CARES SPOCs, Training Contacts, Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, County Leadership, Tribe Leadership, Probation Leadership, and State Leadership:
To support users preparing for CWS-CARES Version 1 Go-Live on December 7, 2026, 81 Interim Guidance Desk Guides are now available on the CWS-CARES Implementation Portal. These guides expand on the previously shared Interim Workaround Guidance and provide instructions for temporary processes that users may need to follow until additional system functionality becomes available in future releases.
How to Use the Interim Guidance Desk Guides
The Desk Guides are organized by service area and role to help users find guidance relevant to their responsibilities.
Each Desk Guide includes:
- Effective date and applicable release information
- Impacted service areas and roles
- Instructions for completing the temporary process
- Links to related Business Process Maps and training materials
- Screenshots, where applicable
To find the guides relevant to your role, review the List of Interim Guidance Desk Guides on the CWS-CARES Implementation Portal
As future CWS-CARES releases introduce additional functionality, workarounds that are no longer needed will be retired, and their Desk Guides will be removed from the Implementation Portal. Users should refer to the portal for the most current guidance.
Coming Soon: CWS-CARES User Story Worker Process Tracker:
The Interim Workaround Guidance identified 198 system changes and functionality items, including:
- 82 items initially identified as requiring approved workarounds, one of which has since been retired following a system update
- 116 additional items planned for future releases
A new CWS-CARES User Story Worker Process Tracker will be available soon to help users identify which have an associated Interim Guidance Desk Guide and find guidance for items without a Desk Guide.
A separate communication will be sent when the index is available.
Interim Guidance Desk Guide Training
As part of CWS-CARES Supplemental Training, sessions demonstrating how to use the Interim Guidance Desk Guides to complete temporary processes will be offered November 16-20, 2026.
Users are encouraged to register and attend.
Action Required
- Share the Interim Guidance Desk Guides with staff and identify any necessary adjustments to workflows.
- Encourage staff to register for and attend the Interim Guidance Desk Guide training sessions offered November 16–20.
Please contact Customer Relations for questions.
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Security Protocols for Prod Sim Case Data
The Prod Sim environment contains converted CWS/CMS cases reflecting actual system data as of September 20, 2026. Because this includes real, sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (PII), all case information must be strictly protected or redacted.
To protect CWS-CARES case data, please follow these important security guidelines when working with our support teams:
- Redact Ticket Info: Do not send Protected Health Information (PHI), PII, or confidential case details to the Service Desk via email or ticket. Sensitive and confidential data cannot be stored in the ticketing system.
- Secure Screen Shares: During support-requested screen shares, limit attendees to essential personnel only. Recording of sensitive information is strictly prohibited.
- Consult for Tier 3 Transfers: If Tier 3 support needs sensitive data, use secure transmission methods. Contact your county Privacy Officer or the CWDS ISO if you need assistance with secure routing.
Please contact the Customer Relations mailbox for questions.