A: At an ad hoc CWS-CARES Board of Directors meeting on September 3, 2026, the following decisions were voted and approved:

Go-Live Date: The system launch is moved to Monday, December 7, 2026. This later date gives counties more time to complete data validation and continue with readiness activities before the system goes live.

Post–Go-Live Release Strategy: After the December launch, the system will receive two scheduled releases, one in March 2027 and another in May 2027. This approach gives additional time after Go-Live to stabilize the system and thoroughly validate functionality before enhancements are introduced. All planned enhanced stories are expected to be completed by May 1, 2027.

Cutover Plan: For the transition from current systems to CWS-CARES, CWS/CMS will switch into read-only on Thursday, December 3, 2026 at 5 PM.

For full details, see the Important Update: CWS-CARES Go-Live Date Adjusted to December 7, 2026 communication on the CWDS website.
 

A: There were 313 total stories considered and discussed to determine essentiality for Go-Live launch.

• 83 enhancement stories delivered in Version 1.1 by March 1, 2027;
• 115 enhancement stories delivered in Version 1.2 by May 1, 2027.

A: The plan for system cutover, as voted and approved by the Board of Directors on September 3, 2026, is to switch CWS/CMS to read‑only on Thursday at 5 p.m. This approach minimizes the amount of time counties operate in read‑only mode and helps reduce overall downtime. Because the cutover occurs shortly before Go‑Live, final validation and remediation are limited to one day prior, which reduces the time available for pre‑launch validation and issue resolution.

For full details, see the Important Update: CWS-CARES Go-Live Date Adjusted to December 7, 2026 communication on the CWDS website.
 

A: ELT received a walkthrough on August 24, 2026. The 60-day checklist can be obtained from CWDA.
 

A: Code freeze will occur August 24. In alignment with the September 3 Board of Directors decision to adjust the go-live date, the Defect freeze is now November 7.
 

A: What was previously planned for April 2027 Version 1.3 (V1.3) release was adjusted to move forward with only two releases, rather than three. This allows additional time for post-launch stabilization and system validation. This schedule completes enhancement story delivery by May 1, 2027.
 

A: What was previously planned for February 2027 Version 1.2 (V1.2) release is now scheduled for May 1, 2027.
 

A: What was previously planned for December 2026 Version 1.1 (V1.1) release is now scheduled for March 1, 2027.
 

A: Counties can expect the September V1.0 Production Simulation release to include a set of upcoming fixes that OTSI is currently compiling and preparing to share. This will give counties a clear understanding of what changes are included and what they should look for during testing.

Once a bug, defect, or story has been fixed, release notes will be updated so counties know when to go back in and retest the functionality. This provides counties with a clear feedback loop and ensures they can validate the new behavior as part of the Production Simulation release.
 

A: The State is still evaluating the availability of the testing environment after Go‑Live, and no determination date has been identified at this time.