CWS-CARES

CARES SPOCs, Training Contacts, Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, Training Coordinators, County Leadership, Tribe Leadership, Probation Leadership, and State Leadership:

In preparation for CWS-CARES V1 Go-Live on December 7, 2026, the Project will offer Supplemental Training from October 26, 2026 through November 20, 2026, to reinforce key skills and provide targeted support in areas identified through county feedback. 

Training Opportunities

Micro-Learning Videos

• Short, on-demand “tips and tricks” videos focused on common questions and training needs.
• Topics will be informed by training surveys and feedback shared through Training, Information, Planning, and Sharing (TIPS) and County Advisory Committee (CAC) meetings.
• Videos will be added to the On-Demand Training Library as they become available, with updates communicated through the Weekly Digest.

Virtual Training Office Hours

• Topic-specific sessions will include a trainer-led demonstration followed by Q&A, with support from Program SMEs providing practice expertise and insight into day-to-day application.
• Topics will focus on areas where users have requested support, including workarounds, CWS-CARES navigation, Health and Education Passport (HEP), and other key processes.
• Sessions will be recorded and added to the On-Demand Training Library.
• Users are encouraged to practice applicable workflows in Production Simulation.

Targeted ILT Make-Up Sessions

• Virtual Instructor-Led Training (ILT) will be available for organizations that were unable to complete training during the original ILT window.
• The Project is developing a co-training model that incorporates practice expertise to strengthen learning.
• Scheduling will be coordinated through Organization Training Coordinators.

Next Steps

Additional planning is underway and more information, including schedules, session topics, and links to training resources, will be shared before Supplemental Training begins on October 26.

Action Required

Please contact the CWS-CARES Training Team with questions.

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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.

Please contact the Customer Relations mailbox for questions.

All Pilot County RFA Implementation Coordinators and SPOCs:

The CWS-CARES team has scheduled maintenance activity for the CWS-CARES production environment for Monday, October 5, 2026, beginning at 9:00 PM and concluding at 11:00 PM. During the maintenance window, the CWS-CARES Resource Family Approval (RFA) Application Submission, Review, and Approval Process will be accessible for pilot counties Fresno, Placer, and Santa Clara.  

There is no anticipated impact for CWS-CARES users. We are sharing this information in the unlikely circumstance that there is an actual impact during the scheduled maintenance window and the CWS-CARES application becomes inaccessible.
 

Action Required

No action required from end-users during this maintenance window.

If users experience any issues with the CWS-CARES, please follow your county process for reporting issues. CWS-CARES County Administrators may contact the CARES Service Desk through the CWDS ServiceNow Customer Support Management (CSM) Portal. Alternate methods are phoning 1-855-292-3444 or via email at CWDS Service Desk during normal business hours. You may also email after hours, and a Service Desk representative will contact you the next business day.

CARES SPOCs, Technical Contacts, Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, County Leadership, Tribe Leadership, Probation Leadership, and State Leadership:

We are providing an update on the timing of the CWS-CARES support model transition. The Project previously shared plans to transition several support functions to the new CWS-CARES Help Desk beginning September 30. Following the adjustment of the CWS-CARES V1 Go-Live date to December 7, 2026, this transition will no longer take effect on September 30.

Counties should continue using current support channels, including ServiceNow for Production Simulation (Prod Sim) support, until further notice.

The transition from ServiceNow to Salesforce Service Cloud is now anticipated for late October. Training, guidance, and updated transition details will be shared in advance to help support a smooth transition.

For questions, please contact Customer Relations.

Action Required

Please continue using the current support processes and share this update with appropriate staff.

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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.

Please contact the Customer Relations mailbox for questions.

CWS-CARES Weekly Digest

CARES SPOCs, Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, County Leadership, Tribe Leadership, Probation Leadership, and State Leadership:

In this Weekly Digest (click the link for more information):

• General
  • System Updates & Release Notes on the Production Simulation Hub
  • One Week Left to Purchase from the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop!
  • Registration Open for Stakeholder Briefing #12 | CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #11 Recap
  • Reminder: Go-Live Support Plans Due September 30, 2026
  • New Fact Sheet Now Available: An Introduction to County Forms Development and Conversion
  • The September 2026 Progress and Engagement Summary is Now Available
• Training
  • CWS-CARES Probation Training Now Eligible for STC Credit
• Implementation
  • New Resource Posted: CWS-CARES BPR Delta Session Q&A 
  • New OCM Resource: Leadership Toolkit
• CWS-CARES Functionality
  • CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: September 28, 2026

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General 

System Updates & Release Notes on the Production Simulation Hub 

Every Monday, the CWS-CARES Project publishes new System Updates and Release Notes on the CWS-CARES Production Simulation Hub on the CWDS website. All published updates are located on the System Updates & Release Notes tab in the left navigation bar. Below is a summary of the most recent release.

CWS‑CARES Weekly Release Summary: September 21, 2026

The September 21 release delivered several corrections and improvements across the CWS-CARES system:

• 110 defect fixes improving reliability, accuracy, and user experience across case management, resource management, intake and investigation, and courts.
• Multiple ServiceNow incidents resolved across Santa Clara, Fresno, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sonoma, Placer, Kings, San Joaquin, Mendocino, and others.
• High‑level updates across Adoption, Permanency, and Placement, Case Management, Screening, Investigations, and Courts, Prevention Services, FFPSA, and Federal Reporting, Resource Family, RFA, Recruitment, and Resource Management, Shared Services, Person Search, Profiles, and Access
• 27 data conversion fixes addressing absence records, allegations and dispositions, child location, court work items, organization details, persons, collateral, and attendees, presumptive transfer dates, rate records, removal information, team meetings, and unit‑member values.
• 9 county‑reported data issues resolved from Humboldt, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, Sonoma, Santa Clara, and San Diego.

Full details for last week’s release are available on the CWS‑CARES Production Simulation Hub.

Upcoming Release Information

System Updates & Release Notes will continue to be published every Monday. The September 28 System Updates & Release Notes will appear on the CWS-CARES Production Simulation Hub on once it is officially posted.

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One Week Left to Purchase from the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop!  

There’s still time to order from the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #3! The shop will remain open until end of day on Friday, October 2, 2026. Place your orders at: CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #3 | Order Now.

Currently, only the Curvaceous Matte Silver Ballpoint pen has met the minimum order total required for production. The Gildan Ultra Cotton T-Shirt and Non-Woven Tote Bag are close to meeting the required minimums. We encourage all stakeholders to consider making a purchase before October 2 to build excitement for CWS-CARES. Items that do not meet the minimum totals will be removed from orders and not charged.

The shop is open to all 58 California counties, Tribes, and partner organizations. CWS-CARES branded items are available for purchase using your own funds. For ordering and shipping details, please reference the Pop Up Shop 3 FAQs and Item Selection flyer.

Please contact CWDS Customer Relations with any questions. Happy shopping!

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Registration Open for Stakeholder Briefing #12 | CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #11 Recap

CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #11 – September 23, 2026: 

Thank you to everyone who attended CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #11 on Wednesday, September 23, 2026! We were pleased to have 336 participants across 42 counties and over 4+ partner organizations join the session live. We also received 52 questions during the session, which we are working to answer and share with you as soon as possible. 

The session recording is now available on the Stakeholder Webinar Materials page under Stakeholder Briefing #11.

Please log in with your county or organization email address to view the recording. An accessible PDF of the presentation slides and a summary of the session Q&A will be available in the coming weeks in the same location. 

CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #12 – October 21, 2026: 

Registration is now open for the next CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing! We encourage you to attend Stakeholder Briefing #12 on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Register now. Note: A separate calendar invitation will not be sent by the CWS-CARES Project. Please manually add the .ics attachment (which is a digital calendar file format) in the registration confirmation email to your calendar. 

All stakeholders are welcome to attend. Updates will include: 

• Preparing for Go-Live
• Project Status Update
• Implementation Update
• Feature & Functionality Fixes

View the full agenda on CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #12: October 2026. We hope to see you on October 21, 2026! 

Please contact Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov with any questions.

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Reminder: Go-Live Support Plans Due September 30, 2026

A reminder that Organization Go‑Live Support Plans are due on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

Implementation Teams are asked to review the Go Live Support Plan template provided by their Implementation Lead and complete any required customization.

What’s Needed:

• Open and review the template shared by your Implementation Lead
• Customize the plan to reflect your organization’s structure, local processes, and staffing
• Establish clear Tier 1 support coverage for Day 1 of CWS-CARES Go Live
• Confirm points of contact, escalation pathways, and local support roles

Why This Matters:

Each organization needs a clear, prepared support model in place, so staff are fully supported on Day 1 of CWS-CARES.

Need Help?

Your Implementation Lead is available to answer questions and assist with any customization needs.

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New Fact Sheet Now Available: An Introduction to County Forms Development and Conversion

The CWS-CARES Project Team has released a new fact sheet providing an introductory guide to County Forms Development and Conversion in CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1). The fact sheet provides an overview of the forms migration process and key information to support county readiness ahead of Go-Live.

The fact sheet covers the following topics:

• Building Forms: All forms and reports required for business processes will be developed by November 13, 2026. The Project recommends using Production Simulation (CARES100) to build and test forms against real, converted data. Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) is the recommended tool for building and editing forms in CWS-CARES.
• Validating Forms: Available forms should be validated before Go-Live to ensure they are ready for county use. County Forms Authors and Prod Sim users are encouraged to practice using and reviewing forms against converted data in Prod Sim.
• Migrating Forms: Once forms are developed and validated in Prod Sim, counties determine which forms are ready for production. The Project will then migrate those forms to CARES V1.
• Maintaining and Updating Forms After Go-Live: The Project will release additional statewide forms periodically after CARES V1 Go-Live, with counties participating in testing phases coordinated by the Project.

For more information, please see the Introduction to Forms Conversion and Validation in CWS-CARES resource on the CWDS website.

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The September 2026 Progress and Engagement Summary is Now Available 

The CWS-CARES Progress and Engagement Summaries provide a concise overview of the collaborative efforts and achievements of CWS-CARES. The September Progress and Engagement Summary features engagement analytics for the August 2026 reporting period across the following subject areas: 

• CWS-CARES Communications
• Stakeholder Briefing #10 – August 2026
• Forms and Data
• External Systems, Interfaces, and Analytics
• Implementation, OCM, and Training
• Production Simulation
• Resources Available on the CWDS Website

View all CWS-CARES Progress and Engagement Summaries on the CWDS website: CWS CARES Progress and Engagement Updates. 

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Training 

CWS-CARES Probation Training Now Eligible for STC Credit 

The CWS-CARES Project is pleased to share that the CWS-CARES Probation Instructor-Led Training (ILT) is now certified for Standards and Training Corrections (STC) credit through the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). The STC certification number is 09401669, and the training is approved for 8 hours of STC credit.

Probation ILT began September 21 and runs daily through October 20. Probation staff are encouraged to register and participate in these sessions to build familiarity with CWS-CARES while earning STC credit.

For full details, including CACWT account creation instructions and how to confirm access to the Training Environment (CARES104), visit the CWS-CARES: Probation Training Now Eligible for STC Credit article within the CWDS page.

Please contact the CWS-CARES Training mailbox for questions.

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Implementation 

New Resource Posted: CWS-CARES BPR Delta Session Q&A  

Thank you to all Organizations that participated in the CWS‑CARES Business Process Re‑engineering (BPR) Delta Sessions. We truly appreciate your engagement, openness, and your willingness to explore the Change Impacts. 

During these sessions, participants raised a number of thoughtful questions and sought clarification on several statewide business change impacts. In response, the Implementation Team collaborated with Service Managers, County Consultants, and SMEs to gather responses to the questions gathered during the sessions. 

We are pleased to share that the BPR Delta Sessions – Consolidated Q&A file is now available on the CWS-CARES Implementation/Organizational Change Management Portal under the Business Process Re-engineering Session Materials section. This resource compiles responses across both the All Change Impacts and Probation tabs of the worksheet and is designed to support Organizations as they review upcoming changes and begin internal readiness conversations. 

What’s Included: 

• A consolidated set of Q&A from all Delta Session follow‑ups 
• Clarifications on statewide workflow assumptions and operational impacts 
• Additional context to support Change Impact worksheet review and local planning 

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New OCM Resource: Leadership Toolkit 

We are excited to announce that the CWS-CARES Leadership Toolkit has been published on the CWS-CARES Organizational Change Management (OCM) page, within the Implementation Portal. This comprehensive resource is designed to support leaders through every step of the CWS-CARES transition. It provides practical tools, conversation guides, and support resources to help teams successfully navigate and adopt organizational changes resulting from the implementation of CWS-CARES Version 1.

Please Note: A few questions remain outstanding. As additional information becomes available, the document will be updated and reposted on the implementation portal.

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CWS-CARES Functionality 

CWS-CARES FAQ Spotlight: September 28, 2026 

This week, the CWS-CARES FAQ Spotlight features the CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) of the Week.

September 28, 2026, FAQ of the Week: 

Q: For Self-Paced courses, will Organizations determine who will take which learning path?

A: The Learning Paths include recommendations on which users, based on permissions, should take which Self-Paced courses. The Organizations will make the final determination on who from their Organization needs to take which courses.

To view all of the CWS-CARES FAQs, please visit the CWDS website: CWS-CARES FAQs | CWDS Website.

Have a question? Send it to Customer Relations and we will be happy to help.

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Share Your Feedback and Subscribe

Thank you for following our progress! Share your feedback on this CWS-CARES Weekly Digest here: CWS-CARES Weekly Digest Feedback Form. Subscribe to future issues here: CWS-CARES Weekly Digest Subscription Form.

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Action Required: We request that all CWS-CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the CWS-CARES Weekly Digest to all staff impacted by CWS-CARES, at their discretion.

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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.

Probation Leadership and Probation Points of Contact:

September 24, 2026 - UPDATE: The STC certification number is 09401669, and the training is approved for 8 hours of STC credit. If there are any questions about receiving STC credit, please contact the CWS-CARES Training mailbox.

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September 22, 2026:

We are pleased to share that CWS-CARES Probation Instructor-Led Training (ILT) is now certified for Standards and Training for Corrections (STC) credit through the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC).

Probation ILT began September 21 and runs daily through October 20.

Probation staff are encouraged to register and participate in these sessions to build familiarity with CWS-CARES while earning STC credit.

CACWT Account Creation Update 

To support registration for CWS-CARES Probation ILT, Juvenile Probation staff can now self-register for a CACWT account using the new Juvenile Probation CACWT Self Registration page.

Step-by-step self-registration instructions are available at: CACWT Self-Enrollment Instructions

Please share these resources with probation staff who have not yet created a CACWT account.

Confirm Your Access to the Training Environment (CARES104)

Before attending ILT, please confirm that you can access Training (CARES104): Training (CARES104).

Thank you for your continued participation and support as we prepare for CWS-CARES V1 Go-Live.

Please contact the CWS-CARES Training mailbox for questions.

 

Action Required:

Please share this communication with probation staff.

CARES SPOCs, Technical Contacts, Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, County Leadership, Tribe Leadership, Probation Leadership, and State Leadership:

In preparation for CWS-CARES Production Go-Live on December 7, 2026, we request that all counties and organizations identify the net new permissions required for their users by October 30, 2026, at 1:00 PM.

We are also offering an optional opportunity for organizations to preview these net new permissions in the Production Simulation (CARES100) environment along with the data refresh scheduled for October 11, 2026. Organizations opting to participate in this early review must submit their completed spreadsheets by Friday, October 9, 2026, at 1:00 PM.

Key Deadlines & Submission Process

• Optional Early Review Deadline: Friday, October 9, 2026, at 1:00 PM
  • Submitting by this date allows net new permissions to be converted and reviewed along with refreshed data in the Production Simulation (CARES100) environment.
  • Note: No extensions can be granted for the optional deadline.

• Final Submission Deadline: Friday, October 30, 2026, at 1:00 PM
• Submission Guidelines:
  • Email submissions will not be accepted.
  • Counties will use a single spreadsheet (CountyName_CARESPermission.xlsx) for both deadlines.
  • Spreadsheets will be retrieved from the “CARES User Onboarding Preparation Microsoft Teams channel at 1:00 PM on October 9, 2026, for the Prod Sim (CARES100) build.

Template and Permission Rules

• Please use your county’s assigned template (CountyName_CARESPermission.xlsx), located in your county’s folder within the CARES User Onboarding Preparation Microsoft Teams channel. Membership in this channel is required for access.
  • Child Welfare and Probation teams must use the same county or organization file.
• This request will only add NEW CARES-specific permissions and override authorities to existing CWS/CMS profiles. Refer to the New Permissions tab in the template for available options.
• Core user attributes (offices, units, caseloads, assignment desks, unit inboxes, CWS/CMS permissions, and records) will migrate automatically during data conversion. Any manual edits made to these specific fields in the template will be discarded since the source of truth is CWS/CMS.

Action Requested:

Please update and save your county’s CountyName_CARESPermission.xlsx spreadsheet in the designated Microsoft Teams channel according to the schedule below:

• Optional Production Simulation (CARES 100) Deadline: Friday, October 9, 2026 by 1PM.
• Final Submission Deadline: Friday, October 30, 2026, by 1:00 PM

Formatting Instructions

1. Include one user per row with First Name, Last Name, and Email Address.
2. Enter only new CWS-CARES Worker permissions and override access
3. Separate multiple permissions using a semicolon (;) and no spaces before or after the semicolon.
4. Avoid duplicate access levels. Higher-level roles override lower ones - do not list both (e.g., Supervisor permission supersedes Worker; Read/Write override supersedes Read).

Formatting Examples

• Worker Permission: CalSAWS Readonly User;form author;RFA worker
• Override Access: AAP County-wide read;Adoption County-wide read/write

Kickoff and Office Hours Schedule

Two Permission Kickoff meetings and office hour sessions will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. To protect sensitive and production-level data, these sessions will NOT be recorded. Direct calendar invitations will not be distributed; counties and organizations should review the schedule and determine which sessions their staff should attend.

Net New Permission Kickoff Meetings:

• Session 1: Monday, September 28, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Join Microsoft Teams Kickoff Session 1
• Session 2: Wednesday, September 30, 2026, 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Join Microsoft Teams Kickoff Session 2

Office Hours:

Office hours for the following week will be posted on the “CARES User Onboarding Preparation” Microsoft Teams channel: CARES User Onboarding Preparation | CWDS Org Share

Office Hours for September 28, 2026 – October 2, 2026

• Monday, September 28, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM: Join the Microsoft Teams Office Hours 
• Tuesday, September 29, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Join the Microsoft Teams Office Hours
• Thursday, October 1, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Join the Microsoft Teams Office Hours

To protect sensitive and production-level data, these sessions will NOT be recorded.

Thank you for your continued collaboration as we transition to CWS-CARES.

Please contact Customer Relations for questions.

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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.

Probation Leadership and Probation Points of Contact:

We are pleased to share that CWS-CARES Probation Instructor-Led Training (ILT) is now certified for Standards and Training for Corrections (STC) credit through the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC).

Probation ILT began September 21 and runs daily through October 20.

Probation staff are encouraged to register and participate in these sessions to build familiarity with CWS-CARES while earning STC credit.

CACWT Account Creation Update 

To support registration for CWS-CARES Probation ILT, Juvenile Probation staff can now self-register for a CACWT account using the new Juvenile Probation CACWT Self Registration page.

Step-by-step self-registration instructions are available at: CACWT Self-Enrollment Instructions

Please share these resources with probation staff who have not yet created a CACWT account. 

Confirm Your Access to the Training Environment (CARES104)

Before attending ILT, please confirm that you can access Training (CARES104): Training (CARES104).

Thank you for your continued participation and support as we prepare for CWS-CARES V1 Go-Live.

Please contact the CWS-CARES Training mailbox for questions.

Action Required: 

Please share this communication with probation staff.

CARES SPOCs, Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, County Leadership, Tribe Leadership, Probation Leadership, and State Leadership:

September 22, 2026 - UPDATE: Postponed – Health & Education Passport (HEP) Support Clinics

The HEP Support Clinics originally scheduled for September 23 and September 24 have been postponed. We are working to identify a new date and time. Once the updated schedule is confirmed, we will communicate the details to you and post them on the Prod Sim Hub main page.

We appreciate your patience and will keep you posted as scheduling is finalized.

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September 21, 2026: In this Weekly Digest (click the link for more information):

• General
  • System Updates & Release Notes on the Production Simulation Hub
  • CWS-CARES Production Simulation (CARES 100) Data Refresh and Key Readiness Dates
  • Final Reminder: Two (2) Days Left to Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #11
  • New CWS-CARES Fact Sheets Now Available
  • New: Monthly Readiness Report
  • CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop Now Open Through October 2, 2026!
• Production Simulation
  • Health Education Passport (HEP) Support Clinic 3 Reminder
• Implementation
  • OCM Guidance Spotlight on Stakeholder Engagement
  • Fresh Training Content Added to the Implementation Portal
• Technical Updates
  • CWS-CARES Data Dictionary Version 0.13 Now Available
• CWS-CARES Functionality
  • CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: September 21, 2026

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General

System Updates & Release Notes on the Production Simulation Hub 

Every Monday, the CWS-CARES Project publishes new System Updates and Release Notes on the CWS-CARES Production Simulation Hub on the CWDS website. All published updates are located on the System Updates & Release Notes tab in the left navigation bar. Below is a summary of the most recent release.

Due to the Labor Day holiday, there was no CWS‑CARES release on Monday, September 7, 2026, and the updates planned for that date will instead be included in the September 14 deployment.

CWS-CARES Weekly Release Summary: September 14, 2026

The September 14 release delivered several corrections and improvements across the CWS-CARES system:

• 150 defect fixes improving reliability, accuracy, and user experience across case management, resource management, intake and investigation, and courts.
• New functionality enabled in Production Simulation, including email notifications for assignment changes, approval requests, task assignments, and portal account activation. The RFA Portal and FFPSA Portal are also available for simulation and testing.
• Multiple ServiceNow incidents resolved across counties including Humboldt, San Diego, Los Angeles, Marin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Kings, Monterey, Contra Costa, Sonoma, and Tulare.
• High‑level improvements across Adoption, Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) & Permanency; Case Management, Referrals, Courts, and Investigations; Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), Prevention Services, and Federal Reporting; Resource Family, Resource Family Approval (RFA), Recruitment, and Resource Management; Shared Services, Person Search, Profiles, and Access
• 27 data conversion fixes addressing child location, health information, organization records, person details, plan data, potential connections, removal records, and screening relationships.
• 5 county‑reported data issues resolved from San Diego, Humboldt, Fresno, and Tulare.

Full details for last week’s release are available on the CWS‑CARES Production Simulation Hub.

Upcoming Release Information

System Updates & Release Notes will continue to be published every Monday. The September 21 System Updates & Release Notes will appear on the CWS-CARES Production Simulation Hub on once it is officially posted.

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CWS-CARES Production Simulation (CARES100) Data Refresh and Key Readiness Dates 

As part of ongoing readiness efforts for the December 7, 2026 CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1) Go-Live, the Project will refresh the Production Simulation (CARES 100) environment to provide users with more current converted data and additional system fixes for continued testing. Key dates include:

• September 24: CalSAWS data refresh; existing CARES-to-CalSAWS links will be cleared
• September 28 – October 6: CalSAWS will be available, allowing users to test new cases and new transactions
• September 28: Final planned Prod Sim (CARES100) weekly deployment before the refresh
• October 7–18: Prod Sim (CARES100) temporarily unavailable; Training (CARES104) and County Dev (CARES102) environments remain available
• October 19: Prod Sim (CARES100) reopens with refreshed data and approximately 2–3 weeks of accumulated code and data fixes
• November 20: Prod Sim (CARES100) support ends; user access to the environment will continue, but no additional code or data fixes will be deployed to this environment.
• December 7: CWS-CARES V1 Go-Live in separate, Production environment

Please continue testing in CARES100 and reporting identified issues throughout the remaining Production Simulation period.

For full details, refer to the CWS-CARES Prod Sim (CARES100) Data Refresh and Key Readiness Dates in the CWDS website.

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Final Reminder: Two (2) Days Left to Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #11 

Thank you to the 280+ stakeholders who have already registered for the next Stakeholder Briefing on Wednesday, September 23, 2026! If you’ve not yet registered, we encourage you to attend the live webinar on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM.  All stakeholders are welcome to attend, ask questions, and hear updates from Project leadership.

Register now at: CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #11 | Registration. Note: A separate calendar invitation will not be sent by the CWS-CARES Project. Please manually add the .ics attachment in the registration confirmation email to your calendar.

The full agenda for the September 2026 Stakeholder Briefing is available to view on the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #11 Registration page. Updates will include:

• Preparing for Go-Live
• CWS-CARES Release Timeline
• Support Available During & After Go-Live

Thank you for participating in our Stakeholder Briefing webinar series! We hope to see you on September 23, 2026 to continue the conversation on the upcoming transition to CWS-CARES.

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New CWS-CARES Fact Sheets Now Available

The CWS-CARES Project Team is releasing a series of fact sheets addressing county questions about CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1) features. Two new fact sheets are now available.

CWS-CARES Search Functionality

This fact sheet provides a guide to CWS-CARES search functionality and recent enhancements. It covers the application-wide Global search and targeted search options, including Person Search, Resource Management Directory, and Placement Search. The fact sheet also highlights recent enhancements such as more precise search logic, phonetic name search, additional search criteria, and improved person, provider, and resource searches.

For more information, please see the CWS-CARES Search Functionality Fact Sheet - September 2026 - ACC in the CWDS website.

FCED Transaction Guide: Mandatory Fields

This fact sheet serves as a reference guide for all mandatory fields required to complete a successful Foster Care Eligibility Determination (FCED) transaction from CWS-CARES to CalSAWS, and where to find them in the system. The guide covers mandatory fields across outbound data sets including Case Link, Case Workers, Individual Demographics, Communications, Determination Details, Incidental, Home of Removal, Income Assets, Placement Authority, Placement, Kin-GAP, Court Information, Extended Foster Care, and Adoption Assistance Program (AAP).

For more information, please see the FCED Transaction Guide: Mandatory Fields in the CWDS website.

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New: Monthly Readiness Report 

The August Monthly Readiness Report was distributed to Organizations the week of September 7th. The update highlights key readiness milestones, current progress, and upcoming adoption activities across the Project and Organization. Please review the report to stay informed on ongoing progress towards the CWS-CARES Go-Live.

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CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop Now Open Through October 2, 2026!

The CWS-CARED Pop-Up Shop #3 has been extended and will remain open through end of day Friday, October 2, 2026! Place your orders at: CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #3 | Order Now.

Currently, only the Curvaceous Matte Silver Ballpoint pen has met the minimum order total required for production. The Gildan Ultra Cotton T-Shirt and Non-Woven Tote Bag are close to meeting the required minimums. We encourage all stakeholders to consider making a purchase before October 2 to build excitement for CWS-CARES. Items that do not meet the minimum totals will be removed from orders and not charged.

The shop is open to all 58 California counties, Tribes, and partner organizations. CWS-CARES branded items are available for purchase using your own funds. For ordering and shipping details, please reference the Pop Up Shop 3 FAQs and Item Selection flyer.

Please contact CWDS Customer Relations with any questions. Happy shopping!

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Production Simulation 

Health Education Passport (HEP) Support Clinic 3 Reminder

A quick reminder that Production Simulation is hosting HEP Support Clinics this week:

• 9/23/2026 at 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
• 9/24/2026 at 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Detailed information and invitations have been sent directly to CARES SPOCs to share with the appropriate participants in their organization. Please continue to refer to Production Simulation Hub for ongoing updates, schedules, and recordings.

Note: Users may have to create a log-in to access materials.

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Implementation 

OCM Guidance Spotlight on Stakeholder Engagement 

As we continue to prepare for CWS-CARES implementation, the official Go-Live date has been adjusted from October 26 to December 7. Communication and stakeholder engagement remain important components of organizational readiness. The additional preparation period provides Organizations valuable runway to continue engagement activities that help end users build confidence, reinforce core competencies, and engage in meaningful discussions about the changes ahead.

End users are encouraged to complete self-guided learning, familiarize themselves with updated process and terminology, practice directly in the Production Simulation environment (CARES 100), and ask questions in advance. Organizations can support connections with end users by keeping staff informed, gathering questions and feedback, and identifying areas where additional support may be needed.

To support stakeholder engagement, the CWS-CARES OCM Resources page provides the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Engagement Guidance. This guidance outlines the process of identifying stakeholders, executing engagement activities, and monitoring sentiment and outcomes.

Together, through consistent engagement, we can deepen our understanding of the end user experience and respond to evolving needs. Let’s continue to prepare, listen, learn, and support one another as we move forward!

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Fresh Training Content Added to the Implementation Portal 

New training sections and updated resources have been added to the Training Resources page on the Implementation Portal. These additions are designed to support users of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Provider Portal and administrative teams with updated guidance and step‑by‑step demonstrations. The sections and related videos available are listed below:

FFPSA Provider Portal Video Trainings:

• Deactivating an FFPSA Portal User in CWS‑CARES
• CBO Activating Their Portal Account
• CBO Requesting Updates to Their Provider Details
• Creating a Service Provider and Activating FFPSA Portal Users in CWS‑CARES

Admin Videos:

• Onboard a New User – Integrated Organization
• Onboard a New User – Non‑Integrated Organization

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Technical Updates

CWS-CARES Data Dictionary Version 0.13 Now Available

CWS-CARES Data Dictionary V0.13 is now available on the Microsoft Teams Channel: CARES Data Dictionary under Shared as of Monday, September 21. Check the Intro tab of the CWS-CARES Data Dictionary for the detailed list of updates included in the new version.

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CWS-CARES Functionality

CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: September 21, 2026

This week, the CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight features the CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) of the Week.

September 21, 2026 FAQ of the Week:

Q: Where will the quick guides be located?

A: The quick guides will be located on the CWS-CARES Training Portal and when they are uploaded, their respective links will be sent out in a communication. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are also located in the same location.

Q: When will the quick guides be available?

A: The first set of quick guides will be available with Production Simulation access. Quick Guides will continue to be added throughout Train-the-Trainer (TTT) and Instructor-Led Training (ILT) as they are approved.

To view all of the CWS-CARES FAQs, please visit the CWDS Website: CWS-CARES FAQs | CWDS Website.

Have a question? Send it to Customer Relations and we will be happy to help.

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Share Your Feedback and Subscribe

Thank you for following our progress! Share your feedback on this CWS-CARES Weekly Digest here: CWS-CARES Weekly Digest Feedback Form. Subscribe to future issues here: CWS-CARES Weekly Digest Subscription Form.

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Action Required: We request that all CWS-CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the CWS-CARES Weekly Digest to all staff impacted by CWS-CARES, at their discretion.

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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.

CARES SPOCs, Technical Contacts, Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, County Leadership, Tribe Leadership, Probation Leadership, and State Leadership:

As part of ongoing readiness efforts for the December 7, 2026, CWS-CARES V1 Go-Live, the Project will refresh the CWS-CARES Production Simulation (CARES100) environment to provide users with more current converted data and additional system fixes for continued validation.

Prod Sim (CARES100) Data Refresh

Prod Sim (CARES100) will be temporarily unavailable from October 7–18 while the Project completes the data refresh and related environment activities. During this period, Training (CARES104) and County Dev (CARES102) will remain available to users with existing access.

When Prod Sim (CARES100) reopens on October 19, users will have access to converted data as of September 20, 2026, including Sealed and Sensitive data, along with additional code and data fixes. The refreshed environment will provide users with more current data and functionality to support continued validation closer to CARES V1 Go-Live.

As part of the refresh, prior Prod Sim (CARES100) data will be overwritten, including user-created and interface-driven data, and replaced with updated converted data from legacy systems and interfaces. Users can begin new validation activities with converted and new test data when Prod Sim (CARES100) reopens. Separate guidance will be provided to administrators regarding user permissions associated with the refresh.

The Snowflake database will also be refreshed with the converted data as of September 20, 2026, including Sealed and Sensitive data and conversion data fixes that were previously not applied. County Developers and Data Extract partners will have access to continue extract development, Tableau Report development, and validation using the refreshed data.

CalSAWS Refresh

The CalSAWS data refresh beginning September 24 at 5:00 PM will clear existing CARES-to-CalSAWS links. CalSAWS will be available again beginning September 28, allowing users to test new cases and new transactions through October 6. Prod Sim (CARES100) will be unavailable beginning October 7 its data refresh, so end-to-end CARES-to-CalSAWS validation will pause until Prod Sim (CARES100) reopens on October 19.

From September 28 through October 6, counties should not manually link cases converted from the CWS/CMS in Prod Sim (CARES100). Manually linked cases could disrupt the final automated case-linking process and the creation of baseline eligibility transmission (EAT) records. These baseline records will prevent a large legacy data transmission after CARES V1 Go-Live.

After the Prod Sim (CARES100) refresh, cases between CARES and CalSAWS will be relinked, allowing counties to validate transactions using refreshed records, including AAP, Kin-GAP, and foster care transactions.

Prod Sim (CARES100) Deployment Plan after Data Refresh 

Weekly code and data fix deployments and Prod Sim (CARES100) support will continue through November 20. As the Project moves into final Go-Live stabilization, only critical and high-priority defects will continue to be addressed; other identified defects may be planned for post-Go-Live resolution. User access to Prod Sim (CARES100) will continue.

Key Dates

• September 24: CalSAWS data refresh; existing CARES-to-CalSAWS links will be eliminated
• September 28 – October 6: CalSAWS will be available, allowing users to test new cases and new transactions; counties should not manually link cases converted from CWS/CMS during this period
• September 28: Final planned Prod Sim (CARES100) weekly deployment before the refresh
• October 7–18: Prod Sim (CARES100) temporarily unavailable; Training (CARES104) and County Dev (CARES102) environments remain available
• October 19: Prod Sim (CARES100) reopens with refreshed data and approximately 2–3 weeks of accumulated code and data fixes
• November 20: Prod Sim (CARES100) support ends; user access to the environment will continue, but no additional code or data fixes will be deployed to this environment
• December 3 at 5:00 PM CWS/CMS becomes Read Only
• December 7: CWS-CARES V1 Go-Live

Additional information will be shared as details are finalized.

Thank you for your continued partnership and participation in CWS-CARES readiness activities.

Please contact the Customer Relations mailbox for questions.

Action Required

Please continue validating in Prod Sim (CARES100) and reporting identified issues throughout the remaining Production Simulation period. During the Prod Sim (CARES100) refresh, users may continue applicable validation and training activities in Training (CARES104) and County Dev (CARES102) environments.

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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.

All Pilot County RFA Implementation Coordinators and SPOCs:

The CWS-CARES team has scheduled maintenance activity for the CWS-CARES production environment for Tuesday, September 22, 2026, beginning at 9:00 PM and concluding at 11:59 PM. During the maintenance window, the CWS-CARES Resource Family Approval (RFA) Application Submission, Review, and Approval Process will be accessible for pilot counties Fresno, Placer, and Santa Clara.  

There is no anticipated impact for CWS-CARES users. We are sharing this information in the unlikely circumstance that there is an actual impact during the scheduled maintenance window and the CWS-CARES application becomes inaccessible.

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Action Required

No action required from end-users during this maintenance window.

If users experience any issues with the CWS-CARES, please follow your county process for reporting issues. CWS-CARES County Administrators may contact the CARES Service Desk through the CWDS ServiceNow Customer Support Management (CSM) Portal. Alternate methods are phoning 1-855-292-3444 or via email at CWDS Service Desk during normal business hours. You may also email after hours, and a Service Desk representative will contact you the next business day.