Frequently Asked Questions
Stakeholder Briefing
Q: After Go-Live, will there be a procedure manual on how to use CWS-CARES?
A: Yes, we are continuing to work on plans for training; there will be a Procedure Manual with "Cheat Sheets" that you can utilize as you're training.
Q: Can the Project provide a complete list of the CWS-CARES Version 1 interfaces that will be accessible in Production Simulation, and will existing data from those systems be available?
A: The expected interface list planned for Production Simulation includes: Case Management Assessment (CMA), Structured Decision Making (SDM), Foster Care Eligibility Determination (FCED), Facility Management System (LIS/FAS data), Juvenile Network (JNET), County Expense Claim Reporting Information System (CECRIS), the data extract from the California Department of Education (CDE), and Regional Center Services for the Department of Developmental Services (DDS). Data availability and timing for some of these interfaces are still being finalized.
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: How long is the final data conversion process expected to take at Go-Live?
A: For the October 2026 Go-Live, the conversion is currently targeted to complete over the weekend to minimize downtime, during which the system will be read-only.
Q: If workers are mid-function in CWS/CMS when it changes to read-only and data transfers to CWS-CARES, will in-progress items default to pending or be treated as finalized?
A: The Conversion team has developed and implemented transformation logic that allows users to continue "in-flight" cases, referrals, or other units of work (such as items pending approval) from CWS/CMS into CWS-CARES. Production Simulation is a good opportunity to test these in-progress workflows.
Q: Can County Administrators adjust staff roles themselves to validate that ability in Production Simulation?
A: Yes. This is part of Production Simulation scenarios and business process activities, and County Administrators are encouraged to test different permissions. Note that changes to existing permissions may not carry over to Go-Live, though the Project will carry over as much as possible to minimize duplicate work.
Q: Will CWS-CARES V1 address the Word compatibility limitation where court reports, case plans, and forms must be downloaded and re-uploaded?
A: For templates with fields such as checkboxes or radio buttons that are expected to be modified during form generation, the template choice should be revisited. This is a product limitation, and users are advised to account for these factors when selecting templates.
Q: When a data refresh occurs, will the most recent CWS/CMS data be loaded into CWS-CARES, or will the environment reset to the data originally loaded for Production Simulation?
A: The Project plans one or two refreshes only, when needed, recognizing counties' preference to minimize refreshes. When a full data refresh occurs, the most recent updates from all legacy systems will be converted and applied to the environment, giving counties another opportunity to validate the most recent data.
Q: Can California Immunization Registry (CAIRS) immunization reports be uploaded into CWS-CARES rather than hand-entered?
A: For immunizations to appear in the Health and Education Passport (HEP), they must be entered into CWS-CARES. A CAIRS immunization report can be uploaded into the document section of CWS-CARES, but it will not generate as part of the HEP. CAIRS will not be included in CWS-CARES V1, though the Project is considering integrating the functionality in future development.
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.