Frequently Asked Questions
Case Management
Q: How is Holistic Design integrating data mapping in CWS-CARES?
A: Holistic Design uses the legacy domain model mapping as an input to its design. For example, there are more than 200 adoptions fields in CWS/CMS; business analysts have built a domain model showing where those fields are expected to live in CWS-CARES. As Holistic Design for Adoptions moves forward, the team will create a substantial amount of new adoptions functionality while using the domain model as a starting input.
Q: How will CWS-CARES populate user profiles — from CWS/CMS or from the probation directory?
A: For most counties, Probation workers in CWS/CMS have their own Office. Those workers will be converted from CWS/CMS to CWS-CARES into: 1) their office/unit/caseload, along with 2) the corresponding permissions.
Q: For children in Emergency Response (ER) or Intake Services (IS), will Public Health Nurse information — such as active Medi-Cal status, Geographic Managed Care (GMC) plan, assigned provider, and Benefits Identification Card (BIC) number — be available in CWS-CARES?
A: Yes, CWS-CARES will provide a location to document health insurance and service provider information. However, the CWS-CARES V1 scope does not include direct connectivity to a system that would automatically add this information to CWS-CARES.
Q: Will the Attorney-Client Log be mandatory for counties to use?
A: No. Counties are not required to maintain an Attorney-Client Log in CWS-CARES. However, it serves as a valuable tool for documenting confidential communications between County Counsel and agency personnel. Access is restricted to authorized individuals directly involved with the case (Primary, Supervisor, or Manager), and the log is protected from discovery and public records requests. This helps ensure that essential legal advice remains documented and accessible to relevant staff while maintaining confidentiality.
Q: Will CWS-CARES include any features that incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) tools?
A: There are currently no plans to incorporate AI functionality into CWS-CARES.
Q: Will CWS-CARES allow entry of extended relatives — such as great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents, aunts, and uncles — in the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) section?
A: Yes, CWS-CARES includes relationship modifiers up to the great-great-great level.
Q: Will caseworkers and supervisors receive a reminder in CARES-Live or SafeMeasures when an Integrated Practice Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (IP-CANS) assessment is due?
A: Yes. A "Reassessment Due Date" reminder will appear on the user's CANS Dashboard in CARES-Live. Users will receive this reminder when they have one month left before the six-month CANS deadline.
Q: What Financial Management functionality will be included in CARES V1, and what has been deferred to a later release?
A: The CWS-CARES V1 Scope Summary, available on the CWDS website, describes the Financial Management functionality included in V1. Functionality planned for releases beyond V1 has not yet been defined.
Q: Who will own and maintain the ERR00002 (Emergency Response Notice of Referral Disposition) form in CWS-CARES?
A: The ERR00002 (Emergency Response Notice of Referral Disposition - ERNRD) form is in development and will be ready for CWS-CARES V1. The Project will continue to maintain this form for the future.
Q: Will Folio continue to use the Mother’s name for the referral (Screening Name), and then switch to the individual focus child’s name for the Case after the Investigation?
A: The current process is to use the Mother's name for the referral. In CWS-CARES, this is referred to as "Screening Name" and is populated based on county process. Following the Investigation the Case is based on the individual focus child.