Frequently Asked Questions
Forms & Reports
Q: What updates can you share regarding progress on improving the reporting functionality?
A: The Project is currently assessing options to support counties and evaluating improvements to the reporting experience aligned with post‑CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1) priorities and capacity.
Q: What progress has been made to improve the reliability and usability of form generation in WORD and AEM?
A: IBM is developing the top‑priority 2,400 county forms in Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) by mid August, and counties may create or modify forms in either format and upload them themselves. California Juvenile (JV) court forms are not allowed to be edited per JCC.
Q: What progress has been made to improve Contact Note functionality, given the current challenges with multiple sections, limited space, and the inability to edit finalized notes?
A: At Go‑Live, counties will have the option to choose structured or unstructured contact notes. Supervisors will also have the option to require approval before submission. Unstructured notes currently support applying one contact to multiple children.
Q: When will Organizations know whether they need to go back into CWS-CARES to update any data entered through workarounds?
A: Weekly release notes will include which functionality is being released and any workarounds that are being retired. To access the release notes, log into the System Updates & Release Notes page of the Production Simulation Hub.
Q: What guidance will be provided on the timelines for entering RFA manual data into CARES after go‑live, and how will this align with the Binti transition?
A: Additional information was released to all counties on August 31, 2026. For full details, see the Interim Guidance Document: Managing RFA, Emergency Placements, and External Systems Processes at CARES V1 Go-Live in the CWDS website.
To reduce impacts to the families and children we serve, counties will be permitted to complete Resource Family Home Applications initiated prior to CWS-CARES V1 Go-Live in the external system in which it was initiated until data conversion to CWS-CARES is complete. For systems with data conversion deferred to until after CWS-CARES Go-Live, conversion is currently anticipated to occur in July 2027. Once all active applications have been completed in the external system or data conversion is complete, whichever comes first, the external systems identified are required to be made inactive or read-only.
Q: Will e-signatures be allowed on adoption forms?
A: E-signatures will be allowed on specific adoption forms, not necessarily all forms. The list of E-signable Adoption Forms below contains a current and verified list of Adoption forms where E-signature is allowed:
- PPADOP
- AD0856
- AD0513
- AD0580
- AD0090
- AD0551A
- AD0067
- AD0067A
- AD0907
- AD0907A
- AD0558
- AD0230
- AD0824
- AD0200
- AD0225
- AD4320
- JV0477
- JV0475
Q: Is there a mechanism within CWS-CARES to modify or remove “finalized” forms?
A: To modify or remove any form within CWS-CARES, a GEN 158 form must be filled and filed from the program that owns the form and sent to the Forms Management Unit (FMU) using the FMU Mailbox. Please view the Forms Edits and Design webpage for more information.
Q: Is there a way to remind users to request forms? For example, the SOC 161 form must be filled out every six months. Can a reminder be set for the worker to remind them to request/send this form?
A: No, CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1) does not include reminder functionality for requesting or sending eligibility forms such as the SOC 161. However, CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1) does have the functionality to create a report of Foster Care Redeterminations that are coming due. Counties can also use the Tasks feature to remind workers to generate certain forms at certain times. These features and functionalities alongside county business processes can be leveraged to send reminders to staff.
Q: Will the Social Worker be able to complete and submit the CW 51 (Child Support – Good Cause Claim for Noncooperation) form in CWS-CARES when completing the minor's placement info?
A: Yes, CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1) supports generating the CW 51 (Child Support – Good Cause Claim for Noncooperation) form for each parent of the Focus Child.
Q: Does the Request for Information (RFI) sent by CalSAWS for redetermination include forms?
A: No, the Request for Information (RFI) communicates the need for additional information but does not include eligibility forms as attachments.