What a GIRP note is
GIRP stands for Goal, Intervention, Response and Plan. Every note opens with the treatment plan goal or objective the session targeted, then documents what you did toward it and how the client responded.
Because it starts from the goal, GIRP makes the "golden thread" from treatment plan to session note to progress very easy to follow. That is why it is popular with programs that are audited against treatment plans and with behavior analysts who work from measurable targets.
GIRP works best when the treatment plan has measurable objectives. If the goal is vague, the note will be too, so a GIRP habit tends to improve treatment plans as well.
When to use GIRP
- Programs audited against written treatment plans, where each note must reference a goal.
- Goal-driven work such as skills training, case management, school-based and ABA services.
- Clients with several active goals, where naming the one addressed keeps the record clear.
- Progress reviews and reauthorizations, where you need to show movement on specific objectives.
GIRP field by field
The Goal section anchors everything below it.
Goal
The treatment plan goal or objective targeted this session, ideally quoted or numbered as it appears in the plan.
Tip: Use the plan's own wording so an auditor can match the note to the plan in seconds.
Intervention
What you did toward that goal: techniques, skills taught, materials used, practice set up.
Tip: Every intervention should plausibly move the stated goal. If it does not, it may belong to a different goal.
Response
How the client responded and what progress toward the goal looks like today, with data where you have it.
Tip: Compare to baseline or last session when you can. Direction of change is what progress reviews need.
Plan
Next steps toward the same goal, any change in approach, and homework or practice.
Tip: If the client met the objective, say so and name the next one.
Worked example
Fictional case: a teenager in outpatient therapy with a treatment plan goal of reducing school avoidance. No identifying details.
Session details entered
- Goal
- Objective 1b: attend full school days 4 of 5 days per week.
- Client report
- Attended 3 full days, left early twice due to stomach aches before math.
- Interventions
- Built exposure hierarchy for math class, coping card, role-played asking teacher for a break.
- Response
- Ranked 6 steps, chose step 2 for this week, practiced the request twice.
Resulting note
Goal:
Objective 1b: client will attend full school days on four of five school days per week.
Intervention:
Clinician and client built an exposure hierarchy for math class, created a coping card for pre-class physical symptoms, and role-played asking the teacher for a short break.
Response:
Client reported attending three full days this week and leaving early twice because of stomach aches before math class, up from two full days last week. Client ranked six hierarchy steps, selected step two for the coming week, and practiced the break request twice with increasing confidence.
Plan:
1. Client to complete hierarchy step two and use the coping card before math. 2. Track full school days attended. 3. Review progress toward Objective 1b and select the next step next session.
Common GIRP mistakes
- A Goal section that paraphrases loosely instead of matching the treatment plan.
- Listing every goal on the plan when the session only addressed one.
- A Response that describes engagement but says nothing about progress toward the goal.
- Never updating the goal after the client meets it.
Frequently asked questions
Is GIRP the same as BIRP?
Close, but not the same. Both document Intervention, Response and Plan. GIRP starts with the treatment plan Goal; BIRP starts with the client's Behavior. Choose GIRP when your record needs to show progress on specific goals.
Do BCBAs use GIRP notes?
Many do, because ABA work is organized around measurable targets. See the ABA session note generator for a version framed for skill acquisition and behavior reduction targets.
Can a GIRP note cover more than one goal?
Yes. Name each goal addressed, and keep each goal's intervention and response together so the links stay clear.
How often can I use this tool?
Once per day without an account. The limit resets 24 hours after your last note.
What information should I leave out?
Anything that identifies the client: names, dates of birth, addresses, school names, contact details. Describe the goal and session in general clinical terms.