CWS-CARES

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

This is the August 3rd update regarding CWS-CARES Technical Environments and additional updates as we track toward our CWS-CARES Version 1 Go-Live on October 26, 2026.

We are providing these two documents:

1. CWS-CARES Support Model: CWS-CARES_Support_Model_Fact_Sheet_-_ACC.pdf
2. CWS-CARES Release Notes – August 3, 2026: 080326_CWS-CARES Release Notes - ACC.pdf

The CWS-CARES Support Model outlines available support channels, contacts, and resources for staff. To ensure comprehensive assistance, multiple support channels are available depending on which area of the system you are using.

CWS-CARES Release Notes - August 3, 2026 details the current system status, features, and known limitations across technical environments. This guide highlights recent updates and outlines what to expect from overall system performance. Please note that this attachment is a living document.

We acknowledge how critical this information is to your planning, and we remain fully committed to partnering with you to ensure a smooth transition. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to preparing your teams for the V1 Go-Live.

Action Required:  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.

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

In this Weekly Digest:

• General
  • Registration Now Open for Stakeholder Briefing #10  
  • Coming August 24, 2026: The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #3 
• Implementation
  • Spotlight: How BPR Delta Sessions Help Organizations Prepare for CWS-CARES
• Training
  • Instructor-Led Training Begins August 3: Get Ready to Build Confidence and Level Up Your Skills
• Production Simulation
  • System Updates & Release Notes on the Production Simulation Hub
• CWS-CARES Functionality
  • CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: August 3, 2026

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General
Registration Now Open for Stakeholder Briefing #10

We encourage you to attend the next CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing on Wednesday, August 26, 2026! Register now at: CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #10 | 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.

All stakeholders  are welcome to attend, ask questions, and hear updates from Project leadership. The full agenda for the July 2026 Stakeholder Briefing is available to view on the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #10 | Registration page. Updates will include:

• Preparing for Go-Live
  • Project Status Update
  • Go-Live Readiness
  • What to expect
  • Q&A
• Implementation and Training
  • Q&A
• Production Simulation

Thank you for participating in our Stakeholder Briefing webinar series!  We hope to see you on August 26, 2026 to continue the conversation on the upcoming transition to CWS-CARES.

Please contact Customer Relations with any questions.

Coming August 24, 2026: The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #3

The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop is returning with a brand-new selection of items! All 58 California counties, Tribes, State partners, and public agencies will be able to purchase CWS-CARES branded merchandise online at the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #3 between Monday, August 24 and Friday, September 11.

During this limited-time window, stakeholders will have the opportunity to purchase CWS-CARES–branded items using their own funds. The shop will feature a variety of new items, including apparel, stationery, mugs, accessories, and more. Additional details, ordering information, and a preview of the items offered will be shared in the CWS-CARES Weekly Digest, ahead of the Pop-Up Shop grand opening on August 24.

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Implementation
Spotlight: How BPR Delta Sessions Help Organizations Prepare for CWS-CARES

Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) Delta Sessions with individual Organizations began July 27 and will run through August 28. These one-on-one sessions give each participating organization (including county child welfare, county probation departments, Tribal partners, and CDSS divisions) an opportunity to review how its current day‑to‑day work compares to what will be expected when CWS‑CARES goes live.

In each 90‑minute virtual session, Organizations work with the BPR team to review the changes expected to have the greatest impact across key areas of their work and identify where their current processes differ from the statewide baseline developed from the BPR Archetype Sessions. The goal is to help the Organization understand where additional support (revised work procedures and policies, additional staff training, work assignments, etc.) may be needed to smoothly transition to CWS-CARES.

Thank you to all organizations that have confirmed participation. If your Organization chose not to participate in a Delta Session, you can access the updated Change Impact worksheet from the CWS-CARES Implementation Portal via the Organizational Change Management (OCM) and CWS-CARES OCM Resources pages to complete your organization’s internal assessment.

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Training
Instructor-Led Training Begins August 3: Get Ready to Build Confidence and Level Up Your Skills

Instructor-Led Training (ILT) for end users begins August 3, 2026 and will run through October 23, 2026. These live trainings provide guided practice and opportunities to ask questions as staff prepare for upcoming changes with CWS-CARES. End users are encouraged to complete the On-Demand Enablement modules beforehand, so they arrive ready for hands-on learning.

Key Reminders:

• The ILT Curriculum defines recommended On-Demand Enablement modules for each ILT course.
• Organization ILT schedules are being finalized and have been shared by Project Training Coordinators to Organization Training Coordinators.
• Staff should coordinate with their Organization Training Coordinator, their supervisor, and the published learning paths to select the sessions that best align with their role. (Note: Users need a CWDS account to access the learning paths).
• California Child Welfare Training (CACWT) registration links will be provided once ILT Schedules are confirmed, allowing users to register.
• Please complete the evaluation after ILT. Your feedback helps to improve future training.
• Reach out to your Organization Training Coordinator for any training-related questions.

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Production Simulation
System Updates & Release Notes on the Production Simulation Hub

Every Monday, the CWS-CARES Project releases new System Updates and Release Notes. Users can find the latest System Updates and Release Notes by visiting the CWS-CARES Production Simulation Hub on the CWDS website. Within the Production Simulation page, users can select System Updates & Release Notes from the left bar menu. The System Updates and Release Notes page is a centralized location that provides the latest system updates and release notes in one place.

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CWS-CARES Functionality
CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: August 3, 2026

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

August 3, 2026 FAQ of the Week: 

Q: What file types can be uploaded to CWS-CARES, and how should users handle .CSV files when attaching documents to case records?

A: CWS-CARES supports uploading, storing, organizing, and retrieving electronic documents. Users can drag and drop files or attach them directly to CWS-CARES records such as Screenings, Contacts, Cases, and Assessments. Therefore, files can be uploaded and associated with an individual's case record. Currently supported file types are as follows:

• .pdf – Adobe PDF
• .doc/.docx – Microsoft Word
• .xls/.xlsx – Microsoft Excel
• .jpeg/.jpg – Images
• .txt – Text files
• .mov/.mkv/.mp4 – Movie files

For .csv files, the Project recommends converting them to .xlsx prior to uploading them to CWS-CARES.

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 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.

External Systems Data Conversion Counties: Binti Counties (CARES 105 Testers), San Luis Obispo, Contra Costa

As mentioned on July 28^th, the External System Data Conversion Mapping Validation Tips document is now available. 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.  

You can also access the document directly on the CWS-CARES External Systems Portal. 

Please be aware that Family Finding data is currently unavailable in the DCVal (CARES105) environment due to a mapping issue identified during data conversion. Consequently, the counties with Family Finding data - Inyo, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Nevada, Plumas, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, and Solano - will not be able to view or validate it at this time. Our team is actively working to resolve this issue, and we will provide an update as soon as the data is available. 

Submitting Tickets 

It is critical that your testers continue submitting tickets through your county’s standard ticketing process. Ensuring each county submits tickets for their specific data mapping validation discrepancies allows us to track, prioritize, and resolve these issues efficiently.  

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and dedication to the validation process.  

Please contact the External Systems mailbox for general questions regarding this update. 

Action Required

Please share this information with your staff as appropriate and continue submitting tickets for any data mapping validation discrepancies through your county’s standard process.  

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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.

Child Welfare leadership, Probation leadership, CWS-CARES Points of Contact: SPOCs, Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, specific CWDA staff related to child welfare, Probation SPOCs, Cal Academies List, CPOC, FFPSA, CalSAWS

We are informing you of an ongoing Salesforce incident impacting several CWS-CARES environments, including: 

• CARES 100 – Prod Sim 
• CARES 102 – County Dev 
• CARES 104 – Training 
• CARES 105 – DC Val

Users navigating through the application, records, and screens may intermittently encounter one of the following error messages: “Sorry to interrupt” or “Looks like there’s a problem”. 

A system banner is displayed within the affected environments to notify active users of the situation. Any necessary system downtimes required to address and resolve this issue will be communicated via the system banners.

Our technical teams are actively investigating the root cause with Salesforce, and we will share further updates as new information becomes available. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Action Required

Please share this communication with staff who utilize these environments, so they are aware.  

Please contact Customer Relations for questions.

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

We are pleased to introduce the new CWS-CARES On-Demand Learning (Enablement) Dashboards. Designed to provide visibility into training progress across the CWS-CARES platform, these tools empower both individual learners and management to track enablement milestones effectively.

A comprehensive step-by-step navigation guide is attached.

There are two distinct dashboards within the system:

1. Individual Dashboards (My Assigned Learning)

This feature allows individual users to track their training progress from high-level statuses (On Track, Overdue, Not Started) down to overall program completion percentages and granular, lesson-level details. Views include Assigned Learning Status, Learning Completed by [Enablement] Program, and Learning Completed by Lesson.

Additionally, users may disregard "Completed Late" or “Overdue” designations, as an update is in progress to consolidate all finished coursework under a single "Completed" status.

Access Links:

• Training Environment Individual Dashboard Link
• Production Simulation Individual Dashboard Link

2. County Level Dashboard (Supervisor – Assigned Enablement Programs) 

This enables supervisors and leadership to monitor overall completion rates and proactively offer support where needed. Key Capabilities include filtering completion metrics by County or Organization and Program Name. Dashboard fields such as Total Allocated Completion Days, Actual Completion Days, and Active Days in Progress measure calendar durations (e.g., the span of days between assignment and completion). They represent overall timeline progression rather than actual hours or active time spent training within the system. 

Access Links: 

• Training Environment - Supervisor Dashboard Link 

• Production Simulation - Supervisor Dashboard Link 

Users must have access to the Training Environment (CARES 104) to access the corresponding “Training Environment” dashboard links. Expanded Training Environment access will be rolled out broadly next week.  

As communicated on July 13, all published Enablement Programs have been automatically assigned to all users in the Prod Sim (CARES 100) environment. Consequently, staff may see courses on their dashboard that fall outside their specific role.  

Please be aware that the two tracking dashboards operate independently and do not cross-reference data with one another. Completion status or progress reflected on one dashboard will not automatically sync or cross-populate on the other. 

Users do not need to complete every assigned course. Staff are advised to understand their role's published Learning Path and work with their supervisor or training coordinator to confirm required modules and adjust enrollments accordingly. Learning Paths and other supporting materials may be accessed on the CWS-CARES V1 Training.

Enablement Dashboard Access & Core Features 

Users can access the Enablement Program Dashboard directly within the CARES 104 training environment via the Salesforce App Launcher (Waffle icon) under Dashboards > All Folders > Enablement Program Dashboard. 

Individual progress tracking features three views that track high-level status (Not Started, On Track, Overdue), overall program completion rates, and granular, lesson-by-lesson progress. 

Supervisor dashboard & filtering allows leadership to monitor team-wide progress with customizable filters for County and CWS-CARES Program Name, displaying key metrics such as user contact info, completion percentages, total allocated days, and days in progress. 

There are also reporting and export capabilities. Users and supervisors can expand widgets, refresh live data, and export report details (formatted or raw data) directly from any dashboard widget for further analysis. 

Thank you for your continued engagement as we work to support CWS-CARES user readiness and across all counties and organizations. 

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact your training coordinator or CWDS Training. 

Action Required

We request that all CWS-CARES SPOCs and Implementation Coordinators distribute this communication to all staff impacted by CWS-CARES, at their discretion.

All Pilot County RFA Implementation Coordinators and SPOCs:

The CWS-CARES team has scheduled maintenance activity for the CWS-CARES production environment for Sunday, August 2, 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. However, document related functionality will not be accessible.

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 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.

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

To prepare users for Instructor-Led Training (ILT), access to the CWS-CARES Training Environment (CARES 104) will be provisioned in a phased approach beginning tomorrow, July 29, 2026. Early access is being provided so users can confirm their login and complete any required account setup before ILT begins. Users will receive notification emails with required actions according to the following schedule: 

Provisioning Schedule 

Wednesday, July 29, 2026 

• Los Angeles County 
• Napa County 
• Santa Barbara County 

Tuesday, August 4, 2026 

•  All remaining counties, tribes, probation agencies, and CDSS 

As noted in prior communications, county-specific rollout messages will not be sent; impacted users will receive the system-generated onboarding emails only. 

Action Required: Complete Onboarding Steps to Confirm Access 

Users will receive two system-generated onboarding emails. Complete the steps below immediately to ensure access is confirmed before ILT begins: 

1. “Welcome to CWS CARES” from no-reply-test@cares.cwds.ca.gov (Okta) 

• Integrated counties/organizations: this email confirms access has been granted. No action required.  
• Non-integrated counties/organizations (new or reactivated users): click the link to set your password. The link expires in 7 days for new users and 1 day for reactivated users.  

2. “Finish changing your Salesforce account’s email address” from QA_SUPPORT@salesforce.com  

• Sent only to users in counties implementing email domain changes. Click the verification link within 72 hours to confirm the change.  

Prior to ILT: Continue Using the Production Simulation Environment (CARES 100) 

The Training Environment (CARES 104) should be used only for guided ILT activities per your county’s training schedule. Early access is provided to confirm login and complete setup only — not for practice, exploration, or workflow activities.  

To continue preparing for ILT, organizations should continue using the Production Simulation environment (CARES 100) to: 

• Build system familiarity

• Complete OnDemand learning modules 

• Continue pre-ILT readiness activities* 

* Users who have already completed Self-Paced Training prerequisites in the Training Environment (CARS 104) are not expected to complete them again. 

Thank you for your ongoing collaboration as we prepare for statewide ILT. 

Action Required:

Complete onboarding steps once your orgaization receives access to the Training Environment (CARES 104). 

 If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please contact Customer Relations. 

Security Protocols for Prod Sim Case Data

The Prod Sim environment contains converted CWS/CMS cases reflecting actual system data as of April 17th; because this includes real, sensitive 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 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.

To: External Systems Data Conversion Counties: Binti Counties, Contra Costa and San Luis Obispo

Earlier this month, counties received access to the CWS-CARES data mapping validation environments to validate external system data mapping. To assist with validating the  mapping your county’s external system data, we are sharing key updates, reminders, and support resources. 

Mapping Validation: Placement and Family Finding Data Now Available 

1. All External System Data Conversion counties have Placement data to validate. 
2. Family Finding validation applies only to counties with Family Finding data to review. 

Reminder: Mapping Validation Deadlines 

Counties must finish their data mapping validation activities in their designated environments by the following dates. After this time, the data will no longer be available. 

1. Resource Family Application (RFA) Dates 

• Binti Data (CARES 105 – DC Val): July 31, 2026 
• Contra Costa & San Luis Obispo Data (CARES 100 - ProdSim): August 14, 2026 

2. Placement and Family Finding data: August 4, 2026 

Resources Available on the External Systems Portal: 

1. Coming Soon: External System Data Conversion Mapping Validation Tips 

• This upcoming guide will be posted shortly. It has step-by-step instructions and screenshots for finding Placement and Family Finding records in CWS-CARES validation environments, along with previously shared RFA guidance.  

2. CARES 105 Kickoff Session presentation and recording with guidance on locating and validating RFA in the CWS-CARES external system data mapping validation environment: External Systems Materials  
3. Data Mapping Validation Primer: Provides guidance for counties on confirming that external system data was converted into CWS-CARES.  

Support 

1. Production Simulation Office Hours now include a recurring agenda topic for data conversion mapping validation from external systems. Please use these sessions to ask questions and receive support. 
2. Invitations to the Data Conversion Validation Workgroup will be sent to County SPOCs, technical SMEs supporting data mapping validation, and past Data Mapping workgroup participants. Meeting details and access links will be included in the invitation. These drop-in sessions are dedicated specifically to walking through submitted ServiceNow tickets for external system data mapping validation.  

• Originally created for CWS/CMS data conversion, this forum is expanding to support county staff for external system data mapping validation. Starting Thursday, July 30, and continuing through mid-September, dedicated technical support will be available during these sessions. 
• Please note that county staff must submit a ServiceNow ticket prior to attending to receive assistance. 

After the validation windows close, the Project will send a wrap-up communication with next steps. 

Please contact the External Systems mailbox for questions.

Action Required:

Please contact the External Systems mailbox for questions. Review the guidance and complete your county's validation activities by the deadlines above. 

Security Protocols for Prod Sim Case Data

The Prod Sim environment contains converted CWS/CMS cases reflecting actual system data as of April 17th; because this includes real, sensitive 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 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.

In this Weekly Digest:

• General

  • CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9 Recap | Registration Open for Stakeholder Briefing #10  

  • The July 2026 Progress and Engagement Summary is Now Available 

• Forms 

  • Action Required: CWS-CARES County Specific Conversion Validation Due August 7 

• Implementation 

  • What is New on the CWS-CARES Implementation Portal 

  • Happening Now: CWS-CARES Train-the-Trainer Program 

  • Upcoming Super User Readiness Meeting Kickoff 

• Production Simulation 

  • System Updates & Release Notes on the Production Simulation Hub 

• CWS-CARES Functionality 

  • CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: July 27, 2026 

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General
CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9 Recap | Registration Open for Stakeholder Briefing #10  

CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9 – July 22, 2026:

Thank you to everyone who attended CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9 on Wednesday, July 22, 2026! We were pleased to have 443 participants across 45 counties and over 4+ partner organizations join the session live. We also received several 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 #9. 

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 #10 – August 26, 2026:  

Registration is now open for the next CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing! We encourage you to attend Stakeholder Briefing #10 on Wednesday, August 26, 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 impacted by the changes to CWS-CARES are welcome to attend. Updates will include:  

• Preparing for Go-Live 
  • Project Status Update 
  • Go-Live Readiness 
  • What to expect 
  • Q&A 
• Implementation and Training 
  • Q&A 
• Production Simulation 

View the full agenda on CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #10: August 2026. We hope to see you on August 26, 2026!  

Please contact Customer Relations with any questions. 

The July 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 July Progress and Engagement Summary features engagement analytics for the June 2026 reporting period across the following subject areas:  

• CWS-CARES Communications 
• Stakeholder Briefing #8 – June 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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Forms 

Action Required: CWS-CARES County Specific Conversion Validation Due August 7 

The CWS-CARES Project distributed an important email communication on July 22, 2026, regarding the validation of county-specific forms currently being converted from Word into Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) templates. Vendor support for forms developed under the current IBM engagement concludes on August 7, 2026. Beyond this date, the project team will not have vendor resources available to make edits, corrections, or adjustments to your forms.  

All form validations must be completed no later than August 7, 2026. Any forms that remain unvalidated after this date will be deemed accepted as-is. 

For full details, refer to the CWS-CARES County Specific Forms – Conversion Validation Due August 7, 2026 communication on the CWDS website.  

Please contact the County Forms Conversion mailbox with any questions. 

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What is New on the CWS-CARES Implementation Portal 

The CWS-CARES Project is pleased to announce new updates to the CWS-CARES Implementation Portal. The updates are designed to make it easier for Counties, Probation Organizations, and Tribes with Title IV-E agreements to locate important resources that support the Organizational Change Management (OCM) and Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) implementation activities. Updates include:  

OCM Advisory Workgroup (OCMAW) Member List – The OCMAW was recently expanded to include all OCM Coordinators and two Super Users from each Organization. You may access this list within the CWS-CARES OCM page. 

Business Process Re-engineering Page – A new CWS-CARES BPR page is available within the CWS-CARES Implementation Portal. This page provides an overview of BPR and its role in supporting the CWS-CARES implementation. Downloadable resources include the Operational Alignment Session (OAS) Slides and other session materials. BPR Process Maps will soon be available. 

New OCM Resources – Two new resources are now available on the CWS-CARES OCM Resources page within the CWS-CARES Implementation Portal:  

• Change Impacts: The Change Impacts resource provides a summary of changes to help Organizations assess how CWS-CARES may affect current operations and staff. 
• Terminology Crosswalk: The Terminology Crosswalk explains new and changing terms from Child Welfare Services/Case Management System to CWS-CARES. 

Note: Both OCM Resource documents include an ‘as of’ date and will be periodically updated based on updates to business processes, product enhancements, demos, and testing efforts.  

For more information, visit the CWS-CARES Implementation Portal. 
 

Happening Now: CWS-CARES Train-the-Trainer Program 

Train-the-Trainer (TTT) is now underway! Beginning on July 20, 2026 and continuing through August, designated representatives from all participating organizations are coming together to deliver end user training for their teams. During these sessions, participants learn the curriculum, facilitation methods, and training materials they will use to support staff throughout implementation.  

TTT and Instructor-Lead Training 

It is important to note that TTT is separate from Instructor-Lead Training (ILT). County staff identified for TTT will serve as Facilitators or Support staff to learn the curriculum ahead of other country users so that they are able to support CWS-CARES trainers in ILT delivery. Facilitators will lead and teach training independently, while Support staff will attend ILT to assist CWS-CARES trainers in delivery. All staff will participate in their own ILT between August and October 2026, which will focus on system functionality, workflows, and hands-on practice. 
 

Upcoming Super User Readiness Meeting Kickoff 

The CWS-CARES Project is excited to announce that the Super User Readiness Meetings are kicking off on August 4, 2026, and will continue on a biweekly cadence. These dedicated sessions are designed to help Super Users become proficient in CWS-CARES, building both Organizational Change Management (OCM) and system proficiency to support their role beyond simply learning the system. 

About the Super User Role 

Super Users are Subject Matter Experts who bridge the gap between the technical system and daily operations during and post-Go-Live. Key expectations include: 

• Acting as “knowledge holders” for future state processes.  
• Surfacing pain points and escalating issues when needed. 
• Providing hands-on troubleshooting and functional guidance. 

What to Expect in Super User Readiness Meetings  

Sessions will focus on workflow readiness, system and troubleshooting guidance, and preparations for CWS-CARES implementation and post-go-live support. Topics are targeted to build tactical readiness of Super Users to provide localized peer support to their organizations as we approach Go-Live. 

A Super User Readiness page for the Implementation Portal is currently underway. We look forward to supporting Super Users as they prepare to provide critical support to their organizations. 

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Production Simulation 

System Updates & Release Notes on the Production Simulation Hub 

Every Monday, the CWS-CARES Project releases new System Updates and Release Notes. Users can find the latest System Updates and Release Notes by visiting the CWS-CARES Production Simulation Hub on the CWDS website. Within the Production Simulation page, users can select System Updates & Release Notes from the left bar menu. The System Updates and Release Notes page is a centralized location that provides the latest system updates and release notes in one place.  

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CWS-CARES Functionality 

CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: July 27, 2026 

This week, the CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight July 27, 2026 FAQ of the Week:  

Q: Why does CWS-CARES deactivate accounts when they have not been used or accessed after 90 days? 

A: It is California State policy using National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-53 rev5 guidelines, that account usage be monitored and disable accounts where the user has not logged into the CWS-CARES system for more than 90 days. This policy helps us maintain the data integrity and security of the system. For instance, this policy helps to prevent users who may have left a department, but whose accounts might not have been disabled by that department, from logging in to the system. 

 The County and Office Administrator will be able to reactivate that user when their account has become disabled. 

 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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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 17th; because this includes real, sensitive 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 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, and State Leadership:

Dear County Partners, 

As our project team continues converting CWS/CMS county forms from Word into AEM templates, we are writing to share a critical timeline for your review and validation activities. 

Vendor support for form development and modifications under the current engagement with IBM will conclude on August 7, 2026. Beyond this date, the project team will not have vendor resources available to make edits, corrections, or adjustments to your forms. 

31 counties have not begun their forms validation. To date, 911 forms have been converted and delivered by IBM. Currently, 14 forms are accepted, 10 have reported issues, and 887 forms remain pending county upload, configuration, and validation. 

To ensure all requested updates can be completed before contract closeout, all form validations must be completed no later than August 7, 2026. Any forms that remain unvalidated after this date will be deemed accepted as-is due to the end date of vendor support. We will be unable to make further adjustments once this window closes. 

Action Required

For Staff with access, please check the  CWS CARES UAT Tracking.xlsx sheet in the CARES Forms Teams Channel. New converted forms are uploaded daily as development finishes so we ask that you review this sheet on an ongoing, daily basis.  

Please test and validate these forms by August 7, 2026 to confirm they meet the operational needs. Any necessary changes or fixes must be identified right away to allow adequate time for IBM to process them before August 7.  

We understand your teams are balancing multiple competing priorities. If you need access to the CARES Forms Teams Channel, the CWS CARES UAT Tracking.xlsx sheet, assistance prioritizing your pending forms, navigating the tracker, or organizing your review process, please reach out to us immediately at the County Forms Conversion mailbox. 

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and dedication to ensuring these forms are ready and effective for your county.