---
title: Reopening cases
category: cases
order: 9
lastUpdated: 2026-06-08
featureAvailability: GA
roles: [facilitator, admin]
navigationPath: Cases → (closed case) → Status → (open status)
serverFunctions: [updateCaseStatus]
auditActions: [status_change]
relatedArticles: [cases/closing-cases, cases/case-lifecycle, cases/follow-ups]
---

## At a glance

- **Who uses it:** Facilitators or admins whose closed case needs to resume.
- **When to use it:** A previously closed concern recurs, an outcome didn't stick, or the case was closed prematurely.
- **Permissions required:** Assigned facilitator (or original facilitator) or admin.
- **Navigation path:** Cases → open the closed case → Status menu → any open status.

## Purpose

Reopening lets you continue work on an existing case rather than spawning a duplicate. The original timeline, notes, interventions, and intake source are preserved.

## When to reopen vs. start a new case

**Reopen** when:

- The same concern recurs within a short window.
- The previous outcome ("improvement") didn't hold.
- The case was closed by mistake or as a duplicate that turned out not to be.

**Start a new case** when:

- The concern is meaningfully different (new academic, new behavior).
- The school year has rolled over and the team wants a fresh baseline.
- The student transferred and is now back — the gap warrants a clean start.

## Step-by-step

1. Find the case in **Cases → Closed** (or via search).
2. Open it.
3. Click the **Status** menu in the header and pick **In Progress** (or **On Hold**, **Assigned**, as appropriate).
4. Optionally add a note documenting why you reopened.
5. Set a follow-up date.

[SCREENSHOT: case-reopen-status]
_Cases → closed case with the Status menu open and In Progress hovered, ready to reopen._

## What happens automatically

- The status change is audit-logged with actor and timestamp.
- The case returns to active dashboards and counts toward active caseload again.
- The attached teacher is notified that the case is active again.
- Original closure data (outcome, closure note) is preserved in the case timeline.

## Tips & best practices

- Add a note explaining the reopen — future reviewers benefit from the rationale.
- Set a new follow-up immediately so the reopened case has a fresh next step.
- If you reopen the same case more than twice, consider whether the underlying plan needs a redesign.

## Common mistakes

- Reopening a case that should be a new one — the previous case's reports will be skewed by mixing two distinct concerns.
- Forgetting to set a follow-up after reopening — the case drifts again.

## Related articles

- [Closing cases](/help/cases/closing-cases)
- [Case lifecycle](/help/cases/case-lifecycle)
- [Follow-ups](/help/cases/follow-ups)

## FAQ

**Does reopening affect intervention-trend reports?**
Yes — the case rejoins the active set. Outcomes are not double-counted because the previous closure's outcome is overwritten when the case closes again.

**Is there a limit on how many times a case can be reopened?**
No technical limit. Pattern of frequent reopens is worth reviewing as a team.