CWS-CARES External Systems Portal
This portal is a centralized hub for organizations to access all links and supporting materials related to CWS-CARES and external systems.
Registration is required to access some External Systems files. To register, create an account on the CWDS website using your County or State work email address. If you encounter any issues with registration, please contact the CWDS Customer Relations Team at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov.
Binti Data Conversion Workshop
County staff are invited to attend the next Binti Data Conversion Workshop on Thursday, October 8, 2026 from 1 to 2:30 PM. Workshops are held every other Thursday and offer a collaborative forum to review Binti data conversion results, discuss identified issues, and receive support with data cleanup and validation.
To attend the meeting, please contact the CWDS External Stakeholder team to be added to the meeting series or join this Teams meeting.
Binti Counties: Child Welfare leadership, County SPOCs, Implementation Coordinators, Binti County Coordination Meeting Attendees, CARES 105 Binti Data Validation Testers:
Following the update on CWS-CARES Binti Data Conversion Decision & Next Steps – 8/11/2026, this communication covers Binti contracts, 181 Report planning, a new Binti Data Validation Workshop Series, and resources.
Linked to this email, you will find four resources:
- Interim Guidance Document: Managing RFA, Emergency Placements, and External Systems Processes at CARES V1 Go-Live
- Instructions and reference documents for managing RFA applications, active homes, and emergency placements.
- RFA and FFPSA Portal Fact Sheet
- A quick reference summary of resources, training and support.
- External System Data Conversion Opt-Out Letter Template (Word) (PDF)
- Counties seeking to opt out of external system data conversion for CWS-CARES V1 must submit a formal request using this template.
- End to End Resource Family Approval Process:
- Outlines the steps required to submit an RFA application in CWS-CARES
These resources are also posted on the External Systems Portal.
Binti Contracts Guidance
Counties should assess their need for a Binti contract extension by evaluating current expiration dates against the volume and projected completion timeline of in-progress RFA applications. Once active processing in Binti ends, instances may be shifted to read-only access.
Because Binti data conversion is targeted for August 2027, counties are strongly advised to include early termination provisions to maintain flexibility if timelines shift. Additionally, counties intending to retain a local copy of their Binti data extracts must establish secure storage protocols prior to transition.
While the COTS waiver funding select counties expires in October 2026, the CWS-CARES Project is actively seeking approval for an extension via an As-Needed request. As a reminder, an Advance Planning Document (APD) is required for any initiation, amendment, or renewal of software licensing agreements for child welfare external systems, and written State approval must be obtained prior to executing any contract changes.
Additional contract guidance is available on the CWDS FAQs page.
181 Report Planning
Please note that while CWS-CARES will capture the necessary data, it must be accumulated over time before full automated reporting is available in CWS-CARES.
Guidance on reporting steps across CWS-CARES, Binti, and legacy systems remains under review. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will provide formal direction at Go-Live outlining both interim reporting procedures and the long-term process for generating the 181 Report. Specific steps across CWS-CARES, Binti, and legacy systems are currently under review pending final decisions on converted data dependencies.
New Binti Data Validation Workshop Series
A new biweekly meeting series, the Binti Data Validation Workshop has been scheduled on Thursdays from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM starting September 24 to November 12, 2026, with a kickoff session scheduled separately on Thursday, September 10 at 10:30 AM. The workshop series invitation was sent on August 20, 2026 to Binti County Single Points of Contact (SPOCs), Implementation Coordinators (ICs), and DCVAL / CARES 105 Users.
This collaborative forum will be used to support county data validation and cleanup, review conversion results and defects, address anomalies, and discuss upcoming action items, with flexible agendas tailored to current priorities and county needs. Counties are encouraged to forward the invite to any additional relevant staff.
To better connect program, CWS-CARES development and practice knowledge with data conversion of these systems, Jeff Dent, Service Manager for Resource Family Homes, will facilitate these sessions and lead the program efforts for CWS-CARES V1 External System Data Conversion. Naomi Robledo has transitioned to other branch priorities and will no longer be involved in this effort.
External Systems Data Conversion Opt-Out Process
While integrating external system data into CWS-CARES offers significant value, we recognize that the high level of effort required for conversion may outweigh the benefit for every county. Counties seeking to opt out of external system data conversion for CWS-CARES V1 must submit a formal request from their County Child Welfare Director to the CDSS Child Welfare System Branch Chief via the CWDS External Stakeholder Coordination Unit mailbox using the External System Data Conversion Opt-Out Letter Template provided here: External System Data Conversion Opt-Out Letter Template (Word) (PDF).
This request must outline a clear business rationale—such as existing data parity in CWS/CMS or reduced operational effort—and include a commitment to fully adopt CWS-CARES V1 at Go-Live for all applicable child welfare activities including Resource Family Approval (RFA), Emergency Placements, Family Finding, and Resource Family Homes (RFH). Furthermore, counties must submit a transition plan to detailing how existing active records will be managed prior to Go-Live, ensuring all new cases originate directly in CWS-CARES and the external system is shifted to Read-Only access no later than July 31, 2027.
Additionally, the submission must explicitly acknowledge that the State will not convert this data at a later date and that the county assumes full financial and operational responsibility for retaining legacy data for audit compliance.
For any specific questions, please reach out directly to your designated External Systems contact or the CWDS External Stakeholder Coordination Unit mailbox.
Thank you for your continued partnership and working with us on data conversion activities.
Action Required
Please share this communication with all staff who should be aware of these details. For any specific county questions, please reach out directly to your designated External Systems contact.
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Security Protocols for Prod Sim Case Data
The Prod Sim environment contains converted CWS/CMS cases reflecting actual system data as of April 17, 2026. Because this includes real, sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (PII), all case information must be strictly protected or redacted.
To protect CWS-CARES case data, please follow these important security guidelines when working with our support teams:
- Redact Ticket Info: Do not send Protected Health Information (PHI), PII, or confidential case details to the Service Desk via email or ticket. Sensitive and confidential data cannot be stored in the ticketing system.
- Secure Screen Shares: During support-requested screen shares, limit attendees to essential personnel only. Recording of sensitive information is strictly prohibited.
- Consult for Tier 3 Transfers: If Tier 3 support needs sensitive data, use secure transmission methods. Contact your county Privacy Officer or the CWDS ISO if you need assistance with secure routing.
We appreciate your dedication to protecting the safety and privacy of vulnerable children and families while we work together to support your needs.
External Systems Overview
The CWS-CARES External Systems team helps counties assess their external systems to ensure continued operations at Go-Live and determine which systems are duplicative and develop a long-term decommissioning plan.
External Systems has 4 workstreams:
- Scope Assessments: Identify and classify external systems by CWS-CARES impact.
- Continuing Operations: Develop strategies for continuing operations of external systems.
- Data Conversion: Map and migrate data from select external systems to CWS-CARES.
- Decommissioning Planning: Plan for disposition of duplicative external systems in compliance with CCWIS regulations.
New Resources
Binti Data Conversion Opt-Out Form (Word): Counties seeking to opt out of external system data conversion for CWS-CARES V1 must submit a formal request using this template.
Binti Data Conversion Opt-Out Form (PDF)
RFA and FFPSA Support Fact Sheet: A guide on where to find resources, training, and support for the RFA and FFPSA portals.
External System Data Conversion Mapping Validation Tips – July 2026: This guide has step-by-step instructions and screenshots for finding Placement records in CWS-CARES validation environments, along with previously shared RFA guidance, resources, and support.
Binti to CWS-CARES V1 Data Conversion Fact Sheet: This fact sheet outlines the hierarchical logic used during CWS-CARES external systems data conversion to identify matches, the prioritization of legacy data sources, and the specific handling rules for various data types during the conversion process.
Binti Crosswalk: This crosswalk provides a side-by-side comparison of CWS-CARES and Binti functionalities, helping counties plan for decommissioning.
Primer - Data Mapping Validation: This primer provides guidance for counties on validating that data from external systems has been accurately converted into CWS-CARES according to the approved data mapping, matching, and conversion rules, while distinguishing conversion validation from source data quality review.
Reports and Dashboards for RFA Applications and Resource Family Homes: This document lists out the Reports & Dashboard that will be available for workers for RFA Applications and RFA Approved Homes.