Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will CWS-CARES include a field to for an Attorney's State Bar Number (SBN)?
A: Yes, CWS-CARES will include a field for an Attorney's State Bar Number (SBN) on the attorney profile.
Q: Will CARES have form field limitations similar to those in CWS/CMS? For instance, in CWS/CMS, multiple fathers on a case cannot be selected on a form.
A: CWS-CARES will automatically populate data when the document is created, eliminating the previous form limitations from CWS/CMS. Counties will also be able to develop/customize their county-specific form templates.
Please note that the form schemas are not yet finalized, as development is still ongoing. For specific questions about the form’s development, please have your representative reach out during the next Forms Workgroup Meeting or send any questions to OTSI CWDS CARES Forms. Counties can also refer to the FAQ spreadsheet attached in Forms Workgroup Teams channel for any frequently asked questions.
Q: Will there be an indication in CWS- CARES of tribally approved homes for RFA/Placement? If so, where will these fields appear in CWS-CARES? For context: The Office of Tribal Affairs (OTA) has indicated that there is currently no way to know if a placement is a tribally approved home for the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) placement in CWS/CMS. They would like to know how this information (or if) it will be reflected in CWS-CARES.
A: Yes, tribally approved homes will be a placement type in CWS-CARES. There won’t be a dedicated field in CWS-CARES, but there will be an indicator on the Resource Family Home (RFH) profile to identify a tribally approved home.
Q: Will the Binti export include “Unstructured Data” including documents? (For example: Forms, PDFs, Documents, Word etc.)
A: Unstructured data from External Systems is analyzed and converted similarly to structured data. If these documents/unstructured data are determined to be within the scope and are acceptable document types (such as RFA PDF/Word documents associated with an in-scope functionality in CARES), they can be processed and converted using the pre-defined external system conversion process. This is contingent upon counties providing the necessary mandatory metadata (e.g., IDs to link the document to the associated entity in CARES) for the conversion. Additional steps, such as moving documents to a predefined location, may be required, but the process is analogous to structured data conversion.
Forms/documents like Word, PDF, and Excel files are generally considered unstructured data. The term "applications" likely refers to forms or documents in progress but could also include partially structured data.
Q: Who is responsible for the costs associated with integrating SafeMeasures into the system and when will counties with existing SafeMeasures contracts no longer be responsible for carrying the costs?
A: The CWS-CARES project will cover the costs associate with integration. There will be no additional costs impacting county budgets for these integration activities.
Based on the planned CWS-CARES Version 2 implementation date, the State expects to take over county costs associated with SafeMeasures starting on July 1, 2028. Counties will be responsible for the existing contract and access until June 30, 2028. Counties must continue to submit an Advance Planning Document (APD) to the California Department of Social Services prior to executing, renewing, or amending the agreement or paying for associated services. Please see County Fiscal Letter 23/24-12 for APD submission requirements and details. This means counties shall plan to end their contracts on June 30, 2028, and will no longer be responsible for these costs after this date.
Q: Will SafeMeasures and SDM be considered an External System?
A: SafeMeasure and SDM should not be treated as an External System. They will not require the same level of effort or planning as external systems, particularly for tasks like data conversion, ongoing operations, or decommissioning.
Q: Will SafeMeasures exist as a separate function?
A: To enhance efficiency and data-driven decision making with CWS-CARES Version 1, SDM® assessments will be seamlessly integrated into the CWS-CARES platform via single sign-on. The CWS-CARES Project is currently planning the SafeMeasures integration. Ultimately, SafeMeasures and SDM tools will be embedded into CWS-CARES, and 25 years of historical data collected through these tools will be accessible.
Q: What is the schedule and process for getting a Demo for External Systems related to RFA?
A: The CWS-CARES meetings are captured in CWS-CARES Meeting Calendar on the CWDS website. All Core Constituent counties are invited to CWS-CARES demonstrations. If a Core Constituent county wishes to be added to a demo, please reach out to OTSI CWDS CARES Demos
Q: Will users need to switch between multiple systems?
A: The integration of systems will provide a unified user experience with a reduction in switching between systems. SafeMeasures will ensure continuity for counties, with CWS-CARES handling more direct operational reports and SafeMeasures continuing to provide more complex reporting. SafeMeasures in CWS-CARES will retain its critical and most-used features and reports, as well as the collaborative service relationship between CDSS, counties, and Evident Change.
Q: What pathways will CARES include for Tribal Customary Adoption?
A: Specifically for Indian children we have the following pathways covered in CWS-CARES:
- Tribal Customary Adoption of an Indian Child who is a Dependent of the Juvenile Court
- Voluntary Relinquishment of an Indian Child who is a Dependent of the Juvenile Court
- Tribal Customary Adoption of a Non-Minor Dependent Indian Young Adult who is a Dependent of the Juvenile Court