Resources · Billing & compliance
Behavioral Health CPT Billing Codes Guide
A quick reference to the CPT and HCPCS codes clinic administrators and billing specialists use most in behavioral health and Psychiatric Rehabilitation Programs (PRP) — with the documentation each code requires to stay compliant and audit-ready.
Initial intake assessment without medical services. Document presenting problem, history, mental status exam, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations. Typically billed once per episode of care.
Time-based individual therapy codes. Document the exact session start/stop time, therapeutic interventions used, client response, and progress toward treatment-plan goals. The chosen code must match documented face-to-face time.
Family session focused on the client's treatment when the client is not in the room. Document who attended, the clinical focus, and how the session supports the identified client's goals.
One of the most-billed and most-audited behavioral health codes. Requires the identified client to be present for a meaningful portion of the session. Document all participants, the client's active involvement, interventions delivered, family dynamics addressed, and progress toward the client's plan goals. Sessions are typically ~50 minutes; note start/stop times and avoid billing 90847 and an individual therapy code for the same time block.
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program service unit commonly billed in 15-minute increments. Document the rehabilitation goal addressed, the specific skill-building activity, units delivered, and the location of service.
PRP day and community rehabilitation services. Document authorization, attendance, the treatment-plan objective addressed each session, and staff-to-client interaction to satisfy payer and audit requirements.
Documentation that survives an audit
- Record exact start and stop times for every time-based code.
- Tie each session note back to a specific treatment-plan goal.
- List all participants and, for 90847, the client's active involvement.
- Confirm authorization and units before billing PRP services.
- Keep signatures, dates, and provider credentials on every note.
CareVieo captures structured visit notes, authorizations, and signatures so your documentation matches what you bill.
This guide is for general informational purposes and is not billing, legal, or clinical advice. Always confirm codes and requirements with the current CPT/HCPCS guidelines and your payers.