Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will counties be able to modify state forms as it indicates in the process map?
A: There are some state forms that counties cannot change but there are other state forms that allow counties to download and add certain pieces of information as needed and save it as a county form for their use.
Q: Can the FC 8 form be generated by an Eligibility Worker?
A: Who can do what in CARES is dependent on county business process. If the EW needs to generate the FC 8, then we grant them access to CARES to do that. This is why we need to complete the process workgroups to determine who does what, and where the handoffs occur.
Q: If corrections are needed after an AD 4320 form has been set to final status, does the worker need to generate a new form in CWS-CARES?
A: If changes are needed after the form is in final status, a new document will need to be generated in CARES.
Q: How does the Expected End Date field on the AD 4320 form auto-populate, and does it change if the form is completed to extend benefits?
A: The AD 4320 Expected End Date does auto-populate to the child's 18th birthday. AD 4320s that are completed to extend benefits would auto-pop to the child's 21st birthday.
Q: When CWS-CARES is implemented, will Social Workers/SCSWs have access to CalSAWS automatically or will we need a special request?
A: CalSAWS permissions/access are handled by CalSAWS. Social Workers/SCSWs will have the ability to send data to CalSAWS from CARES and receive data from CalSAWS in CWS-ARES. CWS-CARES does not grant any access to the CalSAWS application itself.
Q: Would time study for staff be integrated into CWS-CARES?
A: Time study will not be in CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1).
Q: Will there be an Assistance Cost dashboard and reports for program/fiscal managers?
A: Yes, there will be reports available in CWS-CARES related to assistance costs and caseloads for counties to use.
Q: Will we be able to view aggregate/summary-level data on this in a dashboard or by some other means?
A: Yes, there will be reports through Tableau that will allow you to track this type of information.
Q: Is CWS-CARES only for Title IV covered Services? Is there a plan to open the FFPSA Provider Portal up to non-Evidence Based Practice (EBP) providers?
A: For CWS-CARES V1, the FFPSA functionality will only cover the FFPSA IV-E EBPs approved by the state. CWS-CARES will not provide portal access for non-EBP providers for CARES V1. The project team does not have information about what will be part of CARES V2.
Q: Is the Foster Care Eligibility Determination (FCED) Interface sending information from CWS-CARES into CalSAWS, or just from CalSAWS into CWS-CARES?
A: In general, this interface is bidirectional, meaning information will be flowing both ways. CWS-CARES will send certain information to CalSAWS, and CalSAWS will send certain information to CWS-CARES. For Assistance Payments specifically, the flow of information is strictly from CalSAWS to CWS-CARES.