Frequently Asked Questions
Production Simulation
Q: What is the actual planned start date in October 2026?
A: The planned go-live date for CWS-CARES is October 26, 2026. This is subject to final readiness approval by the CWS-CARES Board of Directors.
Q: Will instructions be provided on how to open tickets in the new Help Desk service?
A: Yes, we are setting up a Service Desk County Advisory Committee (CAC) to work through the ticketing process and service level expectations. This CAC will include county/project representatives and the focus is operational county and state coordination, incidents and escalations, defect prioritization, business continuity, and knowledge base.
Q: Will the CWS-CARES project provide guidance on which permissions users will need for Production Simulation?
A: Guidance will be provided as to what various CWS-CARES users will need for permissions in Production Simulation.
Q: Will Extended User Scenario Testing (EUST) 3 tester feedback on worker permissions be reviewed and considered for changes prior to Go-Live?
A: The Project team will take all feedback into consideration. Each item of feedback will be reviewed and prioritized by the Project team to identify any critical gaps that would need to be addressed prior to Go-Live, and what can be delivered after to enhance user experience at a later date.
Q: Are the Training Open Office hours the same as the Office Hours being held for EUST 3?
A: The office hours are different for EUST as they are slated for individuals who are enrolled in participating in EUST 3 whether that be admin, general, or report. The Training Office Hours are specific to answering county questions about the Training Curriculum Assignments for the planning of virtual instructor-led training for CWS-CARES V1 Go Live.
Q: Is the data in the Production Simulation mock data or actual data from Binti and CWS/CMS?
A: The data in Production Simulation will consist of data brought over from Binti and CWS/CMS.
Q: Will Production Simulation be canceled if the project does not receive federal approval?
A: The State intends to utilize state funds in order to proceed with Production Simulation and is not dependent on federal approval.
Q: Production Simulation is open to all 58 counties. Does that mean all staff in all counties will have access?
A: All organizations will have access to Production Simulation. Full access will be granted to all current Child Welfare Services/ Case Management System (CWS/CMS) users or people who join the organization in roles that would be equivalent to CWS/CMS users. Production Simulation access will be granted in Phases, with roughly 2,800 users participating in Phase 1 and the remaining county and organization users accessing the Production Simulation environment in Phase 2 beginning July 6, 2026.
Q: Will Production Simulation replace Extended User Scenario Testing (EUST) 4 or will it be in addition to?
A: Yes. Production Simulation will take place in lieu of EUST 4. Instead of a six-week testing period during EUST 4, organizations will have five months to test in the Production Simulation environment.
Q: Is there a specific number of participants expected during Production Simulation?
A: All counties are expected to engage in Production Simulation. The state is working on getting an All County Letter (ACL) that will outline that guidance. We will continue to communicate about this through all county channels.