Progress notes are most directly used to support which of the following?

• A. Continuation of care and justification for ongoing therapy.
• B. Initial assessment only.
• C. Discharge without ongoing care.
• D. Administrative tasks unrelated to therapy.

Answer: (A)

Progress notes document what happened in therapy, how the child responded to interventions, and progress toward set goals. They are the clinical record that justifies continuing services by showing ongoing need, improvements or plateaus, and any changes to the plan. This documentation also supports communication among the care team and provides evidence for funding or authorization to continue therapy, making them essential for continuity of care in pediatric OT.

Initial assessments are typically captured in the evaluation, not in ongoing progress notes. Discharge decisions rely on summarizing whether further therapy is needed, which progress notes can inform but do not themselves justify ending ongoing care. Administrative-only tasks fall outside the clinical purpose of progress notes, which focus on clinical outcomes and treatment planning.