CARES SPOCs, Implementation Coordinators, County Leadership, Tribal Leadership, Probation Leadership, State Leadership, and OCM Coordinators:
We are pleased to share the CARES Explorer – March 2025 issue, the newsletter for staying up to date on the CWS-CARES project.
This is sent directly to our key stakeholders for project communications: County, Tribe, Probation, and State leadership, CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs), and Organization Implementation Coordinators.
This issue contains information on:
Stakeholders: Discover how Yolo County uses creative ways to engage their staff in the changes coming with CWS-CARES. Read about how The Office of Tribal Affairs guides the California Department of Social Services efforts to help create and facilitate policies, procedures, and programs that serve Tribes, and tribal children and families.
CWS-CARES: This issue highlights Extended User Scenario Testing (EUST) 2, the second round of testing to improve system usability. We share details about the kickoff, scope, supporting tools, and the changes made from what we learned in the first round of testing. Understand who is participating and what training they will receive to prepare for EUST 2. We share an overview on external systems, and describe the ways that counties are analyzing their external systems in preparation for CWS-CARES. Understand more about the CARES V1 Scope Summary, the initial CWS-CARES Data Dictionary, and Interfaces in CARES V1.
Hidden Gems: Learn more about the CWS-CARES Public Library, the real-time CWDS Events & Meetings Calendar, and the Core Constituent survey and new guide. We also share a recap of the Stakeholder Briefing Session conducted in late January 2025.
We recommend that you share this newsletter at your discretion with staff that are impacted by the changes coming with CWS-CARES.
The CARES Explorer – March 2025 issue is now available here: CARES Explorer Vol 2 Issue 1.
You may also obtain all CARES Explorer issues on the CWDS website: CARES Compass/Explorer | Child Welfare Digital Services
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
Action Required:
We request that all CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the CARES Explorer Newsletter to all staff impacted by CWS-CARES at their discretion.
News
CWS/CARES: Thank You for Your Feedback – Core Constituent Survey Results Overview
All Core Constituent Survey Participants:
Thank you for participating in our third quarterly Core Constituent Survey and sharing your valuable insight on the CWS-CARES Core Constituent meetings.
For your awareness, we’ve attached a 1-page summary of the survey results, highlighting some of the feedback we received from participants.
You may forward this to members of your organization who completed the Core Constituent Survey or others who might find this information helpful.
We appreciate your contributions and look forward to using your input to continue improving the Core Constituent meetings.
Action Required
Please forward this email to any others who completed the Core Constituent Survey.
Thank you for participating in our third quarterly Core Constituent Survey and sharing your valuable insight on the CWS-CARES Core Constituent meetings.
For your awareness, we’ve attached a 1-page summary of the survey results, highlighting some of the feedback we received from participants.
You may forward this to members of your organization who completed the Core Constituent Survey or others who might find this information helpful.
We appreciate your contributions and look forward to using your input to continue improving the Core Constituent meetings.
Action Required
Please forward this email to any others who completed the Core Constituent Survey.
CARES Compass – Volume 2, Issue 1 – January 2025
We are pleased to present the third issue of the CARES Compass, the two-page executive summary with upcoming project communications and brief informational highlights:
We appreciate your continued commitment to staying informed.
Action Required
No action required.
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
- Stakeholder Briefing #2: This is a reminder of the next CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing session on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 – 9AM to 12PM. This session will provide you with valuable insights into CWS-CARES and an opportunity to ask questions.
- Coming Soon - CARES 101 Video: Get ready for the CWS-CARES video #3, coming in early spring 2025.
- Extended User Scenario Testing (EUST) 2: Read about how many counties have volunteered to participate in this activity and important dates to keep in mind.
- RFA with CWS-CARES: In the future, Resource Family Approval (RFA) features will be integrated into CWS-CARES. We highlight the activities in progress.
- Upcoming Events and Communications: This is a list of CWS-CARES communications that will be released in the next three months.
We appreciate your continued commitment to staying informed.
Action Required
No action required.
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
The CARES Explorer Newsletter – December 2024 Issue
To: CARES SPOCs and Implementation Coordinators
CC: County, Tribe, Probation, and State Leadership, OCM Coordinators
We are pleased to share the CARES Explorer - December 2024 issue, the newsletter for staying up to date on the CWS-CARES project.
This is sent directly to our key stakeholders for project communications: County, Tribe, Probation, and State leadership, CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs), and Organization Implementation Coordinators.
This issue contains information on:
Stakeholders: Discover how the Office of Technology and Solutions Integration (OTSI) is working on the project and understand OTSI’s role as the CWS-CARES project sponsor. Read about how the project partners with organizations to ensure information is shared effectively and the three key communication roles that foster statewide adoption and utilization of CWS-CARES. We also highlight Humboldt County’s creative ways to build awareness and enthusiasm for CWS-CARES.
CWS-CARES: This issue highlights the Reports area, the future of SafeMeasures® and Structured Decision Making® (SDM) assessments with the implementation of CWS-CARES, Resource Family Approval (RFA), holistic design updates, and the CARES Prototype demonstrations and feedback.
Hidden Gems: Learn more about the power of plain language, the results from our Organizational Change Management (OCM Survey), EUST2, and the Stakeholder Briefing series.
We recommend that you share this newsletter at your discretion with staff that are impacted by the changes coming with CWS-CARES.
The CARES Explorer – December 2024 issue is now available here: 20241218_CARES_Explorer_Issue 4
You may also obtain all CARES Explorer issues on the CWDS website: CARES Compass/Explorer | Child Welfare Digital Services
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
Action Required:
We request that all CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the CARES Explorer Newsletter to all staff impacted by CWS-CARES at their discretion.
CC: County, Tribe, Probation, and State Leadership, OCM Coordinators
We are pleased to share the CARES Explorer - December 2024 issue, the newsletter for staying up to date on the CWS-CARES project.
This is sent directly to our key stakeholders for project communications: County, Tribe, Probation, and State leadership, CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs), and Organization Implementation Coordinators.
This issue contains information on:
Stakeholders: Discover how the Office of Technology and Solutions Integration (OTSI) is working on the project and understand OTSI’s role as the CWS-CARES project sponsor. Read about how the project partners with organizations to ensure information is shared effectively and the three key communication roles that foster statewide adoption and utilization of CWS-CARES. We also highlight Humboldt County’s creative ways to build awareness and enthusiasm for CWS-CARES.
CWS-CARES: This issue highlights the Reports area, the future of SafeMeasures® and Structured Decision Making® (SDM) assessments with the implementation of CWS-CARES, Resource Family Approval (RFA), holistic design updates, and the CARES Prototype demonstrations and feedback.
Hidden Gems: Learn more about the power of plain language, the results from our Organizational Change Management (OCM Survey), EUST2, and the Stakeholder Briefing series.
We recommend that you share this newsletter at your discretion with staff that are impacted by the changes coming with CWS-CARES.
The CARES Explorer – December 2024 issue is now available here: 20241218_CARES_Explorer_Issue 4
You may also obtain all CARES Explorer issues on the CWDS website: CARES Compass/Explorer | Child Welfare Digital Services
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
Action Required:
We request that all CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the CARES Explorer Newsletter to all staff impacted by CWS-CARES at their discretion.
CWS-CARES: CARES Compass – Issue 5 – November 2024
CARES SPOCs, Implementation Coordinators, County, Tribe, Probation, State Leadership, OCM Coordinators and specific CWDA Staff related to child welfare
We are pleased to present the fifth issue of the CARES Compass, the two-page executive summary with upcoming project communications and brief informational highlights.
In this issue, you will find:
We appreciate your continued commitment to staying informed.
Action Required
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@osi.ca.gov.
We are pleased to present the fifth issue of the CARES Compass, the two-page executive summary with upcoming project communications and brief informational highlights.
In this issue, you will find:
- CWDS Planning Roadmap Update: The CWDS Planning Roadmap is enhanced with milestone descriptions, critical training and implementation activities, and Extended User Scenario Testing (EUST) periods. A high-level roadmap focusing on the CARES V1 Project Lifecycle is also available.
- Stakeholder Briefings Series: We're pleased to announce the dates for all upcoming Stakeholder Briefing sessions. These sessions will provide you with valuable insights into CWS-CARES and an opportunity to ask questions.
- Core Constituent Survey 2: We describe how we are applying the feedback collected from this survey.
- Holistic Design Update: We share statistics on the feedback and sessions conducted related to holistic design.
- Upcoming Events and Communications: A list of CWS-CARES communications that will be released in the next three months.
We appreciate your continued commitment to staying informed.
Action Required
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@osi.ca.gov.
CWDS Migrating to Microsoft Teams for Virtual Meetings
All SPOCs:
The Office of Technology and Solutions Integration (OTSI) has decided to phase out the use of WebEx and will use, instead, Microsoft Teams exclusively for all virtual meetings. Child Welfare Digital Services (CWDS) plans to make the move to Microsoft Teams by Monday, September 30, 2024.
Organizations will see many CWDS project meetings either updated or cancelled and rescheduled to make the change to Microsoft Teams instead of WebEx. This communication is being sent out to explain the reasoning of the updates to the existing meeting invites.
Recipients of “forwarded” meeting invites will not receive the updates to the meetings and will have the previous WebEx link on their calendar if they were not included in the invite distribution. If you have previously forwarded an invite to a meeting that has since been updated, please be sure to forward the updated invite to those parties, or work with the meeting organizer to add them to the invite’s distribution list, if appropriate.
Action Required
Please accept the updated meeting invites and remove the canceled meetings, due to the change from WebEx to Teams, as they are received.
Forward any updated meeting invites that you have previously forwarded, if the new recipients are not included in the meeting’s distribution. The other option is to work with the meeting organizers to add the appropriate people to the invite.
The Office of Technology and Solutions Integration (OTSI) has decided to phase out the use of WebEx and will use, instead, Microsoft Teams exclusively for all virtual meetings. Child Welfare Digital Services (CWDS) plans to make the move to Microsoft Teams by Monday, September 30, 2024.
Organizations will see many CWDS project meetings either updated or cancelled and rescheduled to make the change to Microsoft Teams instead of WebEx. This communication is being sent out to explain the reasoning of the updates to the existing meeting invites.
Recipients of “forwarded” meeting invites will not receive the updates to the meetings and will have the previous WebEx link on their calendar if they were not included in the invite distribution. If you have previously forwarded an invite to a meeting that has since been updated, please be sure to forward the updated invite to those parties, or work with the meeting organizer to add them to the invite’s distribution list, if appropriate.
Action Required
Please accept the updated meeting invites and remove the canceled meetings, due to the change from WebEx to Teams, as they are received.
Forward any updated meeting invites that you have previously forwarded, if the new recipients are not included in the meeting’s distribution. The other option is to work with the meeting organizers to add the appropriate people to the invite.
The CARES Explorer Newsletter – September 2024 Issue
To: CARES SPOCs and Implementation Coordinators
CC: County, Tribe, Probation, and State Leadership, OCM Coordinators, Specific CWDA Staff Related to Child Welfare
We are pleased to share the CARES Explorer - September 2024 issue, the newsletter for staying up to date on the CWS-CARES project.
This is sent directly to our key stakeholders for project communications: County, Tribe, Probation, and State leadership, CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs), Organization Implementation Coordinators, and specific CWDA staff related to child welfare.
This issue contains information on:
The CARES Explorer – September 2024 issue is now available here: The CARES Explorer - September 2024
You may also obtain all CARES Explorer issues on the CWDS website: CARES Compass/Explorer | Child Welfare Digital Services
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
Action Required:
We request that all CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the CARES Explorer Newsletter to all staff impacted by CWS-CARES.
CC: County, Tribe, Probation, and State Leadership, OCM Coordinators, Specific CWDA Staff Related to Child Welfare
We are pleased to share the CARES Explorer - September 2024 issue, the newsletter for staying up to date on the CWS-CARES project.
This is sent directly to our key stakeholders for project communications: County, Tribe, Probation, and State leadership, CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs), Organization Implementation Coordinators, and specific CWDA staff related to child welfare.
This issue contains information on:
- Stakeholders: Discover the ways that the County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) is working on the project and understand the role of the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) as the CWS-CARES project sponsor. Read about El Dorado County’s contributions to CWS-CARES and how the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) serves as a voice for tribal governments and native children.
- CWS-CARES: This issue highlights the Case Management Service Area and seven related functions including Prevention Services, Case Plan, and Placement. There is a spotlight on the Smarty Streets address validation feature, an update on connectivity between CWS-CARES and CalSAWS, and ways that counties participate in data conversion.
- Hidden Gems: Learn more about our progress with holistic design, participation in conferences, and take the survey to vote on what merchandise to feature in our new CWS-CARES branded store.
The CARES Explorer – September 2024 issue is now available here: The CARES Explorer - September 2024
You may also obtain all CARES Explorer issues on the CWDS website: CARES Compass/Explorer | Child Welfare Digital Services
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
Action Required:
We request that all CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the CARES Explorer Newsletter to all staff impacted by CWS-CARES.
CARES Compass – Issue 4 – September 2024
We are pleased to present the fourth issue of the CARES Compass, the two-page executive summary with upcoming project communications and brief informational highlights.
In this issue, you will find:
A Spotlight on Conferences: The CWS-CARES project has been involved in 2 conferences recently – the Probation Information Technology Managers Association (PITMA) annual conference and the 2024 CWDA Conference.
CWS-CARES: A New Way Forward: The second video in the CWS-CARES video series is now available for viewing. Read more on what this video covers and where you can view it.
Resources: Links to self-service resources such as the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), CWDS Bulletins, CWS-CARES Meeting Matrix, and the CWDS Glossary.
Initial Connectivity between CWS-CARES and CalSAWS: CWS-CARES successfully completed initial connections with CalSAWS, demonstrating connectivity and data exchanges between these two systems.
Upcoming Events and Communications: A list of CWS-CARES communications that will be released in the next three months.
The fourth issue of the CARES Compass is available here: Sept 2024 - CARES Compass - Issue 4
We appreciate your continued commitment to staying informed.
Action Required
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
In this issue, you will find:
A Spotlight on Conferences: The CWS-CARES project has been involved in 2 conferences recently – the Probation Information Technology Managers Association (PITMA) annual conference and the 2024 CWDA Conference.
CWS-CARES: A New Way Forward: The second video in the CWS-CARES video series is now available for viewing. Read more on what this video covers and where you can view it.
Resources: Links to self-service resources such as the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), CWDS Bulletins, CWS-CARES Meeting Matrix, and the CWDS Glossary.
Initial Connectivity between CWS-CARES and CalSAWS: CWS-CARES successfully completed initial connections with CalSAWS, demonstrating connectivity and data exchanges between these two systems.
Upcoming Events and Communications: A list of CWS-CARES communications that will be released in the next three months.
The fourth issue of the CARES Compass is available here: Sept 2024 - CARES Compass - Issue 4
We appreciate your continued commitment to staying informed.
Action Required
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
CARES Compass – Issue 3 – July 2024
We are pleased to present the third issue of the CARES Compass, the two-page executive summary with upcoming project communications and brief informational highlights.
In this issue, you will find:
A Holistic Design Update: An overview of the changes coming with the holistic design approach, which improves how we build and deliver CWS-CARES Version 1.
ACF Annual Visit: The Federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) conducted their annual onsite visit to the CWS-CARES project.
Resources: Links to self-service resources such as the CWDS Bulletins, CWS-CARES Meeting Matrix, and CWDS Glossary.
CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing Insights: The first session was conducted on June 26, 2024.
Upcoming Events and Communications: A list of CWS-CARES communications that will be released in the next three months.
The third issue of the CARES Compass is available here: The CARES Compass - Vol 1 - Issue 3 - July 2024
We appreciate your continued commitment to staying informed.
Action Required
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
In this issue, you will find:
A Holistic Design Update: An overview of the changes coming with the holistic design approach, which improves how we build and deliver CWS-CARES Version 1.
ACF Annual Visit: The Federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) conducted their annual onsite visit to the CWS-CARES project.
Resources: Links to self-service resources such as the CWDS Bulletins, CWS-CARES Meeting Matrix, and CWDS Glossary.
CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing Insights: The first session was conducted on June 26, 2024.
Upcoming Events and Communications: A list of CWS-CARES communications that will be released in the next three months.
The third issue of the CARES Compass is available here: The CARES Compass - Vol 1 - Issue 3 - July 2024
We appreciate your continued commitment to staying informed.
Action Required
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
The CARES Explorer – The CWS-CARES Project Newsletter – Second Issue
We are pleased to share the second issue of the CARES Explorer, the newsletter for staying up to date on the CWS-CARES project. This is sent directly to our key stakeholders for project communications: County, Tribe, Probation, and State leadership, CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs), Organization Implementation Coordinators, and specific CWDA staff related to child welfare. This issue provides readers with information on:
The second issue of the CARES Explorer is now available here: The CARES Explorer - June 2024
You may also obtain all CARES Explorer issues on the CWDS website: CARES Compass/Explorer | Child Welfare Digital Services
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
Action Required:
We request that all CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the CARES Explorer Newsletter to all staff impacted by CWS-CARES at their discretion.
- Stakeholders: Discover the ways that organizations are working with the project through the Core Constituent Participation Model overview, county contributions, the Karuk and Yurok tribes, and County Consultants.
- CWS-CARES: This issue highlights the Intake Service Area, the Structured Decision Making (SDM) interface, Single Sign On, External Systems, and Content Management.
- Hidden Gems: Learn more about resources such as the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing, User Feedback, Inquiries, Implementation, Organizational Change Management (OCM) and Training.
The second issue of the CARES Explorer is now available here: The CARES Explorer - June 2024
You may also obtain all CARES Explorer issues on the CWDS website: CARES Compass/Explorer | Child Welfare Digital Services
If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.
Action Required:
We request that all CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the CARES Explorer Newsletter to all staff impacted by CWS-CARES at their discretion.
If unable to find a specific Bulletin, please contact Communications.