Frequently Asked Questions
Process Information Session (PIS)
Q: What are virtual offices in CWS-CARES?
A: A virtual office refers to an office that does not have a physical location.
Q: Is there the ability to copy the access of an existing user?
A: No, there is no ability to copy the access of an existing user to another. Additionally, only Administrators can see what privileges a user has, and only for users who aren’t at or above their same Administrator level.
Q: If I am added to the staff authority area of a Unit in CWS/CMS, then I have access to all of the caseloads included in that unit. Will that be the case in CWS-CARES?
A: Yes, you can give users a unit staff authority type of permission in CWS-CARES as well, but they would need to be added to the unit as a backup supervisor. We typically view permissions by case, not caseload.
Q: Where there is a breakdown of the 'IV-E eligible percentage' and service units, the county does not currently know which unit would fill this out at a given point in time. How will counties enter this data?
A: Units of service for FFPSA EBPs will be statewide. The expectation is that the provider of the service enters the Number of Units provided along with the coordinating Unit of Service. The provider will also document the cost of the service. This does not include administrative-related costs associated with the service. CDSS will be issuing guidance to assist counties in this process of units of service.
Q: Will county fiscal departments be flagged that a Family Well Being Plan is ending?
A: Yes, there will be functionality for county fiscal to be notified when a plan is about to end.
Q: How do we identify the County Geographic Region in CWS-CARES?
A: This field is not used by all counties, and it is not required. Those that do use the field would know if they were North, South, East, West, etc.
Q: Who from the CBO will submit data in the portal? Is it a data system manager, or a case manager entering information? Will only one CBO role be doing the management and submission of records?
A: The system will have different roles such as CBO admin, CBO supervisor and CBO worker. This is based on provider feedback we received that some folks in their organization are handling only administration, and others are managing services and entering info about delivery, etc. It will be up to the county/provider to determine who is assigned what permission in the portal. Portal Administrators have additional capabilities including updating provider profile information, submitting portal access requests, etc.
Q: Is the Title IV-E section intended to be used by county workers for entry into the CEC to replace invoices? Or to recap more specifically the costs that were already captured in the CEC? Is it expected that Community Based Organizations (CBOs) will invoice separately for services provided?
A: This data being entered in CWS-CARES for FFPSA service cost tracking is not intended to capture costs for CEC reporting. This is specifically to meet federal guidelines for the FFPSA program. CWS-CARES will not replace invoicing processes in V1. CDSS will provide additional guidance on what that will look like.
Q: Is the cost tracking template client-specific?
A: Yes, cost tracking templates will be client specific. Multiple children can be included in the same template, if they are under the same plan/home.
Q: Who enters costs for services provided by counties?
A: Counties are expected to input costs for services that they provide themselves (e.g. Motivational Interviewing). Probation will also enter cost information if Probation staff are responsible for providing the service.