In this Weekly Digest:
- General
- Reminder: Nine (9) Days Left to Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #10
- Now Available – Hotline Screening in CWS-CARES: A Guide
- Now Available – The CWS-CARES Story Demonstration Video
- Coming August 24, 2026: The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #3
- Implementation
- Refreshed Organizational Change Management (OCM) Resources Page
- New Resource Posted: CWS-CARES BPR Archetype Session Q&A
- Training
- Instructor-Led Training Requires CACWT Enrollment
- Additional Updated Facilitator Guides Available
- Production Simulation
- System Updates & Release Notes on the Production Simulation Hub
- CWS-CARES Functionality
- CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: August 17, 2026
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General
Reminder: Nine (9) Days Left to Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #10
Thank you to the 325+ stakeholders who have already registered for the next Stakeholder Briefing on Wednesday, August 26, 2026! If you’ve not yet registered, we encourage you to attend the live webinar on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. All stakeholders are welcome to attend, ask questions, and hear updates from Project leadership.
Register now at: CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #10 | Registration. Note: A separate calendar invitation will not be sent by the CWS-CARES Project. Please manually add the .ics attachment in the registration confirmation email to your calendar.
The full agenda for the August 2026 Stakeholder Briefing is available to view on the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #10 Registration page. Updates will include:
- Preparing for Go-Live
- Project Status Update
- Go-Live Readiness
- What to Expect
- Q&A
- Implementation and Training
- Q&A
- Production Simulation
- Q&A
Thank you for participating in our Stakeholder Briefing webinar series! We hope to see you on August 26, 2026 to continue the conversation on the upcoming transition to CWS-CARES.
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Now Available – Hotline Screening in CWS-CARES: A Guide
The CWS-CARES Project has published a new guide on Hotline Screening in CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1). The guide provides an overview of the updated screening process, new features, and mandatory data fields required before an abuse and neglect screening can be submitted for approval.
Key topics covered in the guide include:
- New features and updates to Abuse and Neglect Screenings in CARES V1, including a 2-step Referral Process, Electronic Communications, SDM Data Integration, and Workflow Guidance.
- A complete list of required fields that must be completed before submitting an abuse and neglect screening for approval.
- The list of required and optional Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) fields.
To access the guide, see the CWS-CARES Hotline Screeners Fact Sheet within the CWS-CARES Infographics, Flyers, and Slogans.
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Now Available: The CWS-CARES Story Demonstration Video
A new two-part demonstration video highlighting the evolution from CWS/CMS to CWS-CARES is now available on the CWDS website. This video provides an overview of both systems, illustrating how core functionality has been redesigned, modernized, and expanded in CWS-CARES. It also highlights key enhancements that address long-standing challenges in the legacy system and demonstrates how CWS-CARES supports more efficient, streamlined, and user-friendly workflows.
To watch the video, please visit the Intro to CWS-CARES page within the CWS-CARES Product Demonstrations.
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Coming August 24, 2026: The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #3
The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop is back with a new selection of items! All 58 California counties, Tribes, State partners, and public agencies can purchase CWS-CARES branded merchandise online at the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #3 between Monday, August 24 and Friday, September 11.
Stakeholders will have the opportunity to purchase CWS-CARES–branded items using their own funds. The shop will feature a variety of new items, including apparel, stationery, mugs, accessories, and more.
To view a preview of the items offered, please see the Pop Up Shop 3 FAQs and Item Selection flyer.
A link to the shop will be shared in the August 24 Weekly Digest.
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Implementation
Refreshed Organizational Change Management (OCM) Resources Page
The OCM Implementation Team remains committed to providing clear and practical tools that support local implementation. To further that commitment, the CWS-CARES OCM Resources Page has been reorganized to improve navigation and expand the materials. A new section header titled OCM Guidance Resources now offers:
- Topic-based dropdowns covering key elements for Stakeholder Analysis, Change Impacts, Communications, Stakeholder Engagement, and OCM Measurement and Evaluation.
- Clear explanations and intended outcomes to support understanding and local decision making.
- Direct links to tools and templates with recommended activities to help apply guidance in your Organization. Note: Additional resources will be added periodically.
OCM Guidance: Spotlight on Change Impacts
Over the coming weeks, OCM will spotlight each area within the OCM Guidance Resources, beginning with Change Impacts.
The Change Impacts subsection has an updated Excel file outlining all the documented changes identified by the OCM team, including updates since 6/15. Changes are current as of 8/1, with a summary of updates included for quick reference. These impacts are foundational and may not reflect those unique to your Organization. We encourage Organizations to review and build upon them as you practice in the Production Simulation environment or go through training.
To further support the use of Change Impacts, the Terminology Crosswalk provides translations from CWS/CMS to CWS-CARES terminology. No updates were made to this tool during this review cycle. Both the Change Impacts and Terminology Crosswalk will continue to be updated on a monthly cadence until Go-Live.
These updates are intended to support planning efforts, strengthen consistency across teams, and provide practical resources to guide your CWS-CARES implementation activities.
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New Resource Posted: CWS‑CARES BPR Archetype Session Q&A
Thank you to all Organizations that participated in the recent CWS‑CARES Business Process Re‑engineering (BPR) Archetype Sessions. Your engagement, questions, and local perspectives have been invaluable in shaping the statewide operational baseline and informing the focus areas for the upcoming Delta Sessions.
During the Archetype Sessions, participants raised a number of thoughtful questions and requested clarification on several statewide business change impacts. The Implementation Team worked closely with Service Managers, County Consultants, and SMEs to gather responses to the questions captured during the sessions.
The BPR Archetype Sessions – Consolidated Q&A is now available on the Business Process Re-engineering page. This resource is intended to support Organizations as they review upcoming changes and begin internal readiness conversations.
What’s Included:
- Consolidated Q&A from all Archetype Session follow‑ups
- Clarifications on statewide workflow assumptions and operational impacts
- Additional context to support Change Impact worksheet review and local planning
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Training
Instructor-Led Training Requires CACWT Enrollment
All participants attending Instructor-Led Training (ILT) must have an active account in the California Child Welfare Training (CACWT) system before enrolling in any courses.
Organizations have two options for enrolling staff:
- Select staff bulk enroll users on CACWT Online login. (Please ensure that staff responsible for enrolling others have the correct admin permissions within CACWT and reach out to your Training Coordinator for assistance as needed.)
- Allow users to self-enroll using the CWS-CARES Registration Portal.
Please note that enrollments submitted through the self-enrollment portal are processed on a schedule and may take additional time to appear in CACWT. If staff need immediate access, they should go directly to CACWT to sign in (or select “Sign up” to create an account) and enroll for ILT courses.
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Additional Updated Facilitator Guides Available
Documents for Train the Trainer and Instructor-Led Training are now publicly accessible on the CWS-CARES Implementation Portal. Based on recent enhancements and trainer feedback received, several Facilitator Guides were enhanced including:
- Placement
- Probation
- Screening and Referrals
When a new version is uploaded, an “updated date” is reflected for each resource. Updated materials will be announced in the Weekly Digest or users can refer to the site periodically to validate they have the latest training resources.
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Production Simulation
System Updates & Release Notes on the Production Simulation Hub
Every Monday, the CWS-CARES Project releases new System Updates and Release Notes. Users can find the latest System Updates and Release Notes by visiting the CWS-CARES Production Simulation Hub on the CWDS website. All published updates are located on the System Updates & Release Notes tab in the left navigation bar.
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CWS-CARES Functionality
CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight: August 17, 2026
This week, the CWS-CARES Functionality Spotlight features the CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) of the Week.
August 17, 2026 FAQ of the Week:
Q: When CWS/CMS is in read-only mode, will staff be able to print from CWS/CMS? If not, will all documents from CWS/CMS be available in CWS-CARES?
A: Yes, counties will be able to print the documents in CWS/CMS when it is in read-only mode and all documents from CWS/CMS are planned to be converted over to CWS-CARES. Please note that once CWS/CMS goes into read-only mode at 5:00 PM PST on October 23, 2026, the data in CWS/CMS will become point-in-time data. These documents will also be available in CWS-CARES, the replacing system of record, and can be printed from there as well.
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 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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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.
