News

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

In this Weekly Digest:

• New CWS-CARES Data Dictionary V0.07 and Office Hours Reminder  
• Implementation Contacts Now Available on the CWDS Website
• Demonstrations Coming Soon to the CWDS Website
• Invitations Sent: Process Information Sessions – Court Processing
• The October 2025 Progress and Engagement Summary is Now Available

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New CWS-CARES Data Dictionary V0.07 and Office Hours Reminder 

This update covers the new CWS-CARES Data Dictionary version and a reminder for CWS-CARES Office Hours (Data Dictionary and SQLDBM) Discussion.  

CWS-CARES Data Dictionary V0.07:

CWS-CARES Data Dictionary V0.07 will be available on the Microsoft Teams Channel: CARES Data Dictionary under Files on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
The Intro tab of the CWS-CARES Data Dictionary highlights all updates in the new version, making it easy to see what is new or changed.
Reminder that CWS-CARES Office Hours (Data Dictionary and SQLDBM) Discussion is being held on December 2, 2025 from 9:00 AM -11:00 AM. This session is a drop-in session designed to provide hands-on training, live demos, and answer your questions related to Data Dictionary and SqlDBM.  

Please contact CWDSDataManagement@otsi.ca.gov if you have any questions. 
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Implementation Contacts Now Available on the CWDS Website 

The CWS-CARES Implementation Team is excited to announce that as of Monday, November 10, 2025 CWS-CARES implementation contacts for Child Welfare, Probation, and Tribes with California Title IV-E Agreements are available on the CWDS website County Contacts pages. CDSS implementation contacts will be included at a later date. When CWS-CARES implementation engagement initially began, each organization was asked to create an organization implementation team and identify individuals to fill five roles to lead implementation activities in their organization. The five roles consist of the following: Implementation Coordinator, OCM Coordinator, Training Coordinator, Technical Coordinator, and Data Quality Analyst.  

Starting November 10, 2025 two new tabs will be available on each of the County Contact pages to capture CWS-CARES Implementation contacts and CWS-CARES Probation Implementation contacts. Each new tab will contain contact information for each of the five roles that make up the organization implementation team. The contact information will only be visible once logged on to the website. Implementation Coordinators have permissions to update the contact information for their organization as needed. Instructions on how to make updates will be shared with Implementation Coordinators. Distribution lists for a variety of Project communications will be created from these contacts. It is important the contacts be kept current, so correct individuals are getting the communications. If you see an error or have a question, please email the CWS-CARES Implementation Team at CWDSImplementation@otsi.ca.gov. 
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Demonstrations Coming Soon to the CWDS Website 

We have made changes based on your feedback to enhance the process for Core Constituent Demonstrations. These updates will make it easier to access demonstration recordings and ensure agendas are consistently clear and timely. 

A new Product Demonstrations webpage will launch November 14, 2025 that will host all demonstration recordings. Recordings will be posted within one week of each session, and we will notify you when the page is live. Access will require logging in with your organization email address. 

Core Constituent Demonstration meeting invitations will be scheduled at least two weeks in advance with a clear agenda, and agendas will be updated two days prior to the demonstration if there are changes to planned the functionality to be demonstrated. 

We appreciate your continued participation. Your feedback directly shaped these improvements. 
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Invitations Sent: Process Information Sessions – Court Processing 

On November 3, 2025, the CWS-CARES Implementation Team distributed invitations to the next set of Process Information Sessions, which will focus on Courts Processing. Each organization has been invited to attend two sessions to learn about Courts Processing functionality in CWS-CARES: the first session will focus on Warrants and Jurisdiction and Disposition Hearings and the second will focus on Status Review and Other Hearings. The sessions have been organized on a regional basis, with separate sessions for Los Angeles. The sessions will take place between November 20 and December 4, 2025. 
 
Invitations were sent to Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, and subject matter experts identified by their Organization's Implementation Team. If you have questions or wish to be included in these sessions, please reach out to your Organization's Implementation Coordinator. 
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The October 2025 Progress and Engagement Summary is Now Available  

The CWS-CARES Progress and Engagement Summary provides a concise overview of the  

collaborative efforts and achievements of CWS-CARES. The October issue features engagement analytics for the September 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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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 CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the 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:

CWDS Website Update: The FCED Hub 

We are excited to introduce the FCED Hub, a new page on the CWDS website for the latest information and resources on Foster Care Eligibility and Determination (FCED). Explore eligibility demonstrations, Governance Committee meeting materials, and other helpful resources — now all in one convenient location.  

To access the hub, visit the CWDS Portals page, select FCED Hub, and log in using your county email address. 

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Recap: First Biweekly Binti Data Conversion Meeting on Thursday, October 30 

The first biweekly External Systems Data Conversion meeting for Binti counties was held on Thursday, October 30, 2025 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. 105 participants joined the session across the 43 Binti counties. Thank you to everyone who participated! 

The meeting recording has been posted to the External Systems Portal; the presentation and Q&A document will be available in the coming weeks. Join us November 13, 2025 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.  for the next Binti Data Conversion session. 

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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 CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the 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:
 

Reminder: Register for the October Stakeholder Briefing

Registration is still open for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #4 on October 22, 2025, from 10AM – 12 Noon!

This live webinar will feature updates from Project Leadership, Technology, External Systems, Implementation, OCM, and Training, and Product. The Briefing will conclude with a 30-minute demonstration on the Administrative Service Console in CWS-CARES.

A recording of session along with the presentation deck and Q&A documentation will be available on the Stakeholder Briefings and Webinars page on the CWDS Website.

Register now!

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Conference Season Updates – 2025 CWDA Annual Conference and Dreamforce 

The CWS-CARES Project participated in the annual CWDA Conference October 8-10 in Santa Clara. The CWS-CARES Project conducted a 90-minute Breakout Session and multiple demonstration viewings. Thanks to those who attended and visited our booth!

The CWS-CARES Project is also going to Salesforce’s Dreamforce Conference this week (October 14-16) to gain a deeper understanding of the Salesforce platform and to connect with our partners. We are looking forward to strengthening relationships and building CWS-CARES together!

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Technical Improvements: Streamlined Document Management with Microsoft Word

In September, the project sent a communication to encourage counties and organizations to use Microsoft Word to create forms, as it may be more efficient. Since then, the project has been addressing and removing some of the barriers related to using Word.

The project team is pleased to announce a significant enhancement to CWS-CARES. In direct response to user feedback, our team has been working to simplify Word document management in CWS‑CARES.

Users will be able to view, edit, and save Word documents directly within the CWS-CARES application without the need to download them. Users will be able to save modifications directly within CWS‑CARES, without having to worry about version control.

This functionality – which was technically challenging to achieve until very recently – represents a major step forward. This feature is currently in development. We will share more details when it becomes available. For questions, please reach out to the CWS-CARES Forms Mailbox.

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October 2025 Data Dictionary/SqlDBM Office Hours

On October 7, 2025, the CWDS Data Management team held another drop-in Office Hours session designed to provide hands-on training, live demos, and answer your questions related to the Data Dictionary and SqlDBM.

This monthly meeting series is recorded. The recordings are posted on the CWS-CARES Data Dictionary channel. If you have any questions or would like to be invited to the series, please contact CWDSDataManagement@otsi.ca.gov.

Additional Office Hours for participants who have been to Tableau and AEM Forms training are also available:

• Wednesdays from 2:00 – 3:30: Tableau/Salesforce CARES102 Environment Office Hours Support
• Thursdays from 2:00 – 3:00: AEM Forms Office Hours for Form Authors

Check the Events Calendar for more details.

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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. 

Action Required

We request that all CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the 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:
 

CWS-CARES Progress and Engagement Summary: September 2025

The September Progress and Engagement Summary is now available. This monthly summary was specifically formulated as a direct response to your valuable stakeholder feedback. Each monthly summary includes the following data from the previous month: 

• Participation rates for key meetings 

• A list of product demos and topics covered, by date 

• Updates from teams across the project   

We encourage you to review and share the CWS-CARES Progress and Engagement Summary with your teams. 

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Update: Build Drop 4 Status 

As of October 6th, Build Drop 4 code has been deployed to the State QA environment for testing. This includes:  

• Adoption & After Care and Re-Entry (Finish a Case Process Area)  
• CalSAWS (Interface)  
• Forms for Adoption 
• After Care and Re-Entry  

The completion of the development in Build Drop 4 signifies that we are closing in on completing the development of the CWS-CARES application. These features will be available for testing during EUST 3. 

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Reminder: CWS-CARES is Coming to the 2025 CWDA Conference! 

The CWS-CARES Project is excited to participate in the annual CWDA Conference on October 8-10, 2025, in Santa Clara. Visit our booth to connect with the team, explore resources, and pick up giveaways. The CWS-CARES Project will conduct a 90-minute Breakout Session and multiple demonstration viewings. Participants will have an opportunity to learn more about CWS-CARES and ask questions to Project leadership. We hope to see you there! 

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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. 

Action Required

We request that all CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the 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:

CARES Explorer Newsletter – September 2025

We are pleased to present the September 2025 issue of the CARES Explorer, the long‑form newsletter published each quarter! For the best experience, please open the link using the Microsoft Edge browser. This issue includes the following article topics:

Project Updates: Read a message from the director of Product and get the latest details and a sneak peek into the October 2025 Stakeholder Briefing Agenda.

Explore CWS-CARES: Learn about upcoming testing periods for CWS-CARES, information and document sharing between CWS-CARES and CalSAWS, and changes to Optimistic Concurrency in CWS‑CARES. Discover what to expect for Resource Family Approval (RFA) in CWS-CARES and the new External Systems resources available on the CWDS website.

Implementation Corner: Read about how the San Luis Obispo OCM team uses creativity to build excitement for CWS-CARES, and the latest statistics from the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop. Also, included is an update on the first user group in the CWS-CARES Sandbox.

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

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Stakeholder Briefing #4 – Reminder to Register

Register now for Stakeholder Briefing #4 on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at 10AM – 12PM. All stakeholders are invited to attend this webinar to hear an update on the CWS-CARES Project. Registration is required to attend.

All webinar materials, including a recording of the session, slides, and Q&A document, will be available on the CWDS website after the session. View page 3 of the September 2025 CARES Explorer for more information on Stakeholder Briefing #4.

We look forward to your participation!

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Thank you for Shopping! The Pop-Up Shop is Now Closed

Thank you to everyone who ordered from the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop! The first shop closed on September 26, 2025, with thousands of items ordered. We are thrilled by the participation from counties and organizations across the state! We are confident these items will build excitement and enthusiasm for CWS-CARES. Check out page 6 of the September CARES Explorer for more information and statistics on the most popular items from the Pop-Up Shop.

The next Pop-Up Shop is planned for March 2026 and will feature a new selection of branded items. If you have future item suggestions, please fill out the survey: CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop: Merch Ideas.

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CWS-CARES is Coming to the 2025 CWDA Conference!

The CWS-CARES Project is excited to participate in the annual CWDA Conference on October 8-10, 2025, in Santa Clara. Visit our booth to connect with the team, explore resources, and pick up giveaways. The CWS-CARES Project will conduct a 90-minute Breakout Session and multiple demonstration viewings. Participants will have an opportunity to learn more about CWS-CARES and ask questions to Project leadership. We hope to see you there!

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Reminder: The CWS‑CARES Public Library

The CWS-CARES Public Library is designed to provide you with quick and easy access to articles about CWS‑CARES Product Features, Service Areas, Milestones, Teams & Roles, Data & Interfaces, and other important topics covered in the Explorer newsletter. On the CWS-CARES Public Library page, you can search by keyword or browse articles by category. Click on any article title to view the full text on its own page. No login is needed to access the articles; feel free to share these with your team!

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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. 

Action Required

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

CWDS Customer Relations

CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov

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

The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop - Reminder

The online CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop is now open and ready for business until Friday, September 26, 2025. You can shop our exclusive collection of CWS-CARES branded items online. This limited-time shop is open to everyone, including 58 California county child welfare and probation departments and CWDS Project staff. 

For more details regarding shipping fees, invoice requests, and future Pop-Up Shops, please reference the following link: Featured Items and FAQs. Happy Shopping! 

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CWS-CARES Process Information Sessions

The CWS-CARES Team is delivering a series of virtual Process Information Sessions to walk through new processes in CWS-CARES to explain how they will impact the way staff complete their work. These sessions are designed to ensure participants understand new and revised business processes so they can update their policies, processes, and workflows as needed. 

To date,18 process information sessions have been completed – 7 sessions for Intake (Screening and Investigations) and 11 for Placement/Eligibility. The next set of sessions will be held in September and October and will focus on Assessments, Supervised Visitation, and Case Closure; Aftercare and Re-Entry; Services and Plans; Prevention Services; and Adoptions.  

To view the session recordings, slides, and Q&A documents, visit CWS-CARES Process Information Sessions Session Materials.

For questions, please contact the CWDS Implementation Team.

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External Systems Monthly Meetings

The CWS-CARES Project launched a new External Systems Monthly Meeting Series to create a consistent space for organizations to connect with the Project team, share updates, ask questions, and stay aligned on upcoming activities. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month from 10–11 AM.  

Topics covered so far: 

• July 10: Kickoff and External Systems Overview 
• August 14: Resource Family Approval (RFA) Overview 
• September 11: Data Conversion and County Engagement Milestones 

Upcoming Session Topics:

• October 9: Continued Operations – Validating and Preparing External Systems for CWS-CARES V1 Go-Live 
• November 13: Exploring Validation Tools and Activities Available 

If you would like to receive a meeting invite, please contact the External Systems Coordination Unit (ESCU) Team. To access session records, slides, and Q&A documents, visit the External Systems Portal: Meeting Materials.  

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New CWS-CARES Slogan

We have developed a brand statement / slogan for CWS-CARES that articulates the product vision & values. The new CWS-CARES slogan is:  
 
“Advancing child welfare, together. CWS-CARES supports the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families across California through enhanced data collection and informed decision-making.” 

Organizations are encouraged to use this slogan in materials, presentations, and communications to reinforce the shared vision of collaboration and commitment to improving outcomes for children and families across California. 

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Guidelines for Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bots/Assistants in Meetings

This is a reminder that the CWDS Office has provided guidance on the appropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI) bots/assistants in meetings.  

The attached document titled Guidelines for Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bots/Assistants in Meetings describes the guidelines.  

These guidelines went into effect on September 2, 2025. 

While the context of the guidelines pertains to CWDS organized meetings, it is recommended that they be followed whenever CWDS managed systems are in discussion. These guidelines should be communicated at the start of any meetings that you host. 

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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. 

Action Required

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

• October Stakeholder Briefing Registration
• Announcing the CWS-CARES Weekly Digest
• The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop
• The New External Systems Portal
• Upcoming Communications

• Pilot Counties Announcement: find out which counties are included in the Pilot Plan and learn about next steps.
• Meeting Reminders: a recap of the Stakeholder Briefing #3 and an overview of a new meeting series, External Systems Monthly Meetings, which kicks off July 10, 2025, at 10:00AM.
• CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop Announcement: learn about a new limited-time online shop for CWS-CARES merchandise coming September 2025!
• New CARES 101 Video: watch the newest video in the CARES 101 Video Series, Intake: Screening and Investigations.
• Update on the CWS-CARES Data Dictionary: learn about SqlDBM, a new tool introduced in this Data Dictionary update.
• Upcoming Events and Communications: a list of CWS-CARES communications and activities that will be released in the next three months.