Frequently Asked Questions
Forms & Reports
Q: Will counties need to continue to use their current tools or processes for translation capabilities?
A: The county agency is responsible for translating the court report and case plan using their current tools or processes. The court report and case plan will not be translated via Child Welfare Services-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES).
Q: Are there forms currently available that are related to a Counties’ Comprehensive Prevention Plan (CPP) in Child Welfare Services-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES)
A: CWS-CARES V1 will support prevention work, including both the Community Pathway and the IV-E Pathway, and enable drawing down funds under the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA). The project is currently working closely with county and program constituents to design Prevention workflows, plans and forms.
Q: Will there be a way for Child Welfare Services-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) to translate court documents or case documents into Spanish (e.g., Spanish Forms), and will there be English to Spanish language translation capability in the CARES System?
A: Current Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) Spanish forms and templates will be available in Child Welfare Services-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) V1. Please note that while there are pre-built Case Plan and Case Plan Family Assessment forms in Spanish in CWS/CMS, there is no translation capability for items entered by workers.
Q: Can Counties upload Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and background check information into resource family approvals (RFAs)?
A: Counties can upload Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) in Child Welfare System-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES). Documenting background checks is a core functionality of resource family approval (RFA) that allows for each individual required to have background checks, be documented, and cleared. CWS-CARES can record background checks.
Q: Will Bureau of Criminal Information and Analysis (BCIA) forms be automatically created and stored in Child Welfare Services-CA Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) once generated?
A: Yes. BCIA forms will be automatically created and stored upon approval of specified allegation substantiations.
Q: Can Child Welfare Services-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) information auto-populate in Adobe Experience Manager and then be stored in CWS-CARES?
A: Yes. Assuming system data mappings are defined in the user stories before document templates are developed and templates are being integrated with the new CARES system.
Q: Will forms mapping be required or are forms created using mapped fields identified in Child Welfare Services-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES)?
A: Yes. Data mappings are expected to be defined in the user stories for template development and integration to begin.
Q: Will the Child Welfare Services-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) act as an electronic case file?
A: Yes, CWS-CARES will act as an electronic case file. However, counties may still require hard copy files for documents they would not choose to scan and upload to the CWS-CARES electronic record.
Q: Will reporting show extended history of changes made to a record in the Child Welfare Services-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES)?
A: Yes, CWS-CARES will include functionality that allows social workers to view changes made to a record over time. The CARES Data Infrastructure (CDI) will record all data changes (create, update, and delete transactions) to support supervision, auditing, and analytics.
Q: What reports will be available in the Child Welfare Services-California Automated Reporting System (CWS-CARES)?
A: CWS-CARES will provide a variety of reporting and analytics features to support not only state and federal requirements, but also to track operational metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) by Service Area.