CARES SPOCs, CARES Technical Contacts, Implementation Coordinators, OCM Coordinators, County Leadership, Tribe Leadership, and State Leadership:
The project is writing to share an important update regarding the implementation timeline for CWS-CARES. During the September 3, 2026 CWS-CARES Board of Directors meeting, the board determined that additional time is needed before Go-Live to ensure system stability, as well as user and operational readiness across all counties and organizations. As a result, the CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1) Go-Live date has been adjusted from Monday, October 26, 2026 to Monday, December 7, 2026.
This six-week schedule adjustment allows the Project to establish a firm system baseline, initiate a focused stabilization phase, and finalize critical end-user training materials aligned with Business Process Reengineering (BPR) outcomes. The extended timeline provides more space to complete data conversion and formal validation, ensuring county and organizational readiness before launch.
Shifting to December 7, 2026, brings advantages. Users have extended access to the Prod Sim (CARES 100) environment to validate converted data against the latest major release. This allows time for creating a more stable platform for user training, updates to local business processes, and prepare for Go-Live. Additionally, while the Instructor-Led Training (ILT) schedule remains unchanged, trainers can offer tailored refresher sessions, Data Extract partners and County Report developers have increased time to ensure V1.0 readiness, and organizations can continue executing their Organizational Change Management (OCM) activities.
Next Steps: Final adjustments to the cutover plan and Post Go-Live release strategy are underway, and we look forward to providing details soon.
We appreciate your continued partnership and shared dedication to a successful, transition for all users, counties, and organizations.
Action Required:
Please share this communication with staff who are impacted by this information, so that they are aware.
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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 April 17, 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.
We appreciate your dedication to protecting the safety and privacy of vulnerable children and families while we work together to support your needs.