The OCR will be implementing a major update to the Court Appointed Reimbursement Electronic System (CARES) case management and billing application, likely in 2026. This next-generation version of CARES has been in early development for the past five months and is being designed with the needs of OCR contractors in mind—to improve functionality, streamline workflow, and make the system easier to use. This update reflects the OCR’s ongoing commitment to supporting the vital work that OCR-contracted Guardians ad litem (GALs), Counsel for Youth (CFY), and Child’s Legal Representatives (CLRs) do on behalf of Colorado’s most vulnerable children and youth.
At this time, the OCR is not seeking any additional feedback on the update—current CARES users have offered incredibly helpful suggestions and pain points for the current CARES system in annual satisfaction surveys and help requests. But, if you have any other questions, please reach out! Rest assured, we are committed to a smooth transition to the next generation of CARES, with minimal disruptions to ongoing work: the new CARES will intentionally keep the same core workflow – creating appointments, entering activities, and invoicing – just with some refined upgrades.
If you are interested, all bid documentation including a narrative walkthrough of planned changes can be found by visiting the solicitation portal BidNet. To access the full solicitation documentation, you can register for the free option available at www.bidnetdirect.com/.
We hope you are looking forward to this update as much as we are. As we approach the rollout date (likely in 2026), we’ll continue to share more details about the project, changes, and helpful resources to help with the transition.
