Free Clinical Supervision Toolkit: Templates for Session Notes, Logs, Goals, and Evaluations
Eight editable templates for clinical supervisors, free to use with any supervisee. Each one is an optional aid: none of them is a Board of Behavioral Sciences form, and none replaces one.
Last updated: October 27, 2026
Clinical Supervision Guides›Free Supervision Toolkit
Supervision runs on paperwork that nobody hands you. California requires supervisors to keep several records without supplying a form for them: an assessment of the supervisee's strengths and limitations at least once a year and when supervision ends, with a copy to the supervisee; written procedures for reaching you, or an on-call alternate, in an emergency, given before supervision begins; and the documented videoconference assessment the law requires (16 CCR 1833.1(a); BPC 4980.43.2(d)). The rest of the toolkit covers what good supervision needs anyway: a plan with measurable goals, a note for each session, a structure for case presentations and a written statement of how supervision will work.
The templates follow the duties in California's supervision law and the American Psychological Association's 2025 Guidelines for Clinical Supervision in Health Service Psychology, which describe the supervision contract as an informed consent document and ask supervisors to keep accurate and timely documentation of supervisee performance. The deliberate practice fields, where supervisor and supervisee rehearse a skill as well as discuss a case, come from the approach taught in the Sentio MFT program's free supervisor training. Every template appears in full, ready to copy.
What Is in the Toolkit?
| Template | Use it for | Ties to |
|---|---|---|
| Supervision session agenda and note | A one-page agenda and record for each supervision session: cases, records and recordings reviewed, risk, guidance given, skills practiced and follow-up. | BPC 4980.43.1(b): monitoring decisions, reviewing records and recordings |
| Supervision log and key dates | A running log of sessions with each supervisee, with the deadlines a California supervisor tracks from the first session to the last. | Your own record; it does not replace the supervisee's BBS weekly log |
| Supervision goals worksheet and examples | A worksheet for drafting the supervisory plan, with example goals, objectives and measures in nine areas of practice. | Part III of the BBS Supervision Agreement (the supervisory plan) |
| Case presentation format | A twelve-part structure for presenting a case in individual or group supervision, with questions supervisees can bring. | Good practice; no Board requirement |
| Supervision disclosure statement and informed consent | A statement of how supervision will work, covering evaluation, confidentiality, recordings, emergencies, boundaries and ending supervision. | Good practice (APA 2025); supplements the BBS Supervision Agreement |
| Emergency contact procedures | A one-page set of written procedures for reaching you, or an on-call alternate, in a crisis. | 16 CCR 1833.1(a)(10), written procedures before supervision begins |
| Videoconference assessment record | A record of the meeting in which you assess whether supervision by videoconference suits the supervisee. | BPC 4980.43.2(d), the videoconference assessment |
| Evaluation forms | A yearly and end-of-supervision assessment of the supervisee's strengths and limitations, and a form for the supervisee's feedback on supervision. | 16 CCR 1833.1(a)(9), the yearly and final assessment |
Supervision Session Agenda and Note
Use the agenda to start each session and the note to record it. The note documents the parts of supervision California's definition lists, such as monitoring assessment, diagnosis and treatment decisions and reviewing records and recordings (BPC 4980.43.1(b)), and it gives you what you need for the yearly assessment.
Optional aid from the Sentio MFT program's clinical supervision toolkit. Not a Board of Behavioral Sciences form, and it does not replace one.
Agenda (set in the first five minutes)
- Urgent items since the last session: risk, possible mandated reports, crises.
- Follow-up from the last session.
- Cases for today, starting with the supervisee's questions.
- Recording or observation review.
- Skill practice.
- Goals from the supervisory plan touched today.
- Administrative items: weekly log signed, documents due.
Session note
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Supervisee | |
| Date, start and end time | |
| Format | Individual / Triadic / Group |
| Mode | In person / Videoconference |
| Work setting | |
| Cases discussed (client code and reason) | |
| Records reviewed | Progress notes / Process notes / Treatment plans / Other: |
| Recording or live observation | Yes, with client's written consent on file / No |
| Risk and safety | Issues raised, actions agreed, follow-up date |
| Law and ethics | For example a mandated report, consent, confidentiality or scope of practice |
| Guidance given | Assessment and diagnosis; treatment plan; interventions |
| Skill practiced | Skill, number of rehearsals, feedback given |
| Plan goals addressed | Goal numbers from the supervisory plan |
| Supervision dynamics | Anything in the supervisory relationship, or in the supervisee's reactions to clients, that needs follow-up |
| Follow-up | What, who, by when |
| Weekly log signed this week | Yes / No |
| Supervisor initials |
Identify clients by code or initials only. Write the note as you would a clinical record: the facts, the guidance you gave and the actions agreed.
Supervision Log and Key Dates
Keep one key-dates box for each supervisee and add a log row after every session. The box tracks the deadlines a California supervisor carries from the first session to the last.
Optional aid from the Sentio MFT program's clinical supervision toolkit. Not a Board of Behavioral Sciences form, and it does not replace one.
Key dates
| Item | Date or status |
|---|---|
| Supervisee and status (MFT trainee, AMFT, ASW or APCC) with registration number | |
| Registration expiration date | |
| Work settings | |
| Supervision began | |
| Written oversight agreement, only if you are not employed by the supervisee's employer or you volunteer there | Signed: ____ (before supervision begins) |
| Emergency procedures given to the supervisee | Given: ____ (before supervision begins) |
| Supervision Agreement and supervisory plan | Signed: ____ (within 60 days of the start) |
| Videoconference assessment | Held and documented: ____ (within 60 days; see note) |
| Assessment of strengths and limitations | Due: ____ Done: ____ Copy given: ____ |
| Your Supervisor Self-Assessment Report (once in your career) | Filed: ____ |
| Your six hours of continuing professional development in supervision this renewal period, if they apply to you | Hours so far: ____ |
| End of supervision | Date: ____ Written notice given: ____ Final assessment: ____ Experience Verification signed: ____ |
Note on the videoconference assessment: through December 31, 2026, California requires it for every supervisee within 60 days of the start of supervision. From January 1, 2027, it is required only when supervision is conducted by videoconference, within 60 days of the start of that supervision (SB 1445).
Session log
| Date | Supervisee(s) | Format (I, T, G) | Mode (in person, video) | Length | Setting | Recording or observation | Weekly log signed | Notes and follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
This log is your own record. The supervisee's weekly log, the Board form you sign every week, is the record of hours the regulations require, and the Experience Verification you sign when supervision ends is what the Board receives.
Supervision Goals Worksheet and Examples
Draft the supervisory plan here, then copy the final goals and objectives into Part III of the BBS Supervision Agreement, which you and the supervisee must complete within 60 days of the start of supervision. Goals that say what you will look at make the yearly assessment straightforward.
Optional aid from the Sentio MFT program's clinical supervision toolkit. Not a Board of Behavioral Sciences form, and it does not replace one.
Worksheet
| Goal | Objective: what the supervisee will be able to do, observably | How we will work on it | How we will check | Target date | Review notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Example goals, objectives and measures (adapt the numbers, which illustrate rather than set a standard)
| Area | Example goal | Example objective | Example measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment and diagnosis | Conduct thorough intake assessments | Completes an intake assessment and a supported provisional diagnosis within the first two sessions with each new client | Intake notes reviewed weekly; one recorded intake reviewed each month |
| Case conceptualization | Link assessment to a coherent conceptualization | Presents each new case with a written conceptualization using one named model | Case presentations in the toolkit's format |
| Treatment planning | Write measurable treatment plans | Every client has a plan with at least two measurable goals within 30 days of intake | Plan review each quarter |
| Core therapeutic skills | Respond to client emotion with accurate empathy | Rehearses responses to difficult client statements until the supervisor rates them usable in session | Skill rehearsal in supervision; recording review |
| Couples and family work | Manage escalation in conjoint sessions | Interrupts escalating exchanges and restores structure within the session | Recorded conjoint session reviewed each month |
| Risk and crisis response | Assess suicide and violence risk | Completes and documents a structured risk assessment the same day risk is raised | Review of every risk note; a rehearsed risk assessment each quarter |
| Law, ethics and documentation | Meet documentation and reporting duties | Completes progress notes within the employer's deadline and discusses each possible mandated report in supervision | Note review; supervision notes |
| Culture and context | Address cultural and contextual factors in treatment | Names relevant cultural and contextual factors in each case presentation and reflects them in the plan | Case presentations; yearly assessment |
| Use of supervision | Bring difficulties to supervision early | Brings one challenging moment each week, with a recording or note | Session notes |
Case Presentation Format
A shared structure keeps case presentations short and focused on what the supervisee needs. Plan on ten to fifteen minutes, remove identifying details, and bring a three-to-five-minute recording segment if the client has given written consent.
Optional aid from the Sentio MFT program's clinical supervision toolkit. Not a Board of Behavioral Sciences form, and it does not replace one.
- Your question for supervision: what you want from this discussion, in one or two sentences.
- Client snapshot: age range, identities the client has shared that matter to the work, presenting concern, referral source and number of sessions so far.
- Relevant history and current context.
- Assessment, provisional diagnosis and current risk, with any safety plan.
- Case conceptualization: the model you are using and your working hypothesis.
- Treatment goals and plan.
- Progress so far, including any outcome measures.
- Recording segment: the time stamp, why you chose it and what you want feedback on.
- Cultural and contextual factors.
- Your reactions to the client.
- Legal or ethical questions.
- What you plan to try next.
Questions to bring to supervision
- What am I missing in this assessment?
- What would you have done differently at this point in the session?
- What should I practice before I see this client again?
- Is there a risk or legal issue I have not seen?
- How are my reactions to this client affecting the work?
- What would progress look like in four weeks?
In group supervision, give each listener a lens before the presentation starts: one tracks risk, one the client's perspective and one the therapist's interventions. The presenter hears from each in turn before open discussion. How to run group supervision covers the rest of the format.
Supervision Disclosure Statement and Informed Consent
A written statement tells a new supervisee how supervision will work before problems arise. The APA's 2025 guidelines describe the supervision contract as an informed consent document. In California the statement sits alongside the BBS Supervision Agreement, which remains the required document; fill in the brackets and delete what does not apply.
Optional aid from the Sentio MFT program's clinical supervision toolkit. Not a Board of Behavioral Sciences form, and it does not replace one.
| Section | What to write (example wording in italics) |
|---|---|
| 1. About me as a supervisor | License type and number, years licensed, supervision training, theoretical orientation and the areas of practice I am competent to supervise. |
| 2. What supervision includes | Frequency and length; individual, triadic or group format; in person or by videoconference; what to bring (cases, notes, recordings); how we set and review goals in the supervisory plan. |
| 3. My responsibilities | I am responsible for the quality of the services you provide under my supervision. I will review your notes and recordings, give you regular feedback, sign your weekly log every week, and be reachable in emergencies as our written emergency procedures describe. |
| 4. Your responsibilities | Prepare for each session. Tell clients what California law requires you to tell them about your status and supervision. Bring risk concerns to me promptly. Obtain written client consent before recording. Keep your weekly log current. Tell me about changes in your registration, your employment or your other supervisors. |
| 5. Evaluation | I will give you feedback in every session. At least once a year, and when supervision ends, I will write an assessment of your strengths and limitations based on the goals in our supervisory plan and on [notes, recordings, observation], and give you a copy. If a concern about your work arises, I will tell you promptly, describe it in writing with specific examples, and agree a plan with you. |
| 6. Confidentiality and its limits | What we discuss in supervision stays between us, except when a client or someone else may be at risk, when the law requires a report, when the Board of Behavioral Sciences requests records, or when [your employer or training program] receives evaluations as agreed. |
| 7. Recordings | How recordings are made, stored, shared with me and deleted, and the written client consent required before any recording. |
| 8. Emergencies | A summary of the written emergency procedures, which you receive before supervision begins. |
| 9. Boundaries | I will not provide therapy to you, and we will avoid any other relationship that could undermine supervision. If our paths cross professionally, we will discuss how to keep supervision effective. |
| 10. Fees, if any | Amount, payment schedule and cancellation terms. |
| 11. Disagreements and concerns | Raise a disagreement with me first. If we cannot resolve it, [employer or program contact] can help. The Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts complaints about licensees. |
| 12. Ending supervision | Either of us may end supervision. I will give you at least one week's written notice before I stop signing for further hours, as California regulations require, and I will complete a final assessment and your Experience Verification. |
| Signatures | Supervisor, supervisee, date. This statement supplements the BBS Supervision Agreement and does not replace it. |
Emergency Contact Procedures
California requires every supervisor to set written procedures for supervisees to reach the supervisor or, in the supervisor's absence, an alternative on-call supervisor in crises and emergencies, and to provide them before supervision begins (16 CCR 1833.1(a)(10)). The template puts them on one sheet.
Optional aid from the Sentio MFT program's clinical supervision toolkit. Not a Board of Behavioral Sciences form, and it does not replace one.
| Item | Entry |
|---|---|
| Supervisor | Name; phone for calls and texts; email; hours I can be reached |
| Alternate on-call supervisor | Name; license; phone; when to call (for example, if I do not answer within [__] minutes, or while I am away) |
| Site procedures | Where the site's crisis protocol is kept; the on-site lead or administrator |
| What to call about at once | A client at imminent risk of harm to self or others; suspected child, elder or dependent adult abuse; a client in medical crisis; a threat to your safety |
| What can wait for supervision | Questions that do not involve safety or a legal deadline |
| Steps | 1. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911. 2. Follow the site's crisis protocol. 3. Call me; if I do not answer within [__] minutes, call the alternate. 4. Document what happened and what you did the same day. 5. We review the situation at the next session, or sooner. |
| Given to the supervisee | Date; supervisee initials |
Videoconference Assessment Record
Within 60 days, a supervisor must meet with the supervisee to assess whether supervision by two-way, real-time videoconferencing is appropriate, considering at least the supervisee's abilities, the preferences of both people and the privacy of each location, must document the result, and must not use videoconferencing if it is not appropriate (BPC 4980.43.2(d)). Through December 31, 2026, the meeting is required for every supervisee, within 60 days of the start of supervision. From January 1, 2027, it is required only when supervision is conducted by videoconference, within 60 days of the start of that supervision. This record covers each factor the law names.
Optional aid from the Sentio MFT program's clinical supervision toolkit. Not a Board of Behavioral Sciences form, and it does not replace one.
| Item | Entry |
|---|---|
| Supervisee and supervisor | |
| Date supervision began; date videoconference supervision began | |
| Date of the assessment meeting | |
| Supervisee's abilities | Clinical experience; comfort and skill with the platform; any needs that call for in-person contact |
| Preferences | The supervisee's preference; the supervisor's preference |
| Privacy of each location | Supervisee: private room, others present, headphones. Supervisor: the same. |
| Platform and confidentiality | Platform used; whether it meets the employer's privacy requirements; how recordings are shared; no client identifiers in chat |
| Decision | Appropriate / Appropriate with conditions / Not appropriate |
| Conditions | For example, an in-person session each month, or a switch to in person if a stated concern arises |
| Review date | |
| Supervisor signature and date |
Evaluation Forms
California requires a supervisor to assess the supervisee's ongoing strengths and limitations at least once a year and at the completion or termination of supervision, and to give the supervisee a copy of every assessment (16 CCR 1833.1(a)(9)). Form A covers that assessment. Form B asks the supervisee how supervision is working, which is the quickest way to find out.
Optional aid from the Sentio MFT program's clinical supervision toolkit. Not a Board of Behavioral Sciences form, and it does not replace one.
Form A. Assessment of strengths and limitations
| Item | Entry |
|---|---|
| Supervisee; supervisor; period covered | |
| Type | Yearly / End of supervision |
| Sources of information | Session notes / Records reviewed / Recordings / Live observation / Case presentations / Other: |
Rating scale: 1, needs close direction; 2, developing; 3, competent with routine supervision; 4, advanced for this stage; NO, not observed.
| Area | Rating | Evidence and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment and diagnosis | ||
| Case conceptualization | ||
| Treatment planning | ||
| Core therapeutic skills | ||
| Work with couples, families and children | ||
| Risk assessment and crisis response | ||
| Law, ethics and documentation | ||
| Cultural responsiveness | ||
| Use of supervision and self-awareness | ||
| Professional conduct |
| Narrative | Entry |
|---|---|
| Strengths | |
| Limitations and areas for growth | |
| Progress on the supervisory plan goals | |
| Goals for the next period | |
| Supervisee's comments | |
| Signatures and dates | Supervisor; supervisee |
| Copy given to the supervisee on |
Form B. Supervisee feedback on supervision (can be completed anonymously in group settings)
| Statement | 1 (rarely) to 5 (consistently) |
|---|---|
| Feedback in supervision is clear and specific. | |
| We practice skills, not only discuss cases. | |
| Recordings or observation are reviewed regularly. | |
| I can raise mistakes and reactions safely. | |
| Supervision helps my work with clients. | |
| I can reach my supervisor, or the alternate, in an emergency. |
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What helps most? | |
| What should change? | |
| One thing to focus on next quarter |
Keep reading
BBS Supervision Forms for California Supervisors, every Board form a supervisor signs and when.
How to Become a Clinical Supervisor in California, who qualifies and the training the Board requires.
Your First Supervisee, what to do before and after a new supervisee starts.
Free Deliberate Practice Supervisor Training, the Sentio MFT program's training, given in exchange for supervising two of its counseling center trainees.
How to Run Group Supervision, a session structure, check-in questions and activities that build skill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these templates official BBS forms?
No. They are optional aids from the Sentio MFT program, free to adapt, and none of them replaces a Board of Behavioral Sciences form. The Board's own forms, including the Supervision Agreement, the Supervisor Self-Assessment Report, the weekly log and the Experience Verification, are explained in our guide to BBS supervision forms for supervisors.
Does California require a particular supervision note or evaluation form?
California requires several supervision records but does not supply forms for them. A supervisor must assess the supervisee's strengths and limitations at least once a year and when supervision ends and give the supervisee a copy, give written emergency procedures before supervision begins, and document the videoconference assessment when the law requires one. The Board's Supervisor Resources page lists no form for any of these records.
Do I need client consent to review session recordings in supervision?
Yes. California's definition of supervision includes direct observation or review of audio or video recordings of the supervisee's work, with the client's written consent.
How long should I keep supervision notes and evaluations?
California requires supervisors to keep the records showing they met the supervisor qualifications for seven years after supervision ends. For session notes and evaluations, follow your employer's record policy; keeping them for the same seven years is a sensible default.
Can I change the templates?
Yes. Change anything to fit your setting, your model of supervision and your employer's policies.
Is there a cost?
No. Every template is free to read, copy and use with any supervisee.
References
American Psychological Association. (2025). Guidelines for clinical supervision in health service psychology. https://www.apa.org/about/policy/guidelines-supervision.pdf
Board of Behavioral Sciences. (2026). Supervision agreement (DCA BBS 37M-300, rev. 05/2026). https://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/forms/supervision_agreement.pdf
Board of Behavioral Sciences. (n.d.). Supervisor resources. Retrieved October 27, 2026, from https://www.bbs.ca.gov/licensees/supervisor.html
California Business and Professions Code § 4980.43.1. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=4980.43.1
California Business and Professions Code § 4980.43.2. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=4980.43.2
California Business and Professions Code § 4980.43.5. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=4980.43.5
Cal. Code Regs. tit. 16, § 1833.1. https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/I018363124C8211EC89E5000D3A7C4BC3
Senate Bill 1445, Chapter 237, Statutes of 2026 (Cal. 2026). https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1445
About These Templates
Prepared by Tony Rousmaniere, PsyD, and Alexandre Vaz, PhD, for the Sentio MFT program's free supervisor guides. Corrections and suggestions: mabundez@sentio.org.