Frequently Asked Questions
User Access & Permissions
Q: Will a user who is a Regional Administrator or a Director now be a worker in CWS-CARES?
A: No, not necessarily. Only in some parts of the system will a user who was previously a Regional Administrator or Director then be a worker in CWS-CARES.
Q: Can both Supervisors and Administrators transfer caseloads?
A: Yes, Supervisors and Administrators can both transfer caseloads.
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: Is it true that on sealed cases, no one can read it if they do not have that sealed access?
A: Correct, no one will access to sealed cases except for those assigned with sealed access. In addition, the same is true for the sensitive status.
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 can counties access the Readiness Checklist (Asana)?
A: To access the Readiness Checklist in Asana, please contact your respective Implementation Lead (IL).
Q: Will the primary worker still be able to see their sensitive cases without having sensitive access?
A: Yes, the primary worker will still be able to see their sensitive cases without requiring sensitive access.
Q: Can we add multiple worker permissions to one user (e.g. Case Management Supervisor and Case Worker together)?
A: Yes, multiple permissions can be assigned to one user.
Q: Is 'clerical' a role when creating CWS-CARES user profiles?
A: CWS-CARES will allow you to create a user who is clerical by your definition, and you can give permission sets for them to do their job. For example, clerical in one county might allow for access to case management, eligibility and adoptions but in another county it's only for case management.
Q: In some systems, Administrators are able to act as another user, so if we change a user's permission set, we can go see what is actually displaying as the users' permissions. Will that be an option in CWS-CARES?
A: No, CWS-CARES does not have that option. During the first phase of testing, administrators will be configuring their offices, units, etc. and will see how the structure is set up. Then, when your actual users are in the system, you'll have a chance to pair up with them and see how the changes you make as an administrator affects their permissions in the system.