Frequently Asked Questions
Policy
Q: What is the final disposition of the Essential Stories?
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.
Q: What updates can you provide regarding improvements to Case Plan functionality, given the current limitations caused by requiring the CANS to be completed first?
A: The Project suspended the rule requiring a Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment prior to a Case Plan completion, enabling users to either pre‑populate needs from an approved CANS or manually enter needs when a CANS is not yet completed.
Q: Given the ongoing problems with payment delays, incorrect validation logic, and data mismatches, what progress has been made on improving FCED?
A: To resolve current Foster Care Eligibility Determination (FCED) issues, development and testing should be completed ahead of Code Freeze, with clear identification of mandatory data fields, automated resubmission and error reporting for interface failures, and full end‑to‑end payment‑processing testing. Additional steps include producing daily reconciliation reports and establishing a process that allows payments for voluntary foster care placements when a petition is not yet sustained.
Q: What progress has been made to enhance Hotline functionality, particularly around data entry, ICWA contacts, and SDM assessments?
A: To address current Hotline and screening challenges, search functionality was enhanced and the system will allow screeners to approve screenings for referral movement without supervisor approval, except for Structured Decision Making (SDM), which must still be approved by a supervisor. A one‑page guide outlining mandatory fields was provided to CWDA and County Leadership for review and feedback. A final version of the Hotline Quick Start Guide & Intake demonstration was released on September 14, 2026.
Q: What progress has been made to ensure safety alerts are displayed consistently across key pages in the system?
A: Display safety alerts throughout all aspects of the screenings, referrals, and cases in CWS-CARES and are viewable in Production Simulation as of September 14, 2026.
Q: Will counties receive the 76 updated and approved ACLs and ACINs?
A: Although the Go-Live date has been adjusted to December 7, 2026 to allow additional time for stabilization and readiness, the Project Team is still proceeding with the planned communication schedule for All County Letters (ACLs) and All County Information Notices (ACINs). Many letters will be released on October 23, and all remaining letters will be in the process of being published on that date. However, some letters may extend further to allow time for screenshots and other content that reflects how the system will actually appear at go-live.
Q: Will counties receive a list of the 76 pending ACLs and ACINs that will be updated because of CARES?
A: A list of the pending All County Letters (ACLs) and All County Information Notices (ACINs) was provided to CWDA and County Leadership representatives via email on August 19, 2026.
Q: Will an ACL or ACIN be issued to explain the workarounds and clarify what is expected when using them?
A: Workarounds are temporary steps that allow counties to continue capturing and tracking essential data until the final functionality is released. The completed functionality will be documented through All County Letter (ACLs), All County Information Notices (ACINs), and errata, while workaround guidance will be posted on the CWS‑CARES website. Sharing these materials online enables faster updates, clearer visuals, and more organized information for counties.
Q: Why would an Approved Relative Caregiver (ARC) 2 form be sent to the caregiver? Are counties required to follow this extra step?
A: The ARC 2 Redetermination: Statement of Facts Supporting Eligibility form is required by state regulations. The process maps reflect the state-required process. Counties should continue following applicable state policy and regulations regarding use of this form. The generation of this form being from CWS-CARES or from CalSAWS is based on county business processes. Additionally, state policy that the ARC 2 form can be completed by the Social Worker (SW) in the event that the Approved Relative Caregiver is unable to do so.
Q: Why does CWS-CARES deactivate accounts when they have not been used or accessed after 90 days?
A: It is California State policy using National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-53 rev5 guidelines, that account usage be monitored and disable accounts where the user has not logged into the CWS-CARES system for more than 90 days. This policy helps us maintain the data integrity and security of the system. For instance, this policy helps to prevent users who may have left a department, but whose accounts might not have been disabled by that department, from logging in to the system.
The County and Office Administrator will be able to reactivate that user when their account has become disabled.