Q: To what extent is Child Welfare Services-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) being coded to assist in identifying and caring for infants/toddlers who have been exposed to substance abuse and alcohol, as required under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act/Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act (CAPTA/CARA) and needs for “plans of safe care”? If a family is referred due to neglect or severe neglect and substance abuse is identified but their child is already 1 years old what are the assessment/treatment protocols in learning if the child is experiencing symptoms that could be related to prenatal substance abuse exposure?
A: CWS-CARES V1, CWS-CARES functionality will support Plans of Safe Care and the capture of all substance abuse and exposure information (Alcohol and Other Drugs) necessary to complete the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will release additional guidance on opportunities to use CWS-CARES in support of assessment and treatment protocols.
For V1, the state does not plan to build a dedicated medical assessment in CWS-CARES, but the worker could attach any document to a record such as an investigation, case, child health information, etc. in support of any correlations the worker draws between exposure and symptoms. As the CWDS project and the counties identify additional guidance and practices, CWS-CARES will expand functionality to meet additional needs in CWS-CARES V2 and any subsequent releases.
For V1, the state does not plan to build a dedicated medical assessment in CWS-CARES, but the worker could attach any document to a record such as an investigation, case, child health information, etc. in support of any correlations the worker draws between exposure and symptoms. As the CWDS project and the counties identify additional guidance and practices, CWS-CARES will expand functionality to meet additional needs in CWS-CARES V2 and any subsequent releases.