Frequently Asked Questions
Implementation
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: Can California Department of Social Services (CDSS) branches obtain Tableau licenses and training for more staff than currently use Business Objects, and how will staff access those licenses?
A: CWS-CARES has the CWS-CARES Analytics Transition Workgroup (CAT) with its focus to help Legacy Business Object users to transition to the CWS-CARES Platform. Please email the CWS-CARES Analytics Transition Workgroup for Tableau Training enrollment and other support.
Q: If additional forms are not on the in-scope state forms list, how can counties ensure they are included in CWS-CARES? Will counties be required to add them?
A: The final, in-scope list of state forms is posted in the CWS-CARES Forms Tracker within the CWS-CARES Forms Workgroup Teams Channel (For access to this channel, please email the CWS-CARES Forms Mailbox). Currently, the scope is closed, and the project is formulating a process to capture all requested or newly identified forms. The project will notify CWS-CARES points of contact when this process is in place.
Q: Will it be possible to add new Super Users after CWS-CARES goes live, and what is the process for engaging them?
A: New Super Users can be added/switched at any time. If there is a new Super User after Go-Live, then they can be provided access to the Super User Orientation recording, Super User Guide and all other materials needed for their role by the Implementation Coordinator.
Q: What will replace the CWS/CMS "Delivered Service Log" in CWS-CARES?
A: The CWS/CMS Delivered Service Log will be replaced by Contact Logs in CWS-CARES, which serve a similar purpose.
Q: Will the forms that the state is migrating be available in CWS-CARES once Pilot begins?
A: Yes, all statewide forms developed by the state and identified as in-scope for CARES V1 will be available in CWS-CARES at the start of the Pilot phase. A detailed list of these statewide forms can be found in the CWS-CARES Forms Tracker, located in the CWS-CARES Forms Workgroup Teams Channel. If you’re not a member of this channel and need access to the document, please reach out to the CWDS CWS-CARES Forms Mailbox for support.
Q: What if there are two or more allegations at screening?
A: Multiple allegations can be added to an individual screening for each alleged victim. There can also be additional allegations added during the Investigative phase.
Q: Will all Probation departments be required to have an office separate from the county Child Welfare office in CWS-CARES?
A: Counties have the flexibility to determine how offices, units, and user access are structured in CWS-CARES based on their local operational needs. This includes configuring Adoptions, Probation, and Child Welfare staff under a single office structure, similar to current CWS/CMS configurations. CDSS recommends maintaining separate offices for certain functions (such as Probation and Child Welfare) to support data security and access considerations, but this is not a system-enforced requirement; counties are responsible for assessing and managing access, security, and associated risks in alignment with applicable regulations and local governance. Note that CWS-CARES does not include unit-level record security in the same way CWS/CMS does, so users across units within the same office may have visibility into each other's records based on assigned permission sets. Existing office and unit structures from CWS/CMS will be mapped into CWS-CARES with no expected impact, business workflows will continue to function regardless of office structure, and reporting will continue to support unit-level analysis. The Project recommends that counties review the differences between the CWS/CMS and CWS-CARES security models and consult internal leadership, including County Counsel, when determining their structure.
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: What is the onboarding process for new users to access CWS-CARES? Will it be the same as was with CWS-CARES-Live?
A: After Go-Live County Admins will have permissions to add/update/inactivate users. The CWS-CARES Okta Team is currently working through an integration process to connect CWS-CARES Okta to the organization's security process. [Riverside has completed the integration process] For organizations that participate in integration their users will experience a single sign on experience that is managed on the organization side through their administrative processes.