CWS-CARES

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

To continually improve system performance and resolve known issues, we are establishing a weekly maintenance and update schedule for the CWS- CARES Production Simulation (Prod Sim) - CARES100 and Data Conversion Validation (DCVal) - CARES105 environments.

Please review the schedule and potential system impacts below:

Weekly Maintenance Schedule 

• Start Time: Every Friday starting at 5:00 PM 
• Code Deployment & Testing: Scheduled to be completed by Saturday at 8:00 AM 
• Data Fixes: If urgent data updates are required, they may be processed throughout the day on Saturday, depending on priority. 
• Please Note: This standard weekly maintenance window specifically applies to the CARES100 and CARES105 environments. If updates are required for any other CWS-CARES environments, we will communicate their specific schedules and system availability details when they are determined. 

What to Expect (System Impacts) 

While the CARES100 and CARES105 environments will remain accessible, you may experience minor performance impacts during this Friday night to Saturday maintenance window, including: 

• Slower system response times. 
• Intermittent issues with search functionality. 
• To keep users informed, a system banner will be displayed in the environments starting every Thursday to alert counties of the maintenance window. This banner will be removed once the maintenance is complete. 

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to keep our systems running smoothly and efficiently.  

Action Required

Please share this communication with staff who utilize these environments so they are aware of the weekly maintenance schedule and potential system impacts. 

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.

In this Weekly Digest:

• General

  • Introducing a New Weekly Digest Format

  • Clarification on CWS-CARES Version 1 Go-Live Date

  • Final Reminder: Two (2) Days Left to Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9

• Implementation

  • Working Session Kickoff: Archetype Sessions

• Production Simulation

  • CWS-CARES Changes to Enablement Training Enrollment

  • System Updates & Release Notes Now Available on the Production Simulation Hub

• Technical Update

  • CWS-CARES Weekly Maintenance and System Update Window

• CWS-CARES Functionality

  • CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: July 20, 2026

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General

Introducing a New Weekly Digest Format

The CWS-CARES Weekly Digest is introducing a new format beginning this week. Articles will now be organized by category to make it easier for readers to find the information most relevant to their role and organization. Categories will vary every week based on the content available, but may include External Systems, Implementation, Production Simulation, and more. A Technical Updates section will also be included when applicable. This section will feature system maintenance notices, interface and integration updates, data dictionary updates, software compatibility guidelines, and more.

Thank you for reading the CWS-CARES Weekly Digest. Please contact Customer Relations with any feedback or questions about the Weekly Digest.

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Clarification on CWS-CARES Version 1 Go-Live Date

We have recently received questions regarding potential changes to the CWS-CARES Version 1 Go-Live date, including rumors of a shift to June 2027.

We want to clarify that the official Go-Live date remains October 26, 2026.

While we are aware of the concerns that have been raised and are actively working to address them, our teams continue to plan and prepare for the October 2026 release.

Please note that any change to the project timeline would require a formal decision through our established official governance process. Unless an official decision is made and communicated through those channels, the October 26, 2026 date remains our active target.

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Final Reminder: Two (2) Days Left to Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9

Thank you to the 345+ stakeholders who have already registered for the next Stakeholder Briefing on Wednesday, July 22, 2026! If you’ve not yet registered, we encourage you to attend the live webinar on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. All stakeholders impacted by the changes to CWS-CARES are welcome to attend, ask questions, and hear updates from Project leadership.

Register now at: CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9 | 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 July 2026 Stakeholder Briefing is available to view on the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9 Registration page. Updates will include:

• Production Simulation

  • Updated Onboarding Timeline

  • Status of Fixes

  • Prod Sim Support

  • Redacting Sensitive and Confidential Data in Support Tickets

• Implementation & Training

Some registrants have reported difficulties completing registration due to a technical issue with Microsoft Teams. If you experience this, please clear your cache and open the registration link in the Microsoft Edge browser or register on a mobile phone. If you continue to experience issues, please contact Customer Relations for further assistance.

Thank you for participating in our Stakeholder Briefing webinar series! We hope to see you on July 22, 2026 to continue the conversation on the upcoming transition to CWS-CARES.

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Implementation

Working Session Kickoff: Archetype Sessions

Archetype Sessions are underway! A small group of representative organizations from Child Welfare, Juvenile Probation, Tribes, and CDSS are meeting July 13 through July 24 to establish a statewide baseline of ways of working. This baseline will guide the upcoming Delta Sessions (July 27 through August 28), which are designed to help each organization pinpoint where local practices or policies need to align with CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1) workflow.

During each Archetype session, participants review the operational changes expected to significantly affect day-to-day practices as organizations transition to CWS-CARES. Archetype Sessions focus on identifying statewide commonalities and differences in current workflows.

Thank you to all participating organizations for your partnership and preparation. Your engagement is essential in shaping baseline workflows for CWS‑CARES and informing the support you will receive throughout the transition.

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Production Simulation

CWS-CARES Changes to Enablement Training Enrollment

On July 13, 2026, the CWS-CARES Project announced that all published Enablement Programs would be automatically assigned to all users within the CWS-CARES Production Simulation (Prod Sim) environment (CARES 100). This change is designed to give users full visibility into available training materials, though it means that user dashboards may look slightly different.

Here is what users can expect:

1. Users will now see all available programs in the CARES 100 environment.

2. Users may see programs assigned to them that don't align with their specific learning path.

3. Users who previously disenrolled from a program may be automatically re-enrolled. Users still have full control to manually adjust their enrollments and disenroll again as needed.

We highly encourage users to work directly with their supervisor or training coordinator to confirm which programs are right for their specific role. Published learning paths remain the best reference to guide their selection and enrollment.

For full details, visit the CWS-CARES Upcoming Changes to Enablement Training Enrollment page on the CWDS website.

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

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

The CWS-CARES Production Simulation Hub now includes a new System Updates & Release Notes section. This section provides users with a centralized location to find the latest system updates and release notes related to Production Simulation.

To access this resource, visit the link on the CWS-CARES Production Simulation Hub on the CWDS website and select System Updates & Release Notes from the left bar menu.

Available Now: CWS-CARES Release Notes - July 13, 2026

On July 13, 2026, the CWS-CARES Project released a set of updates to the Production Simulation (Prod Sim) environment (CARES 100) and additional updates to the CARES105 (DCVal) environment. The release includes 80 defect fixes aimed at improving reliability, accuracy, and overall usability across Case Management, DocGen (Document Generation), Adoption workflows, Resource Family Approval (RFA), Financial Management.

Most improvements focus on correcting data mappings, fixing permissions, ensuring required fields populate properly, and supporting essential tasks like generating forms, viewing financial information, and receiving system notifications.

For more details, please visit System Updates & Release Notes tab within the Production Simulation Hub in the CWDS website.

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Technical Update

CWS-CARES Weekly Maintenance and System Update Window

Weekly maintenance for the CARES100 and CARES105 environments is now scheduled every Friday after 5:00 PM with major updates expected to finish by Saturday at 8:00 AM. While the systems remain accessible, users may experience minor, temporary performance issues—such as slowness or search disruptions—during this time. Any necessary updates to other CWS-CARES environments will be scheduled and communicated separately as they are determined.

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CWS-CARES Functionality

CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: July 20, 2026

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

July 20, 2026 FAQ of the Week:

Q: Can County Train-the-Trainer (TTT) conduct training independently, or do they need support from CWS-CARES Trainers?

A: Counties have flexibility. Train-the-Trainers can:

• Conduct all Instructor-Led Training (ILT) sessions independently and will receive support from CWS-CARES Trainers who can answer questions during training.

• Co-lead with state trainers.

• Shadow state trainers while learning the process.

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.

In this Weekly Digest:

• CWS-CARES Production Simulation and Additional Updates – 7/6/2026
• Upcoming CWS-CARES Prod Sim Onboarding Notification
• Recap: Operational Alignment Session
• Reminder: Nine (9) Days Left to Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9
• CWS-CARES Environment for User Access: July 2026 Update
• Additional Clarification: Microsoft Word 32/64-bit in CWS-CARES
• CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: July 13, 2026

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CWS-CARES Production Simulation and Additional Updates – 7/6/2026

The CWS-CARES Project has distributed the July 6, 2026 Production Simulation (Prod Sim) update as the project tracks toward CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1) Go-Live on October 26, 2026. The update includes two key resources.

The How to Access & Self-Enroll in Enablement Guide explains how to sign up for CWS-CARES training. Non Train-the-Trainer (TTT) users should follow their role-based learning path and consult their county training coordinator if needed. TTT users will receive separate communication soon regarding their specific Enablement programs.

The CWS-CARES Prod Sim and Environment Status is a document outlining the current capabilities, limitations, and system status as of July 6 for CWS-CARES Prod Sim and other environments. This resource is designed to provide clarity on what to expect, what has changed, and how to understand the current system behavior.

The CWS-CARES Prod Sim and Environment Status document covers:

Prod Sim

1. Prod Sim Revised Onboarding Approach: The onboarding approach is revised with all users being added to the CWS-CARES Prod Sim environment in phases between July 6th and July 16th.
2. CWS-CARES Support and Data Security Protocols: Users must strictly redact PII/PHI from support tickets, prohibit screenshots or recordings during screen shares, and utilize secure transmission methods for all data transfers.
3. CWS-CARES Prod Sim Support Options: Support is available through daily Microsoft Teams office hours, regional clinics, and dedicated weekday email channels across six regions.
4. Known & Expected Issues, Current System Behavior: Highlights of known and expected issues, and current system behaviors users might encounter, focusing primarily on data-related issues.
5. Resolved Issues: A summary of resolved bugs and defects. Users should report these if any unexpected behavior persists within these specific areas.
6. Open/Reported Issues, Capabilities Not Available on July 6: An overview of current Prod Sim issues classified by subject area; please note this does not represent the entirety of all reported active issues.
7. Forms Status: A dedicated status update on the readiness and functionality of project forms.

Environment Specifications 

• We are sharing information on the current operational status and specifications of the CWS-CARES environments including configuration, data sets, access rights, and feature availability.

Please note that the CWS-CARES Prod Sim and Environment Status document is a living document, with the next update scheduled for August 4.

For full details, please visit the CWS-CARES Prod Sim and Additional Updates – 7/6/2026 page on the CWDS website.

Please contact Customer Relations for questions.

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Upcoming CWS-CARES Prod Sim Onboarding Notification

Following the CWS-CARES Prod Sim and Additional Updates – 7/6/2026, all users will be added to the CWS-CARES Prod Sim environment (CARES100) this month to ensure staff have enough time to complete their Enablement modules before starting Instructor-Led Training (ILT).

Users will be onboarded on one of two dates depending on their county:

• Monday, July 13, 2026: Approximately 10,000 users in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino (including both probation and child welfare staff) will gain access to Prod Sim.
• Thursday, July 16, 2026: Approximately 10,000 users from all remaining counties, Tribes, and CDSS (including both probation and child welfare) will gain access to Prod Sim.

Although all users are being activated, individual counties and organizations decide who participates and when they start their activities. To gain access, users must respond to onboarding emails sent on either July 13 or July 16, depending on their rollout date.

Four onboarding Kickoff sessions will be hosted via Microsoft Teams Town Hall, with American Sign Language interpretation provided for all sessions:

• Session 1: Monday, July 13 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Session 2: Tuesday, July 14 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
• Session 3: Thursday, July 16 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
• Session 4: Friday, July 17 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Links to the kickoff meetings and regional office hours are available on the CWS-CARES Production Simulation Hub. Counties and organizations may determine which sessions their staff should attend.

For full details, see the Upcoming CWS-CARES Prod Sim Onboarding Notification page on the CWDS website.

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Recap: Operational Alignment Session

On July 7, 2026, the CWS-CARES Project hosted the Operational Alignment Session. The session reinforced the purpose of Business Process Re‑engineering (BPR), an OCM activity focused on aligning current statewide operations with validated future CWS-CARES workflows.

During the session, participants reviewed key BPR concepts, upcoming activities, and guidance for preparing for the Delta Sessions, which are designed to help each organization pinpoint where local practices or policies need to align with CARES V1 workflow (Delta Session dates to be announced soon). Participants were also guided on how to use Prod Sim, business process maps, and updated project artifacts to identify operational differences. The team also shared recent workflow updates and a gap analysis framework to ensure organizations are working with the most current information.

A Q&A session followed, covering training, documentation, and communication need. The Project Team committed to providing follow‑ups.

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Reminder: Nine (9) Days Left to Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9

Thank you to the 290 stakeholders who have already registered for the next Stakeholder Briefing on Wednesday, July 22, 2026! If you’ve not yet registered, we encourage you to attend the live webinar on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. All stakeholders impacted by the changes to CWS-CARES are welcome to attend, ask questions, and hear updates from Project leadership.

Register now at: CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9 | 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 June 2026 Stakeholder Briefing is available to view on the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9 Registration page. Updates will include:

• Production Simulation
  • Preparations for onboarding
  • Available Functionality
  • Status of environment fixes 
• Implementation & Training 

Thank you for participating in our Stakeholder Briefing webinar series! We hope to see you on July 22, 2026 to continue the conversation on the upcoming transition to CWS-CARES.

New Resources Now Available on the CWDS Website

The following resources are now available on the Stakeholder Webinar Materials page on the CWDS website:

• Stakeholder Briefing _8 June 2026 - Q&A - ACC.pdf
• Stakeholder Briefing 8 Slides - ACC.pdf

View all past content and dates for all upcoming CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefings in 2026 on the Stakeholder Briefings and Webinars page on the CWDS website.

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CWS-CARES Environment for User Access: July 2026 Update

The CWS-CARES Project has published an updated overview of system environments as of July 2026. The CWS-CARES Environments for User Access: July 2026 Update provides a point-in-time overview of system environments, including their purpose, access, and availability, to support testing, training, and readiness activities ahead of Go-Live.

This resource is available on the CWS-CARES User Resources of the CWDS website.

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Additional Clarification: Microsoft Word 32/64-bit in CWS-CARES

CWS-CARES supports both 32-bit and 64-bit Microsoft Word and does not require counties to only use 32-bit Microsoft Word. However, the Project recommends that counties retain 32-bit Word to support legacy documents migrating from the CWS/CMS system. Because those documents were created in an environment that supported 32-bit Word, counties using 64-bit Word may encounter compatibility issues or errors when opening some legacy documents. While these issues may not occur in every instance, the recommendation is intended to help minimize potential disruptions when accessing legacy documents.

Counties may choose to use 64-bit Word if they prefer, with the understanding that compatibility issues with some legacy documents may occur. The Project continues to evaluate long-term options for supporting legacy documents/potential conversion and will communicate any future updates as they become available.

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CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: July 13, 2026 

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

July 13, 2026 FAQ of the Week: 

Q: Will Person Merge functionality be available in CWS-CARES to address duplicate client or person records?

A: Yes, Person Merge functionality will be available in CWS-CARES V1. 

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.

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

To ensure everyone has full visibility and access to our available training materials, an upcoming change will occur this week to automatically assign all published Enablement Programs to all users within the CWS-CARES Production Simulation (Prod Sim) environment (CARES 100).

While this enhancement is designed to make it easier to explore available training options, it does mean users’ dashboards might look a little different soon.

Please review the upcoming changes and share them with your impacted users.

How This Impacts Users

1. Users will now see all available programs in the Prod Sim (CARES 100) environment.
2. Users may see programs assigned to them that don't align with their specific learning path.
3. If users previously chose to disenroll from a program, this update may automatically re-enroll them. Users still have full control to manually adjust their enrollments and disenroll again as needed.

We highly encourage users to work directly with their supervisor or training coordinator to confirm which programs are right for their specific role. Their published learning paths remain the best reference to guide their selection and enrollment. Our goal is to provide maximum flexibility so users can tailor the enablement experience to their individual and organizational needs.

Action Required

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact your training coordinator or OTSICWDSTraining@otsi.ca.gov.

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.

This communication was sent to CARES SPOCs, Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, County Leadership, Tribe Leadership, Probation Leadership, and State Leadership:

July 7, 2026

CWS-CARES Weekly Digest

In this Weekly Digest :

• CWS-CARES Train-the-Trainer (TTT) Schedule Update
• CARES Explorer June 2026 Issue Now Available
• Registration Now Open for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9
• Now Available: 500+ Frequently Asked Questions on the CWDS Page
• CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: July 7, 2026

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CWS-CARES Train-the-Trainer (TTT) Schedule Update

The CWS-CARES project has shared an important update on the train the trainer (TTT) schedule. To support county requests for more preparation time and ensure seamless training experiences, TTT will now be conducted from July 20 to August 28, 2026, shifted from the original July 6th to August 14 timeline.

The adjustment was made to allow counties more time in the Production Simulation environment to complete prerequisites and build system familiarity, to resolve open bugs and data load issues ahead of training, and to shorten the gap between TTT, Instructor-Led Training (ILT), and Go-Live to improve knowledge retention. The potential impact on ILT dates is currently under evaluation.

CWS-CARES Training Coordinators will contact Organization Training Coordinators directly to share specific TTT dates and registration details. Additional preparation steps, including prerequisites, recommended Enablement Program sequencing, and environment access confirmations, will be shared next week.

For the full update, see the CWS-CARES Train-the-Trainer (TTT) Schedule Update article.

If you have any questions about how this training impacts your training plans or prerequisites, please connect with your Training Coordinator or contact CWDS Training.

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CARES Explorer June 2026 Issue Now Available

We are pleased to present the Volume 3, Issue 3 of the CARES Explorer, the long‑form newsletter published every other month! For the best experience, please open the link using the Microsoft Edge browser. This issue includes the following topics: 

Project Updates:  

• Upcoming Activities at CWS-CARES 
• Production Simulation: A Closer Look at the Path to Go-Live
• Strong Engagement at CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefings

Implementation Corner:  

• Preparing for Success: Training Comes into Focus
• Understanding Organizational Change Management (OCM) and Business Process Re-engineering (BPR)

Explore CWS-CARES:  

• Support for County Forms in CWS/CMS Now Available
• CWS-CARES Communication Effectiveness Survey #3: Next Steps

We recommend that you share this newsletter with all staff impacted by the changes coming with CWS-CARES. All previous issues of the CARES Explorer and CARES Compass are available to view on the CWDS website: CARES Compass/Explorer | Child Welfare Digital Services. 

View the articles from all issues of the CARES Explorer in the CWS-CARES Public Library, a searchable, sharable repository of information related to CWS-CARES. The Public Library is available on the CWDS website on the Resources for CWS-CARES Users page. 

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Registration Now Open for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9

We encourage you to attend the next CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing on Wednesday, July 22, 2026! Register now at: CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #9 | 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 impacted by the changes to CWS-CARES 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 #9 | Registration page. Updates will include:

• Production Simulation
  • Preparations for onboarding
  • Available Functionality
  • Status of environment fixes 
• Implementation & Training 

Thank you for participating in our Stakeholder Briefing webinar series!  We hope to see you on July 22, 2026 to continue the conversation on the upcoming transition to CWS-CARES.

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

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Now Available: 500+ Frequently Asked Questions on the CWDS Page

CARES Project recently uploaded 500+ new FAQs to the CWDS Frequently Asked Questions page on June 28, 2026. These FAQs are drawn from questions recently responded to (within the last year) and cover a range of CWS-CARES topics. The new FAQs are organized into updated categories and tagged by meetings or forums for easier searching.

Stay tuned for additional FAQs will continue to be added as more questions are reviewed.

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CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: July 7, 2026

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

July 7, 2026 FAQ of the Week: 

Q: Who will provide support for the CWS-CARES Resource Family Approval (RFA) and Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Portal once CWS-CARES goes live, including password resets? How does someone get access to the portals?

A: The CWDS Service Desk will be responsible for system support for the RFA and FFPSA portals. Within each portal, should a user need their password reset, there is an option to self-serve a password reset. In most cases this will resolve a user’s password concern, such as forgetting their password. However, if the password reset link is not received by a portal user after 24 hours, the user will need to contact the CWDS Service Desk for additional support. 

 For basic troubleshooting and supporting the applicant, i.e., how to complete an application, questions on overall application questions and processes, etc., the County would be responsible for providing that support. 

Portal access is granted/received in two distinct methods based on the portal. 

RFA Portal – A Resource Family can access the portal via public link on the CWDS and county website(s) and is open for individuals to submit applications for interest in becoming a Resource Family Home. The second way to access the RFA Portal is for a CWS-CARES RFA Worker or RFA Supervisor to initiate an invitation to the prospective portal applicant. It should be noted that this method of invitation is only in the circumstance of an Emergency Placement, otherwise the Applicant would go to the public link to apply. Existing RFH homes with an email address previously provided will be extended an invitation to the portal. This will be done in the CWS-CARES application and dedicated training materials and guides will be provided on how to accomplish this task. 

• To access an RFA Portal end-to-end demonstration, click the “RFA_Applicant_Portal_-_03-26-2025-_Core_Constituent_Demonstration_for_RFA.mp4” video on the CWS-CARES RFA Demo Videos page. 

FFPSA Portal – Access to this portal is by invitation only to Community Based Organizations (CBOs). A CWS-CARES worker will initiate the invitation to the portal by adding the prospective or existing Service Provider to CWS-CARES, including their email. Once the email address has been added to CWS-CARES, the provider will receive an email inviting them to the FFPSA Portal. With this invitation email, the provider will be able to establish their password and update any applicable information. CWS-CARES will provide CARES workers with the necessary training materials and guides on how to accomplish this task.  

• To access a FFPSA demonstration, click the “02_23_2026_FM_FFPSA_Portal_CC_Demo_Recording.mp4” video on the CWS-CARES Financial Management Demo Videos page. 

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

Have a question? Send it to CWDS 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.

Please Note

When working with the CARES support teams we ask that you take the following precautions to protect CARES case data: 

• Do not share sensitive data (PHI / PII)  or other case details with the Service Desk, either directly or via email.  Sensitive and confidential data cannot be stored in the ticketing system. The Service Desk can only receive fully redacted information.
• If performing a screen share at the request of the support team, ensure minimum necessary practices are followed, including that only those that need to see the information are present. Screenshots or recordings of the meetings where sensitive/confidential information is present is not permitted.
• If sensitive information is required by third tier support (e.g., case numbers), ensure that it is shared via secured methods – please contact your county Privacy officer or the CWDS ISO for guidance as needed.

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

This is the July 6 update regarding the CWS-CARES Production Simulation (Prod Sim) and additional updates as we track toward our CWS-CARES Version 1 Go-Live on October 26, 2026.

Attached to this post are two linked documents:

1. How to Access & Self-Enroll in Enablement Guide

2. The CWS-CARES Prod Sim and Environment Status document

The How to Access & Self-Enroll in Enablement Guide explains how to sign up for CWS-CARES training. Non Train-the-Trainer (TTT) users should follow their role-based learning path, and consult their county training coordinator if needed. TTT users will receive separate communication soon regarding their specific Enablement programs.

The CWS-CARES Prod Sim and Environment Status is a detailed document outlining the current capabilities, limitations, and system status as of July 6 for CWS-CARES Prod Sim and other environments. This resource is designed to provide clarity on what to expect, what has changed, and how to understand the current system behavior.

Please note that the attachment is a living document. We will refresh this framework regularly, with the next update scheduled for August 4.

The CWS-CARES Prod Sim and Environment Status document covers:

Prod Sim

1. Prod Sim (CARES100) Revised Onboarding Approach: The onboarding approach is revised with all users being added to the CWS-CARES Prod Sim environment in phases between July 6th and July 16th. Individual counties have full control over their participants and the timing of their Prod Sim activities.

2. CWS-CARES Support and Data Security Protocols: To protect the case data in the Prod Sim environment, users must strictly redact PII/PHI from support tickets, prohibit screenshots or recordings during screen shares, and utilize secure transmission methods for all data transfers.

3. CWS-CARES Prod Sim Support Options: Support is available for system usage, technical issues, and feedback through daily Microsoft Teams office hours, regional clinics, and dedicated weekday email channels across six regions.

4. Known & Expected Issues, Current System Behavior: Highlights of known and expected issues, and current system behaviors users might encounter, focusing primarily on data-related issues.

5. Resolved Issues: A summary of resolved bugs and defects. Users should report these if any unexpected behavior persists within these specific areas.

6. Open/Reported Issues, Capabilities Not Available on July 6: A generalized overview of current Prod Sim issues classified by subject area; please note this does not represent the entirety of all reported active issues.

7. Forms Status: A dedicated status update on the readiness and functionality of project forms.

Environment Specifications 

• We are sharing information on the current operational status and specifications of the CWS-CARES environments including configuration, data sets, access rights, and feature availability.

We acknowledge how critical this information is to your planning, and we remain fully committed to partnering with you to ensure a smooth transition. We will continue to keep you informed with our next update scheduled for August 4. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to preparing your teams for the V1 Go-Live.

Action Required

No action is required.

Please contact Customer Relations for questions.

Binti County SPOCs and Implementation Coordinators:

As part of the ongoing Binti to CWS‑CARES data conversion effort, county‑specific data cleanup reports have been distributed. All counties received their initial set of reports June 29, 2026, with earlier delivery occurring for some counties.

These reports identify Binti records for county review before data is converted into CWS-CARES. Counties should review their report, confirm whether the records are accurate, and complete updates where cleanup is needed. Some records may be accurate as-is and may not require updates.

This workbook is the first set of data cleanup workbooks counties will receive. Additional workbooks may be distributed as further data cleanup needs are identified during ongoing analysis. Counties will be notified if subsequent workbooks become available.

To ensure updates are reflected in CWS-CARES, counties are encouraged to complete cleanup activities by the end of September 2026, prioritizing records that may impact business functions. Some cleanup activities may still be completed in CWS-CARES after Go-Live.

Report Delivery

Following feedback from counties, reports were delivered through Keeper, which provides a simple and secure way to share files without requiring a password or account setup.

If your county submitted the Binti Conversion Report Delivery – County Contacts & Delivery Preference survey, the report was sent to the designated contact identified in the survey. That contact received an email from Naomi Robledo with a secure link to download the report. The link is valid for 30 days and can be accessed from a single device.

If your county did not submit a survey response, the report was sent to your county’s CWS‑CARES Single Point of Contact (SPOC) and Implementation Coordinator.

If your secure link expires or you experience any issues accessing your report, please contact the External Systems Data Conversion Mailbox.

Binti Data Conversion Reports Overview

Each county received an Excel workbook for this initial round of data cleanup activities. Additional workbooks may be provided later if further data cleanup needs are identified. Each workbook contains multiple tabs, with each tab representing a category of records identified during the Binti data analysis. Tabs vary by county based on applicable records. For detailed instructions, please refer to the Instructions tab included in your county workbook.

Below is a high-level overview of each tab:

• users_with_binti_email (Portal users with placeholder emails)
  • This tab contains portal user records with placeholder emails (@binti.com emails). Placeholder emails cannot be used to create a CWS-CARES account or send an invitation. Counties may review these records to determine whether each user is needed for CWS-CARES access.
• multiple_or_no_profiles (County workers with duplicate or unmatched CWS/CMS profiles)
  • This tab contains worker records that exist in Binti but could not be matched or have multiple matches in CWS/CMS. Counties may review these records to determine whether access is still needed and whether any identity or duplicate issues apply.
• Binti_homes_same_license (Homes sharing the same license number in Binti)
  • This tab contains home records sharing the same license number. Counties may review these records to determine whether they represent duplicates or valid business scenarios.
• CMS_multiple_license_match (Homes with multiple license matches in CWS/CMS)
  • This tab contains home records with multiple license matches in CWS/CMS. Counties may review these records to determine whether any duplicates or multi-match issues need to be addressed.
• CMS_multiple_ address_match (Homes with multiple address matches in CWS/CMS)
  • This tab contains home records with multiple address matches in CWS/CMS. Counties may review these records to determine whether any data issue apply.
• invalid_address_match (Homes with missing or invalid address information)
  • This tab contains home records with missing or invalid address information. Counties may review these records to determine whether updates are needed to support a valid CWS/CMS match.

Action Required

Review your county’s Binti Data Conversion Report(s) when received and complete any needed cleanup, prioritizing records that may impact business functions. To ensure updates are included in CWS-CARES, counties are encouraged to complete data cleanup by the end of September 2026.

Questions?

If you have questions, please contact the CWDS CARES External Systems Data Conversion Mailbox.

Please Note

When working with the CARES support teams we ask that you take the following precautions to protect CARES case data: 

• Do not share sensitive data (PHI / PII)  or other case details with the Service Desk, either directly or via email.  Sensitive and confidential data cannot be stored in the ticketing system. The Service Desk can only receive fully redacted information.
• If performing a screen share at the request of the support team, ensure minimum necessary practices are followed, including that only those that need to see the information are present. Screenshots or recordings of the meetings where sensitive/confidential information is present is not permitted.
• If sensitive information is required by third tier support (e.g., case numbers), ensure that it is shared via secured methods – please contact your county Privacy officer or the CWDS ISO for guidance as needed.

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

As previously noted on the login page banner earlier this week, the CWS-CARES Production Simulation (Prod Sim) environment (CARES100) will be temporarily unavailable due to scheduled system maintenance. Here are the outage details:

Start Time: Thursday, July 2 at 5:00 PM

End Time: Monday, July 6 at 8:00 AM

During this time, users will not be able to log in or access the environment. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience as we complete these necessary system updates.

Action Required

No action is required.

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

We want to share an important update on the CWS-CARES Train-the-Trainer (TTT) schedule, to support county requests for more preparation time and ensure seamless training experiences. TTT will now be conducted from July 20 to August 28, 2026 (shifted from the original July 6 - August 14 timeline).

Why We Are Making the Adjustment

More Prod Sim Time: Counties need more time in the Prod Sim environment for their users to complete prerequisites and build system familiarity while data scenarios and bugs are finalized.

Improved Environment Stability: It allows time to resolve open bugs, interface readiness, and data load issues to minimize training disruptions.

Better Timing: This shortens the gap between TTT, Instructor-Led Training (ILT), and Go-Live, boosting knowledge retention. We are currently analyzing its potential impact on ILT dates.

What Is Next

CWS-CARES Training Coordinators will contact Organization Training Coordinators directly to share specific TTT dates and registration details for each organization.

Next week we will share detailed preparation steps, including prerequisites, recommended enablement program sequencing, and environment access confirmations.

Thank you for your flexibility and your continued partnership as we prepare for a successful rollout.

Action Required

If you have questions about how this impacts your training plan or prerequisites, please connect with your training coordinator or CWDS Training.

County SPOCs and Implementation Coordinators – Binti Counties

As part of the CWS-CARES implementation, your county’s Binti data has been converted and is ready for review.  

Counties will have access to the CARES 105 testing environment from Monday, July 6, through August 4, 2026 to validate converted data and report issues. Please note that this environment reflects Binti data extracted as of April 24, 2026.   

Submit Testers for CARES 105 Binti Data

Please submit your county’s list of up to five (5) testers using the survey link below by COB Thursday, July 2, 2026, to ensure access is provisioned by the July 6 opening date.  

Survey link: CARES 105 Binti Data Validation Testers  

Submissions received after the July 2 deadline will be processed as quickly as possible.  

Selected testers should be familiar with the Binti-to-CWS-CARES data mapping and conversion logic, and must be active CWS/CMS users (required for CARES 105 environment access). 

Please submit one consolidated response per county. Counties will need to provide the following details for each tester: 

• First name 
• Last name 
• Email address 
• CWS LoginID  
• ObjectID (if available from your county’s Active Directory/Azure) 

Instructions for how to log into the CARES 105 environment will be sent directly to your identified participants once their account is provisioned. If you identify a data mapping discrepancy during validation, please report it following your county’s standard ticketing process. 

Questions? 

If you have questions, please contact the External Systems Data Conversion Mailbox. Thank you for your support in preparing for the upcoming data conversion activities.

Action Required

Please submit your county’s list of up to five (5) testers using the survey by COB Thursday, July 2, 2026, to ensure access is provisioned by the July 6 opening date.