Frequently Asked Questions
Features & Functionality
Q: In the screening module, can you indicate if the referral for abuse is evaluated out?
A: Yes, Evaluate Out is one of the Response Types in the Screening flow.
Q: Is there going to be any capacity for CWS-CARES to line to any phone systems (i.e., will CARES interface with phone lines)?
A: No. This is not in the scope of CWS-CARES V1 or V2.
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 Hispanic or Latino ethnicity details be a primary/mandatory field in CWS-CARES?
A: Hispanic or Latino details will be a primary/mandatory field for ethnicities. If “yes” is indicated for Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity, then Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity Details can be selected. Otherwise, the details field is not applicable.
Q: Are the Offices in CWS/CMS automatically getting transferred over to CWS-CARES?
A: Yes, current office and staff information will be migrated from CWS/CMS to CWS-CARES.
Q: Will CWS-CARES include built-in templates for documenting parent/child visitation, and what visit information can be captured?
A: Visit records in CWS-CARES include a section in the left navigation dedicated to notes and to capturing visit quality, per the definitions listed in the Resource Information and External Links sections. Visitation notes include an overall narrative as well as narratives on progress toward case plan goals, any concerns observed, and new or existing skills observed.
Q: Will CWS-CARES store videos (e.g., a cell phone video was provided as evidence for a Juvenile Court case and program staff wanted to upload them)?
A: CWS-CARES allows document uploads of up to 100 MB. Files must be a compatible type; allowable types include PDF, DOC/DOCX, XLS/XLSX, JPEG/JPG, TXT, and MOV/MKV/MP4 video files. Users can upload files into a case record individually or by selecting multiple files at once.
Q: How does the Expected End Date field on the AD 4320 form auto-populate, and does it change if the form is completed to extend benefits?
A: The AD 4320 Expected End Date does auto-populate to the child's 18th birthday. AD 4320s that are completed to extend benefits would auto-pop to the child's 21st birthday.
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 converted documents from CWS/CMS to CARES be the same format that they were already saved as, or is there a standard format that they will be converted to?
A: Yes, documents converted from CWS/CMS to CWS-CARES will retain their original file formats. The conversion process preserves the document format as stored in CWS/CMS rather than converting documents into a standardized format.