Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are Public Health Nurses (PHNs) doing the Train-the-Trainer (TTT) prerequisite & Enablement modules?
A: Public Health Nurses (PHNs) would only need to attend TTT if they are planning on facilitating training.
Q: When is the Production Simulation date for public health nurses?
A: Production Simulation access will be granted in Phases, with roughly 2,800 users participating in Phase 1 and the remaining county & organization users accessing the Production Simulation environment in Phase 2, beginning July 6, 2026. Some Public Health Nurses are participating in Phase 1, and the remaining Public Health Nurses are expected to be granted access to the Production Simulation environment in Phase 2.
Q: How do we find out what group we are in for Production Simulation phasing?
A: To find out what group you’re in, please contact your county SPOC(s).
Q: How will County Help Desk staff be expected to take over support without completing the required training, and will the support transition timeline vary by county based on training schedules? The current plan suggests that County Help Desk support begins in July, yet the CWS‑CARES trainings required for Help Desk staff in Riverside do not begin until August–September.
A: The Project is working on confirming timelines and a plan to support those counties. Once those are available, they will be released through a formal communication.
Q: When will Resource Family Approval (RFA) and FFPS portals will be available in Production Simulation?
A: The project is working to finalize a plan for when both portals will be available for testing in Production Simulation and will share the details of that plan in a formal communication once available.
Q: Will the Production Simulation environment be taken down while trainings are scheduled through 10/16?
A: Training is supposed to occur in the Training environment.
Q: Will the project hold post Go-Live check points with county help desks during the first few weeks post Go-Live?
A: The Project will provide the option of both over-the-shoulder and virtual support to organizations post Go-Live. Implementation Leads will be coordinating with the organizations directly to understand what works best for them.
Q: Is there a training prerequisite for Tier 1 Support staff to ensure they are prepared to assist county users with resolving CWS‑CARES issues and answering questions?
A: There are no prerequisites for Tier 1 Support Staff. We encourage Tier 1 Support Staff to include County Admins and persons who are familiar with CWS-CARES. Support clinics will be made available to potential Tier 1 Support Staff to discuss details and processes for providing Tier 1 support and escalating issues to Tier 2.
Q: What is the status of the SOC 96 (Child and Family Team - Meeting Summary and Action Plan) Form?
A: The SOC 96 Form will be drafted and included as part of the Post Version 1 releases with further details to be shared in a formal communication closer to those releases.
Q: Will the child's/youth's health insurance information be incorporated into CWS-CARES?
A: This is part of the Health and Education Passport (HEP) on the person profile. CWS-CARES users can capture Medi-Cal, Medicaid and other Health Insurance coverage info in ‘Health Information’ section of Person Profile.