When should informed consent be documented?

• A. Consent is documented only after treatment ends.
• B. Verbal consent only.
• C. Consent is documented at intake or before significant interventions; include date, description of disclosure, and signatures; store with records.
• D. Consent is documented only when the client requests.

Answer: (C)

Documenting informed consent at intake or before significant interventions ensures there is a formal, dated record that the client was informed about the treatment, understood the information, and agreed to proceed. This written record should describe what was disclosed, the risks and benefits, and available alternatives, and it should capture the client’s and clinician’s signatures. Storing this documentation with the client’s records creates a verifiable trail that supports ethical practice and legal accountability, and it helps protect both the client’s autonomy and the clinician in case of questions or disputes. Relying on consent only after treatment ends, or on verbal consent alone, or only when the client requests it, fails to provide timely, demonstrable evidence that the client was adequately informed before interventions. In practice, obtain and document consent proactively at the outset of care to ensure proper protection and continuity.