CWS-CARES Weekly Digest - March 16, 2026

CARES SPOCs, Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, County Leadership, Tribe Leadership, Probation Leadership, and State Leadership:

In this Weekly Digest:

  • Reminder: Communication Effectiveness Survey #3
  • Reminder: Register for Stakeholder Briefing #6 on March 25, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
  • CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2: Full Item Preview and FAQs
  • CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations
  • CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) of the Week

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Reminder: Communication Effectiveness Survey #3

Share your experience in the third annual CWS-CARES Communication Effectiveness Survey, which will remain open through Friday, March 20, 2026. The annual Communication Effectiveness Survey helps us understand what’s working and what could be improved with project communications. Your honest feedback is greatly valued. 

 Take the survey here to share your feedback: CWS-CARES Communication Effectiveness Survey #3The survey is confidential, anonymous, and takes approximately three (3) to five (5) minutes to complete

 Please forward the survey link to other CWS-CARES users who may wish to provide feedback on CWS-CARES communications.  

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Reminder: Register for Stakeholder Briefing #6 on March 25, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon

You are invited to register for the next CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing, now scheduled for March 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon. Please share the registration link and instructions in this email to any staff that might be interested in attending. 

Register here to reserve your spotStakeholder Briefing #6 - March 25, 2026 | Registration. Registration is required to attend. Please note: a calendar invitation for Stakeholder Briefing #6 will not be sent from the CWS-CARES Project. After registering, you must manually add the .ics file included in the registration confirmation email to your calendar.  

 Session Agenda

All stakeholders are welcome to attend the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing series and engage directly with our project team. At Stakeholder Briefing #6, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and hear updates on: 

  • CWS-CARES Readiness from our Executive Leadership Team 
  • CWS-CARES Production Simulation 
  • Forms and Reports 
  • A pre-recorded demonstration of the Health and Education Passport (HEP) 

View the full agenda and register for the session on the Stakeholder Briefing #6 - March 25, 2026 | Registration page. 

If you require any accommodations to attend this webinar, such as an ASL interpreter, please notify CWDS Customer Relations at: CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov at least one week in advance, or as soon as possible. 

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CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2: Full Item Preview and FAQs

Show your support for CWS-CARES at Pop-Up Shop #2! From March 30 – April 17, 2026, all 58 California counties, Tribes, and partner organizations will have an opportunity to purchase CWS-CARES branded items using their own funds.  

The full preview of all items offered, along with pricing and shipping details, item descriptions, and purchasing FAQs is now available on the CWS-CARES Public Library: CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2: Coming Soon! | Child Welfare Digital Services

The link to the online shop will be shared in the March 30, 2026, CWS-CARES Weekly Digest. 

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CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations

Here is a quick look at the CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations from the previous and upcoming two weeks. These demonstrations give counties and partners a chance to see key features in action, learn what is new or coming soon, and share feedback that helps shape ongoing improvements to CWS-CARES.

View all the previous Product Demonstrations on the CWDS website: CWS-CARES Product Demonstrations. Please note, a log in is required to view all recordings.

CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations Held March 9 - 13, 2026:

·       No CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations were held between March 9 – 13, 2026.

Upcoming CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations: * 

  • No CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations are currently planned between March 16 – 31, 2026. 

*Please note that dates for CWS-CARES Demonstrations shared here are subject to change. Please check the CWDS Meeting and Event Calendar for the most up-to-date schedule.

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CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) of the Week

Each week, we highlight a common question from counties and partners, along with a clear, practical answer to help you better understand CWS-CARES functionality.

March 16, 2026 FAQ of the Week:

Q: Will the CWS/CMS servers be removed from the premises after CWS-CARES V1 goes live for Dedicated Counties?

A: The current servers will stay post CWS-CARES. These servers are the counties’ DHCP/File/Print/Utility servers used to access CWDS state resources and is separate from the CWS/CMS application. At this time, there is no plan to remove any servers for all dedicated counties that have a server.

To view all of the CWS-CARES FAQs, please visit the CWDS Website: CWS-CARES FAQs | CWDS Website. Have a question? Send it to Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov and we will be happy to help.

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Share Your Feedback and Subscribe 

Thank you for following our progress! Share your feedback on this CWS-CARES Weekly Digest here: CWS-CARES Weekly Digest Feedback Form. Subscribe to future issues here: CWS-CARES Weekly Digest Subscription Form.

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Action Required

We request that all CWS-CARES Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) and Implementation Coordinators coordinate and distribute the CWS-CARES Weekly Digest to all staff impacted by CWS-CARES, at their discretion.

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