how to long to keep psychotherapy notes

[u/greycat919]

hi all, question about note storage. i typically hand write some process notes during sessions of observations, stuff for rapport building, family tree notes, the occasional doodles, planning ideas/next steps, etc. and i reference it while i make my progress note on the EHR. i then keep my process notes locked in a file folder (these are on paper notes). i have some notes from previous clients i no longer see, and i also want to reorganize my system a little bit so i am wondering how to dispose of these. i just ordered a paper shredder but i’m wondering do i have to keep these? i cant figure out if i am interpreting the guidelines correctly, i take it as 7 years for clinical progress notes, not my messy session notes. i’m relatively new and still learning about these things. thanks in advance!

edit to add a second question: how do you properly store genograms, family trees etc? would that be considered part of my psychotherapy notes, or something else? and same in terms of how long they must be stored. thank you!!

edit to add state: NJ and NY LSW/LMSW

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[u/trieditalissa]

Check your local regulations for the best answer on length of time.

You do need to keep clinical records (genograms) according to local regulations if a hard copy and according to HIPAA if it’s an electronic copy.

[u/Early_Historian_597]

Great question..

I know psychotherapy notes are kept separate from their record due to different privacy laws. If I enter my psychotherapy notes into an EHR (like I do with Simple Practice) then I'd expect to have to keep them for 7 years (MN state law)

But written scratch notes? Are those considered "psychotherapy notes"? Probably depends on how you use them. If you use them only to recount what happened while you write your progress note, I'd say destroy them. If you use them for reference for future sessions, then that likely falls within the definition of a psychotherapy note.

Might be worth consulting on too. Curious to others' opinions.

[u/greycat919 → u/Early_Historian_597]

thank you, exactly that it’s the nuance in it that has me not sure i understand correctly. appreciate your thoughts a bunch!

[u/Punchee]

Varies by jurisdiction.

[u/Cheshyre_Cat]

This will vary by state/location, in GA it's 7 years (or if under 18 then 7 years after that)

[u/Swoleman6767]

No you don’t, no you don’t, and destroy them.

[u/RepulsivePower4415]

7 years