Frequently Asked Questions
Interfaces
Q: Will the Resource Family Approval (RFA) portal have interfacing capabilities and the ability to send electronic communication to families?
A: Yes, the portal does have the ability to electronically communicate with families.
Q: Are checkboxes and radio buttons functional in CWS-CARES when using a Microsoft Word template, and are entry fields still editable?
A: When using Word-based templates within CWS-CARES, certain native Word functionalities — such as checking or unchecking checkboxes and toggling radio button selections — are not supported. This is a product limitation within the integration, and counties are advised to account for it when choosing template formats. Note that restrict editing is also not supported: the document will be editable in both the fillable fields and the static text.
Q: Will the Production Simulation environment have Foster Care Eligibility and Determination (FCED)/CalSAWS interface capability for testing/viewing?
A: Yes, the Foster Care Eligibility Determination (FCED) interface between CWS-CARES and CalSAWS will be available in the Production Simulation environment for all necessary testing and validation.
Q: What will be included in the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) - Regional Center Services interface?
A: The DDS interface with CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1) will provide current contact information for California Regional Centers to support children with development disabilities. For more information, please refer to the CWS-CARES and Data Exchange Fact Sheet.
Q: Is SafeMeasures an interface? If not, is it categorized as state reporting?
A: No, SafeMeasures is not an interface. SafeMeasures is categorized as a State Reporting System. For more information, please refer to the CWS-CARES and Data Exchange Fact Sheet.
Q: Can you provide more details about the Case Management Assessment (CMA) Suite Opeeka Person-Centered Intelligence Solutions (P-CIS) and clarify what information is being exchanged in the interface?
A: P-CIS provides real-time, bidirectional data exchange with CWS-CARES. P-CIS will support care coordination, assessments, and data sharing across agencies. Within PCIS, the CMA Suite is used to complete Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessments, Supervised Independent Living Program Readiness assessments, Life Skills Assessments, Child and Family Team Meeting surveys, and National Youth in Transition Database surveys.
For more information, please refer to the CWS-CARES and Data Exchange Fact Sheet.
Q: If a client moves from one county to another, will imaged documents and associated data transfer automatically with the rest of the client’s data?
A: Yes. In CWS-CARES, documents attached to a unit of work, such as a case, remain associated with that case. When the case is transferred from one county to another, the associated documents and relevant data remain linked to the case and are accessible to the receiving county.
Q: Will converted documents from CWS/CMS to CWS-CARES be in the same format they were originally saved in, or will they be converted to a standard format?
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.
Q: Are there any screens that require an image or document to be uploaded before a user can save and continue?
A: No. Within CWS-CARES, users are not required to upload images or documents in order to save or continue working on a record. Document uploads are only required within the document upload modules themselves; other screens and modules allow users to save records without attaching documents.
Q: Is DocuEdge single sign-on?
A: Yes. DocuEdge supports Single Sign-On (SSO) within CWS-CARES. DocuEdge functionality is accessed directly through the CWS-CARES interface, and users do not need to sign in separately to DocuEdge.