CWS-CARES

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

As we prepare for the CWS-CARES Version 1 (V1) launch in October 2026, we are sharing an important update regarding the collection and management of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) data within the system. 

In direct response to updated federal guidance and a recent Executive Order (EO), the State has decided to transition specific SOGIE data fields to "Read-Only" status within the CARES V1 User Interface. 

This approach ensures immediate federal compliance while preserving the significant development work already completed. By locking these fields rather than removing them, CWS-CARES remains stable for go-live while protecting existing data. 

The following fields in CWS-CARES will be visible but not editable for the V1 launch: 

1. Sexual Orientation: Includes Asexual, Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Pansexual, Queer, Straight/Heterosexual, Declines to State, Not Listed, Client does not know (including description text box), and Did not ask (including description text box). 
2. Gender Identity: Includes Female, Male, Non-Binary, Gender Queer, Transgender Female, Transgender Male, Two-Spirit, Gender Fluid, Intersex, Decline to State, Did Not Ask, Client does not know, and Not Listed (including associated description boxes). 
3. Pronouns: He/Him, She/Her, and They/Them. 

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is committed to working closely with counties and local jurisdictions to determine how to best address ongoing programmatic needs for this information. 

We appreciate your flexibility as we navigate these evolving federal requirements to ensure a compliant and successful launch of CWS-CARES. 

Action Required

For your information only.

All SPOCs and Technical Contacts: 

March 16, 2026 UPDATE: This is a reminder that there is a CWS-CARES RFA outage window scheduled for Thursday, March 19, 2026. Beginning at 5:00 PM and concluding at 8:00 PM, the RFA Greenfield production environment will be unavailable while it transitions to a secure FedRAMP (Okta) environment.

After the transition activities, users should clear their web browser cache before logging in to the Okta RFA Greenfield production environment. For guidance on how to clear the web browser cache for Chrome or Edge, please follow the steps provided here: Clear cache & cookies - Computer - Google Account Help

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Over the past half-year, we have actively coordinated and worked with the various stakeholder organizations to perform the transition to a secure FedRAMP IAM (Okta) environment, which has been completed and operational in the CWS-CARES non-production environment. Now, we are ready to perform this transition for the current CWS-CARES RFA Greenfield production environment.

As some of the cutover activities require coordination with stakeholder organizations, we will be requesting for your IT team’s support to execute specific tasks on your systems. A separate communication addressed to the designated SPOC and technical representative will specify the required actions and schedule, which will be provided closer to the transition date.

We recently engaged with your organization during a preliminary meeting and discussed timeline, availability, and outcomes of this transition. During that discussion, no concerns were raised from your organization if we conduct the transition activities in the upcoming weeks.

The date for this transition cutover from non-FedRAMP to FedRAMP IAM environment is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. During this time, the RFA Greenfield production environment will be unavailable.

Action Required

After the transition activities, users should clear their web browser cache before logging in to the Okta RFA Greenfield production environment. For guidance on how to clear the web browser cache for Chrome or Edge, please follow the steps provided here: Clear cache & cookies - Computer - Google Account Help

All Pilot County RFA Implementation Coordinators and SPOCs:

The CWS-CARES team has scheduled maintenance activity for the CWS-CARES production environment for Monday, March 16, 2026, beginning at 5:00 PM and concluding at 8:00 PM. During the maintenance window, the CWS-CARES Resource Family Approval (RFA) Application Submission, Review, and Approval Process will be accessible for pilot counties Fresno, Placer, and Santa Clara.

During the maintenance window, Tableau reports refresh will be on hold in the CARES application.

Action Required

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

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

All Pilot County RFA Implementation Coordinators and SPOCs:

The CWS-CARES team has scheduled maintenance activity for the CWS-CARES production environment for Monday, March 16, 2026, beginning at 5:00 PM and concluding at 8:00 PM. During the maintenance window, the CWS-CARES Resource Family Approval (RFA) Application Submission, Review, and Approval Process will be accessible for pilot counties Fresno, Placer, and Santa Clara.

During the maintenance window, Tableau reports refresh will be on hold in the CARES application.

Action Required

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

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

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

In this Weekly Digest:

• Communication Effectiveness Survey #3
• Reminder: Register for Stakeholder Briefing #6 on March 25, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
• CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2: Item Sneak Peak
• CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations
• CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) of the Week

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Communication Effectiveness Survey #3

The third annual CWS-CARES Communications Effectiveness Survey opened today, March 9, 2026, and will remain open through Friday, March 20, 2026.

Take the survey here to share your feedback: CWS-CARES Communications Effectiveness Survey #3.

The survey is confidential, anonymous, and takes approximately three (3) to five (5) minutes to complete. The annual Communications Effectiveness Survey helps us understand what is working and what could be improved with project communications. Your honest feedback is greatly valued.

Please feel free to forward it to other CWS-CARES users who may wish to provide feedback on CWS-CARES Communications.

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Reminder: Register for Stakeholder Briefing #6 on March 25, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon

You are invited to register for the next CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing, now scheduled for March 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon. We are excited to announce that we have 391 registrants as of Friday, March 6! Register here to reserve your spot: Stakeholder Briefing #6 - March 25, 2026 | Registration.

Please note: a calendar invitation for Stakeholder Briefing #6 will not be sent from the CWS-CARES Project. You must manually add the .ics file included in the registration confirmation email to your calendar. 

All stakeholders are welcome to attend the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing series and engage directly with our project team. At Stakeholder Briefing #6, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and hear updates on CWS-CARES Readiness, Production Simulation, and Forms and Reports. A pre-recorded demonstration of the Health and Education Passport (HEP) will also be shown. View the full agenda and register for the session on the Stakeholder Briefing #6 - March 25, 2026 | Registration page.

If you require any accommodations to attend this meeting, such as an ASL interpreter, please notify CWDS Customer Relations at: CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov at least one week in advance, or as soon as possible.

Please share the registration link and instructions in this email to any staff that might be interested in attending the session.

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CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2: Item Sneak Peak

The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop is just around the corner! From March 30 – April 17, 2026, all 58 California counties, Tribes, and partner organizations will have an opportunity to purchase CWS-CARES branded items using their own funds.

View the flyer for a sneak peak of selected items included in the upcoming Pop-Up Shop.

A preview of all items including pricing details, descriptions, and purchasing FAQs will be published in the March 16, 2026 CWS-CARES Weekly Digest.

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CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations

Here is a quick look at the CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations from the previous and upcoming two weeks. These demonstrations give counties and partners a chance to see key features in action, learn what’s new or coming soon, and share feedback that helps shape ongoing improvements to CWS-CARES.

View all the previous Product Demonstrations on the CWDS website: CWS-CARES Product Demonstrations. Please note, a log in is required to view all recordings.

CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations Held March 2 - 6, 2026:

• March 4, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Shared Services: Person Merge, Special Project Codes

Upcoming CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations: * 

• No CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations are currently planned between March 9 – 31, 2026. 

*Please note that dates for CWS-CARES Demonstrations shared here are subject to change. Please check the CWDS Meeting and Event Calendar for the most up-to-date schedule.

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CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) of the Week

Each week, we highlight a common question from counties and partners, along with a clear, practical answer to help you better understand CWS-CARES functionality.

March 9, 2026 FAQ of the Week:

Q: How will CWS-CARES manage the transition to Daylight Saving Time?

A: Unlike in CWS/CMS, there will be no “blackout hour” during the transition to Daylight Saving Time in CWS-CARES. CWS-CARES will remain live and automatically update to reflect the time change as it occurs.

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 at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov 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.

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

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

• The February 2026 Progress and Engagement Summary is Now Available
• CWS-CARES Data Dictionary Version 0.09 Now Available
• Updated CWS-CARES Meeting & Workgroup Matrix
• Coming Soon: the CWS-CARES Communications Effectiveness Survey #3
• Reminder: Register for Stakeholder Briefing #6 on March 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
• CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations
• CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) of the Week

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

• Project Communications
• Core Constituent Demonstrations
• Forms and Data
• External Systems, Interfaces, and Analytics
• Implementation, OCM, and Training Activities

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

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CWS-CARES Data Dictionary Version 0.09 Now Available

As of Friday, February 27, 2026, the CWS-CARES Data Dictionary V0.09 is available on the Microsoft Teams Channel CARES Data Dictionary under Shared. Featured changes and new features include:

• Enhance Change Log with release date and version tracking.
• Expanded Definitions tab with detailed explanations across all tabs and columns.
• Updates to Columns tab based on application development activities including Description, Screen Name, and Left Navigation Menu Name, etc. 

Check the Intro tab of the CWS-CARES Data Dictionary for the detailed list of updates included in the new version.

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Updated CWS-CARES Meeting & Workgroup Matrix

An updated CWS-CARES Meeting & Workgroup Matrix is now available on the CWDS User Resources Webpage. (login required).

This comprehensive matrix serves as a one-stop reference for recurring CWS-CARES meetings, workgroups, advisory committees, and core constituent sessions. It includes meeting statuses (open/closed), frequency and timing, facilitators, participant groups, webpage links, Teams channels, and contact emails, so you can quickly identify where to engage and how to stay informed.

As part of this update, the Microsoft Teams Channel Guide has been retired, as relevant Teams channel information is now incorporated directly into the matrix.

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Coming Soon: the CWS-CARES Communications Effectiveness Survey #3

The third annual Communications Effectiveness survey will open Monday March 9 – Friday March 20, 2026. 

The survey is confidential, anonymous, and takes approximately 3-5 minutes to complete. The annual Communications Effectiveness Survey helps us understand what’s working and what could be improved with project communications. Your honest feedback is greatly valued.  

Once the survey opens, please forward it to other CWS-CARES users who may wish to provide feedback on CWS-CARES Communications.

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Reminder: Register for Stakeholder Briefing #6 on March 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon

You are invited to register the next CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing, now scheduled for March 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon! Register here to reserve your spot: Stakeholder Briefing #6 - March 25, 2026 | Registration.

Please note: a calendar invitation for Stakeholder Briefing #6 will not be sent from the CWS-CARES Project. You must manually add the .ics file included in the registration confirmation email to your calendar. 

All stakeholders are welcome to attend the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing series and engage directly with our project team. At Stakeholder Briefing #5, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and hear updates on CWS-CARES Readiness, Production Simulation, and Forms and Reports. A pre-recorded demonstration of the Health and Education Passport (HEP) will also be shown. View the full agenda and register for the session on the Stakeholder Briefing #6 - March 25, 2026 | Registration page.

If you require any accommodations to attend this meeting, such as an ASL interpreter, please notify CWDS Customer Relations at: CWS_CustRel@osi.ca.gov at least one week in advance, or as soon as possible.

Please share the registration link and instructions in this email to any staff that might be interested in attending the session.

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CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations

Here’s a quick look at the CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations from the previous and upcoming two weeks. These demonstrations give counties and partners a chance to see key features in action, learn what’s new or coming soon, and share feedback that helps shape ongoing improvements to CWS-CARES.

View all the previous Product Demonstrations on the CWDS website: CWS-CARES Product Demonstrations. Please note, a log in is required to view all recordings.

CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations Held February 23 - 27, 2026:

• February 23, 2026, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Financial Management: Portal Login, Management, Prevention Services, and more

• February 25, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Eligibility: Establishing Guardianship, Guardian Homes, Kin-GAP

Upcoming CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations Scheduled March 2 – 6, 2026: *

• March 4, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Shared Services: Person Merge, Special Project Codes

*Please note that dates for CWS-CARES Demonstrations shared here are subject to change. Please check the CWDS Meeting and Event Calendar for the most up-to-date schedule.

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CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) of the Week

Each week, we highlight a common question from counties and partners, along with a clear, practical answer to help you better understand CWS-CARES functionality. March 2, 2026 FAQ of the Week:

Q: Will dedicated counties be allowed to access CWS-CARES on county computers as well as state computers?
A: Dedicated County Users will be expected to access CWS-CARES using their dedicated county machines (supported by CWDS), similar to how they currently access CWS/CMS. Non-CWDS-supported county machines will not be allowed to access CWS-CARES. Users with specialized access needs (as seen in CWS/CMS) may be assigned SCBS-Citrix access based on specific business requirements. 

Have a question? Send it to Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov and we’ll be happy to help. To view all of the CWS-CARES FAQs, please visit the CWDS Website: CWS-CARES FAQs | CWDS Website.

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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.

All Pilot County RFA Implementation Coordinators and SPOCs:

The CWS-CARES team has scheduled maintenance activity for the CWS-CARES production environment for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, beginning at 5:00 PM and concluding at 8:00 PM. During the maintenance window, the CWS-CARES Resource Family Approval (RFA) Application Submission, Review, and Approval Process will be accessible for pilot counties Fresno, Placer, and Santa Clara.

During the maintenance window, Tableau reports refresh will be on hold in the CARES application.

Action Required

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

All SPOCs and Technical Contacts: 

Over the past half-year, we have actively coordinated and worked with the various stakeholder organizations to perform the transition to a secure FedRAMP IAM (Okta) environment, which has been completed and operational in the CWS-CARES non-production environment. Now, we are ready to perform this transition for the current CWS-CARES RFA Greenfield production environment.

 As some of the cutover activities require coordination with stakeholder organizations, we will be requesting for your IT team’s support to execute specific tasks on your systems. A separate communication addressed to the designated SPOC and technical representative will specify the required actions and schedule, which will be provided closer to the transition date.

 We recently engaged with your organization during a preliminary meeting and discussed timeline, availability, and outcomes of this transition. During that discussion, no concerns were raised from your organization if we conduct the transition activities in the upcoming weeks.

The date for this transition cutover from non-FedRAMP to FedRAMP IAM environment is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. During this time, the RFA Greenfield production environment will be unavailable.

Action Required

After the transition activities, users should clear their web browser cache before logging in to the Okta RFA Greenfield production environment. For guidance on how to clear the web browser cache for Chrome or Edge, please follow the steps provided here: Clear cache & cookies - Computer - Google Account Help

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

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

• Register for Stakeholder Briefing #6: Now Scheduled for March 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
• CARES Explorer Volume 3, Issue 1 Now Available
• Coming March 30, 2026: The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2
• Introducing CWS-CARES Video #5 – CWS-CARES 101: Placement & Eligibility
• CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations
• CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) of the Week

Register for Stakeholder Briefing #6: Now Scheduled for March 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon

You are invited to register the next CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing, now scheduled for March 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon! Register here to reserve your spot: Stakeholder Briefing #6 - March 25, 2026 | Registration.

Please note: a calendar invitation for Stakeholder Briefing #6 will not be sent from the CWS-CARES Project. You must manually add the .ics file included in the registration confirmation email to your calendar. 

If you require any accommodations to attend this meeting, such as an ASL interpreter, please notify CWDS Customer Relations at: CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov at least one week in advance, or as soon as possible.

Please share the registration link and instructions in this email to any staff that might be interested in attending the session.

Thank you for your continued participation and engagement at the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefings. We are excited to announce that in May 2026, Stakeholder Briefing webinars will be held monthly through CWS-CARES Go-Live, with additional time for stakeholder Q&A. View the dates for upcoming Stakeholder briefings, along with the recordings and materials from previous sessions, on the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefings and Webinars page on the CWDS website.

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CARES Explorer Volume 3, Issue 1 Now Available

We are pleased to present the February 2026 issue 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
• CWS-CARES Readiness Update
• Stakeholder Briefing Registration and Update

Explore CWS-CARES:

• Extended User Scenario Testing (EUST) 3
• Forms and Reports: Preparing for Go-Live and Beyond

Implementation Corner:

• Spotlight: County Participation in Binti Preliminary Data Mapping Validation Workshops
• 9-Month Readiness Checkpoints
• CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2

We recommend that you share this newsletter at your discretion with staff that are impacted by the changes coming with CWS-CARES. You may also obtain all previous CARES Explorer issues on the CWDS website: CARES Compass/Explorer | Child Welfare Digital Services.

If you would like to receive future issues of the CARES Explorer newsletter, please subscribe to the CWS-CARES Weekly Digest. Those who have previously subscribed to the CARES Explorer or CARES Compass will automatically begin receiving Weekly Digest emails each Monday, which will include an Explorer issue every quarter.

If you have questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.

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Coming March 30, 2026: The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2

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 #2 between Monday, March 30 and Friday, April 17. 

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 March 30.

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Introducing CWS-CARES Video #5 – CWS-CARES 101: Placement & Eligibility

The CWS-CARES Implementation Team has released the latest video in the CWS-CARES Video Series: CWS-CARES 101 - Placement & Eligibility.

This brief, animated video shows a glimpse into a day in the life of a Case Worker and Eligibility Resource, highlighting new features in CWS-CARES. We encourage you to share this video with your teams, screen it during upcoming meetings, and use it as a tool to help jump-start conversations about CWS-CARES.

Visit the CWS-CARES Public Library to watch and share previous CARES videos: CWS-CARES Video Series.

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CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations

Here’s a quick look at the CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations from the previous and upcoming two weeks. These demonstrations give counties and partners a chance to see key features in action, learn what’s new or coming soon, and share feedback that helps shape ongoing improvements to CWS-CARES.

View all the previous Product Demonstrations on the CWDS website: CWS-CARES Product Demonstrations. Please note, a log in is required to view all recordings.

CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations Held February 16 - 20, 2026:

• February 17, 2026, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Resource Family Approval (RFA): RFA Application Portal Self-Registration, RFA Portal Application Creation, Withdrawal of an Application by an RFA Applicant

Upcoming CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations Scheduled February 23 – 27, 2026: *

• February 23, 2026, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Financial Management: Portal Login, Management, Prevention Services, and more

*Please note that dates for CWS-CARES Demonstrations shared here are subject to change. Please check the CWDS Meeting and Event Calendar for the most up-to-date schedule.

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CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) of the Week

Q: Regarding Optimistic Concurrency, will there be a warning message when 2 people are editing the same record (For example, the same contact note, same warrant, etc.)?

A: In CWS-CARES, updates are written directly to the cloud. If two users attempt to edit the same record at the same time (e.g., the same contact log or case record), the second user will receive an error indicating that the record has been updated. They will then need to refresh the page, re-enter their changes, and save.

To be clear, records are not locked during editing since Salesforce handles Optimistic Concurrency through conflict detection instead.

Have a question? Send it to Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov and we’ll be happy to help. To view all of the CWS-CARES FAQs, please visit the CWDS Website: CWS-CARES FAQs | CWDS Website.

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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.

All Pilot County RFA Implementation Coordinators and SPOCs:

The CWS-CARES team has scheduled maintenance activity for the CWS-CARES production environment for Thursday, February 26, 2026, beginning at 5:00 PM and concluding at 8:00 PM. During the maintenance window, the CWS-CARES Resource Family Approval (RFA) Application Submission, Review, and Approval Process will be accessible for pilot counties Fresno, Placer, and Santa Clara.

During the maintenance window, document related functionality in the CARES application 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 at Servicedesk@cwds.ca.gov during normal business hours. You may also email after hours, and a Service Desk representative will contact you the next business day.