Guidance

BCBA-led guidance for parents and caregivers. Covers teaching behavior management strategies, explaining treatment protocols, and supporting the use of ABA strategies at home.

Per 15 minutes of face-to-face time with the caregivers. Payers may set their own unit rules.

90839Crisis Services

Psychotherapy for Crisis, First 60 minutes

Urgent psychotherapy for a client in crisis: assessment of the crisis state, mental status exam, and disposition, with psychotherapy, mobilization of resources to defuse the crisis and restore safety, and interventions to reduce the risk of psychological trauma.

30 to 74 minutes of crisis psychotherapy on the same date. The time does not have to be continuous, but the clinician must give the client (and family) full attention and cannot see other clients during it.

90840Crisis Services

Psychotherapy for Crisis, Each Additional 30 minutes

Add-on code for crisis psychotherapy that continues beyond the time covered by 90839. Billed for each additional 30 minutes and only together with 90839.

Each additional 30 minutes beyond the first 74 minutes of crisis psychotherapy. 75 to 104 total minutes is 90839 plus one unit of 90840; 105 to 134 minutes is 90839 plus two units.

99213Assessment & Evaluation

Office Visit, Established Patient (Low Complexity)

Evaluation and management (E/M) office visit for an established patient with low medical decision making. In behavioral health, used by psychiatric prescribers for follow-ups where overall decision making is low.

Low medical decision making, or at least 20 minutes of total clinician time on the date of the encounter. If psychotherapy is billed the same day, psychotherapy time cannot count toward E/M time.

99214Assessment & Evaluation

Office Visit, Established Patient (Moderate Complexity)

E/M office visit for an established patient with moderate medical decision making. In psychiatry, used for medication management involving changes, new prescriptions, side effect assessment, or coordination of several medications.

Moderate medical decision making, or at least 30 minutes of total clinician time on the date of the encounter. Psychotherapy time billed the same day cannot count toward E/M time.

Compare psychotherapy codes

Individual psychotherapy codes are chosen by face-to-face psychotherapy time: 90832 for 16 to 37 minutes, 90834 for 38 to 52 minutes, and 90837 for 53 minutes or more.

Telehealth, OT and speech therapy guides

Modifier and place of service rules for video and phone sessions, occupational therapy evaluation and treatment codes, and the 2027 replacement of speech therapy code 92507. Diagnosis codes are in the mental health ICD-10 code reference.

ABA CPT codes

Adaptive behavior assessment and treatment codes are billed in 15-minute units. 97151 is the BCBA assessment, 97152 is technician-supported assessment, 97153 and 97154 are technician treatment by protocol (individual and group), 97155 is BCBA treatment with protocol modification, and 97156 is caregiver guidance. Most ABA services need prior authorization, and payer rules vary.

Sources: American Medical Association (AMA), CPT Professional codebook: code descriptors, psychotherapy time rules, and add-on code guidance. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) policy. Payer rules vary; confirm with each payer.

Reviewed October 2, 2026 against these sources.

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