A: Currently, there is no plan to incorporate online mandated reporting as a feature of CWS-CARES V1.

A: Yes. Assuming system data mappings are defined in the user stories before document templates are developed and templates are being integrated with the new CARES system.

A: Yes. Data mappings are expected to be defined in the user stories for template development and integration to begin.

A: For Child Welfare Systems-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) V1, the only planned external access will be for Resources Family Approval (RFA) and Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) providers.

A: For Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) training, Counties can utilize their Regional Training Academy (RTA) for various on-boarding training materials. In addition, the State shares policies and guidance to Counties and Tribes via Division 31 Regulations and current All County Letters (ACLs) and All County Information Notices (ACINs).

A: The screening number will remain the same (for the screening) throughout the life cycle of a child’s involvement with the child welfare system. Should the screening advance to an investigation and/or a case, the investigation and case numbers would be different. CWS-CARES V1 will maintain the history of all “units of work,” including screening, investigations, child welfare cases, court cases and eligibility files, associated with a given person.

A: Electronic submissions of Suspected Child Abuse Reports (SCARs) is currently out of scope for CWS-CARES V1.

A: A “talk-to-text” feature is currently out of scope for CWS-CARES V1.

A: The National Provider Identifier (NPI) registry is a set of data that could help identify providers and reduce duplicates by matching name and location data, but the NPI data does have its limitations. The data is only for providers that handle Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act (HIPAA) data, so may not cover all provider types stored within Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS). The NPI data is also a self-register database; it is only as good as the data entered by the provider, so there may be limitations on accuracy and timeliness. There may also be gaps in what data NPI stores and what CWS/CMS stores, for example, the NPI provider may only be assigned to one address (main agency), but in CWS/CMS there could be multiple addresses for that provider where they physically perform services.

A: Yes, CWS-CARES will act as an electronic case file. However, counties may still require hard copy files for documents they would not choose to scan and upload to the CWS-CARES electronic record.