CWDS Bulletins

CWS/CMS: CDT Service Desk Bulletin – Standard Monthly OS Security Patches to SBCS Infrastructure Servers

All SPOCs, Technical Contacts, and SBC Administrators:

The California Department of Technology (CDT) has scheduled maintenance on Saturday, April 25, 2026, beginning at 6:00 AM and concluding at 10:00 AM. During the maintenance window, CDT will apply Standard Monthly OS Security Patches to SBCS Infrastructure Servers. There is no anticipated outage for this maintenance; however, CDT is asking that everyone log off from the Citrix SBC system, if not actively using it during the maintenance window.

Action Required

If users experience any issues with CWS/CMS, please follow your county process for reporting issues or you may contact the IBM Boulder Help Desk at 1-800-428-8268.

CWS/CMS: CDT Service Desk Bulletin – Windows Monthly Patching - REMINDER

ALL SPOCs, Technical Contacts and CAD Contacts:

The California Department of Technology (CDT) has scheduled monthly Microsoft security patching. The patching begins on Friday, April 17, 2026, at 8:00 PM and concludes on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 1:00 AM. The activity will cause interruptions to the Business Objects (BO) servers within the patching window, potentially causing some BO reports to fail to send, or automated scripts may fail to retrieve.

Action Required

Review scheduled BO reports and reschedule report jobs to avoid the scheduled maintenance window. Rerun the missed report jobs, if necessary.

Contact the IBM Help Desk (800-428-8268) to report any issues with your Business Objects content.

CDT Service Desk Bulletin - SAFE Cloud Service Scheduled Maintenance

ALL SPOCs, Technical Contacts and CAD Contacts:

The California Department of Technology (CDT) has scheduled maintenance of the SAFE Cloud service. The maintenance begins on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 8:00 PM and concludes on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at 2:00 AM. The activity will cause interruptions in the SAFE Cloud service. Some Business Objects (BO) reports will fail to send, or automated scripts may fail to retrieve from SAFE during this scheduled maintenance.

Action Required

All users should logoff of the SAFE Cloud service prior to the start of the stated maintenance timeframe. Please check on your scheduled BO SAFE reports and automated FTP scripts. If needed, re-run the reports and scripts.

Contact the IBM Help Desk (800-428-8268) to report any issues with your Business Objects content in SAFE.

Last Chance to Order – CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop Closes This Friday!

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

We are in the final stretch of the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2 which closes at the end of this week. We’ve received 24 orders to date, but we have 11 items that are currently "at risk" of cancellation because they haven't met the minimum order requirements yet.

To ensure your preferred items are produced, please order by Friday, April 17.

Place your order here: CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2.

For more information about the shop and ordering process, visit our FAQ page: CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2 | FAQs.

We still need orders for:

  • Hanes® Cotton T-Shirts & Dade Polos (Men’s/Women’s)
  • Low-Profile Caps & Non-Woven Tote Bags
  • Recycled Tumblers & Cavetto Ceramic Mugs
  • Notebooks, Pens, Stickers, and Buttons

If minimums aren't met, items are cancelled and not charged.

Please share this email and flyer with anyone who may be interested in placing an order. Thank you for your continued partnership and support of the CWS-CARES project!

Action Required

No action required.

If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov.

CWS-CARES Weekly Digest - April 13, 2026

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

In this Weekly Digest:

  • One Week Left to Purchase from the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop!
  • Registration Now Open for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #7
  • Updated Environment Matrix for User Access
  • CWS-CARES Data Dictionary Version 0.10 Now Available
  • CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations
  • CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) of the Week

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One Week Left to Purchase from the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop!

There’s still time to order from the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2! The shop will remain open until end of day on Friday, April 17, 2026. Place your orders at: CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2 | Order Now.

The shop is open to all 58 California counties, Tribes, and partner organizations. CWS-CARES branded items are available for purchase using your own funds. For ordering and shipping details, please reference the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2 FAQs and Item Preview document.

Please contact CWDS Customer Relations with any questions. Happy shopping!

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Registration Now Open for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #7

We encourage you to attend the next CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing on May 27, 2026! Register now at: CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #7 | 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.

All stakeholders impacted by the changes to CWS-CARES are welcome to attend, ask questions, and hear updates from Project leadership. The full agenda for the May 2026 Stakeholder Briefing is available to view on the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #7 | Registration page. Updates will include:

  • Implementation
  • Extended User Scenario Testing 3
  • Production Simulation
  • Resource Family Approval (RFA) Portal Demonstration

All materials from the March 25, 2026 Stakeholder Briefing #6, including the session recording, presentation slides, and Q&A summary, are now available on the CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefings page on the CWDS website.

Thank you for participating in our Stakeholder Briefing webinar series! We hope to see you on May 27, 2026 to continue the conversation on the upcoming transition to CWS-CARES.

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Updated Environment Matrix for User Access

Looking to better understand the different CWS-CARES environments? The CWS-CARES Project has developed multiple environments to support testing, training, and readiness activities, each designed for a specific purpose and user group. The Environment Matrix provides an overview of their intended use, access, and availability.

Please note that this is a point-in-time resource located on the CWS-CARES User Resources Webpage on the CWDS website, and information is subject to change as the Project progresses.

View the CWS-CARES Environment Matrix here: WS-CARES Environments for User Access

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CWS-CARES Data Dictionary Version 0.10 Now Available

The CWS-CARES Data Dictionary V0.10 is now available on the Microsoft Teams Channel: CARES Data Dictionary under Shared as of Monday, April 13, 2026. Check the Intro tab of the CWS-CARES Data Dictionary for the detailed list of updates included in the new version. Highlights included in V0.10:

  • CDI Legacy Mapping Layer tab has been renamed to Legacy Mapping Layer
  • Alignment of Legacy Mapping Layer tab objects with the CWS_CMS-CARES Conversion tab
  • Updates to Columns/Relationships tab based on application development activities

Please contact CWDSDataManagement@otsi.ca.gov if you have any questions.

Stay tuned for more updates to the CWS-CARES Data Dictionary, which will be shared in future CWS-CARES Weekly Digest emails.

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CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations

Here’s 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’s 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 30 - April 10, 2026:

  • No CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations were held between March 30th – April 10th.

Upcoming CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations Held April 13 – 17, 2026: * 

  • April 13, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Portal and CWS-CARES Functionality: End-to-End Portal Demo

*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 Question (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.

April 13, 2026 FAQ of the Week:

Q: Once we transition to CWS-CARES, will probation staff still access via Citrix?

A: Yes, probation staff will still access via Citrix after the transition to CWS-CARES.

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.

CWS/CMS: Scheduled CAD / Business Objects Servers Software Upgrade

All SPOCs, Technical Contacts, and CAD Contacts:

The CWDS Infrastructure team and the California Department of Technology (CDT) have scheduled a software upgrade on the CAD/Business Objects (BO) servers. The upgrade window is scheduled for Thursday, April 9, 2026, beginning at 6:00 PM and concluding at 9:00 PM.

CAD Business Objects (BO) / Business Intelligence (BI) will not be accessible during the scheduled upgrade window. Any BO reports scheduled to run during this timeframe will be affected.

Action Required

Review scheduled BO reports and reschedule report jobs to avoid the scheduled maintenance window. Rerun the missed report jobs, if necessary.

Contact the IBM Help Desk (800-428-8268) to report any issues with your Business Objects content.

CWS/CMS: End-date of Inactive CWS/CMS User Logins for CWS-CARES Readiness – UPDATE

All SPOCs and Technical Contacts:

April 7, 2026 UPDATE: After a one-month hiatus for March, the automated process to end‑date inactive CWS/CMS user logins has resumed for April. The new reports were generated and saved to SAFE on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. The SAFE file is titled, “SCR9039_END-DATE_USERID_2026-04-07.xlsx.” REMINDER: this is the final month that the report will list CWS/CMS user accounts that have been inactive for the previous 180 days. Beginning in May, the reports will list accounts that have been inactive for 90 days.

Please review your organization’s report, saved in the SAFE folder. Organizations that do not have any potential accounts to end‑date in their report will, instead, find the following statement, “NO ROWS FOR DATA QUALITY CLEANSE”.

If needed, up to ten (10) listed accounts may be requested to be excluded from the automated end‑date process. Only a few organizations currently have more than ten (10) accounts listed. Please submit your exclusion file by Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 5:00 PM, to request listed user logins from being end-dated when the process runs on Saturday, April 25, 2026. If more than ten (10) user logins are needed to be excluded, please send your justification to the CWDS Customer Relations mailbox (CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov). The justification will be forwarded to the review team for consideration. No action is required if your county agrees with the list as provided.

As stated in the SCR 9039 FAQ document, CWS/CMS User IDs that need to be reactivated following the automated end‑date process can be accomplished by contacting the IBM Help Desk at 800-428-8268. Please note that the process to reactive the accounts is complex and does take one or two weeks to be completed by the IBM team. User accounts from the reports that are logged in prior to Friday, April 24, 2026, at 5:00 PM, will not be end‑dated in the automated process on April 25, 2026.

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March 5, 2026 UPDATE: The CWDS Project has decided to not run the automated process to end-date inactive CWS/CMS user logins during March. The monthly process will resume in April. The next reports will be sent to the SAFE folder approximately April 7, 2026.

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February 18, 2026 UPDATE: This is a reminder to submit an exclusion file, if needed, by Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 5:00 PM to prevent up to ten (10) user logins from being end-dated. No action is required if your county agrees with the list as provided.

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February 11, 2026 UPDATE:  As presented at the February 10, 2026 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Meeting, we are sharing the updated SCR 9039 FAQ document for your reference.   

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February 6, 2026 UPDATE: Based on received feedback, the reports are being updated for the following criteria:

Report criteria:

Identifies CWS/CMS user logins that have not been used in the past 180 days 

However, users are omitted from the report if they fall into one of these two categories:

  1. Have NOT logged into CWS/CMS within the previous 180 days, but HAVE logged into CARES-Live within the previous 180 days.
  2. The User ID has been created within the previous 90 days, and has NOT logged into CWS/CMS.

Updated reports, using the new criteria listed above, will be made available in SAFE in the FromOSI folder no later than 5:00 PM, on Friday, February 6, 2026, titled: 
SCR9039_END-DATE_USERID_2026-02-06.xlsx. 

Please use this updated report when reviewing the list of user logins identified for deactivation.

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To prepare for CWS-CARES Mock Cycles and Production Simulation, the CWS-CARES Project will begin an automated process to end-date inactive CWS/CMS user logins. This effort helps ensure that only active users are set up with access in CWS-CARES. 

This process identifies CWS/CMS user logins that have not been used in the past 180 days and schedules those logins to be end-dated. This is standard account cleanup intended to reduce inactive or outdated system access as counties prepare for CWS-CARES. 

What This Means for Counties 

  • This activity affects system access only. There are no impacts to caseloads, staff roles, office assignments, or authority. 
  • User logins associated with an active County License Case (CLC) are excluded from the report. 
  • All user accounts (active and inactive) will still be carried forward to CWS-CARES. 

County Review and Option to Exclude User Logins  

Counties will have an opportunity to review the list of user logins identified for deactivation. To accommodate staff on extended leave (such as administrative or maternity leave), counties may exclude up to 10 user logins from deactivation, if needed. 

A report will be available in SAFE in the FromOSI folder on February 2, 2026, titled: 
SCR9039_END-DATE_USERID_2026-02-02.xlsx. 

If your county wishes to exclude user logins: 

  1. Use the Excel file provided. 
  2. Keep only the rows (up to 10) for user logins you want excluded. 
  3. Do not modify the file layout or formatting. 
  4. Upload the file to SAFE in the ToOSI folder. 

If more than 10 exclusions are needed, please contact CWDS Customer Relations and include a brief explanation. 

Deadline: February 19 at 5:00 PM 
Files received after this deadline will not be accepted, and all user logins listed in the original report will be end-dated. 

Timing and Ongoing Process 

  • This first run will process and end-date User IDs on February 21, 2026. 
  • The 180-day inactivity threshold will remain in place through April 2026, giving counties additional time to review the list and adjust to new processes. 
  • Beginning May, the inactivity threshold will change to 90 days, consistent with CWS-CARES access policy and the Production Simulation environment. 
  • After February, this process will occur monthly until the transition to CWS-CARES: 
  • Reports will be posted after the first weekend of each month 
  • User logins will be deactivated during the fourth weekend of the month 
  • Counties will receive advance notice of specific dates 

Restoring a User Login 

If a user login is end-dated and later needs to be restored, counties may submit a Help Desk ticket to reinstate the existing login and associated staff access. 

Action Required 

  • Review the report of inactive CWS/CMS user logins when it becomes available in SAFE. 
  • Submit an exclusion file (if needed) by February 19 at 5:00 PM to prevent up to 10 user logins from being end-dated. 
  • No action is required if your county agrees with the list as provided. 

For questions or concerns, please contact the CWDS Customer Relations mailbox. 

New Resource: The CWS-CARES FCED Hub

Regional Training Academy Leads:

The CWS-CARES Project recently launched the FCED Hub, a centralized resource for information related to Foster Care Eligibility and Determination (FCED). FCED is the interface between CalSAWS and CWS-CARES to facilitate the determination of foster care funding in California, and replaces or augments information currently provided by social workers to eligibility workers. The FCED Hub includes eligibility demonstrations, FAQs, meeting recordings and materials, and CalSAWS FCED newsletters. We invite you to access the Hub to learn more about the FCED interface and better prepare for the upcoming implementation of CWS-CARES. 

How to Access the FCED Hub 
Regional Training Academy Leads can access the Hub by creating an account on the CWDS website:  

  1. Sign up at Account Sign Up | CWDS  
  2. Enter your name, email, county, and create a password 
  3. Select the county from the dropdown that best represents your region 
  4. Log in using your CWDS credentials  
  5. Navigate to the CWDS Portals page and enter the FCED Hub  

Once you have created an account, you will have access to all resources on the CWDS website, including the Hub. 

Requesting Access for RTA Staff 

RTA Leads are responsible for requesting access to the FCED Hub on behalf of their staff. To request access for RTA staff, email Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov with their full name, email address, and RTA region. Staff will receive an email communication with instructions to create a CWDS account and log in. 

Action Required

Email Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov to request FCED Hub access for RTA staff.

New Materials Available on the CWS-CARES FCED Hub

FCED Governance Committee Members:

Following our February 9, 2026 Governance Committee meeting, two new resources are now available on the CWS-CARES FCED Hub:

  • February 2026 Governance Committee materials — including the meeting recording, presentation slides, and agenda
  • Monthly CalSAWS FCED newsletters — with instructions on how to access the new CalSAWS FCED demonstration series, which shows how information from CWS-CARES is displayed for the CalSAWS user, processed, and how information is returned to CWS-CARES as appropriate.

Based on your feedback from the meeting, we have also expanded FCED Hub access to our Regional Training Academy partners.

We will continue adding materials to the FCED Hub as they become available.

Action Required

Please contact CWDS Customer Relations with any questions.

CWS-CARES Weekly Digest - April 6, 2026

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

In this Weekly Digest: 

  • Two Weeks Left: Order Now at the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop! 
  • CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstration
  • CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) of the Week 

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Two Weeks Left: Order Now at the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop! 

There is still time to order from the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2! The shop will remain open until end of day on Friday, April 17, 2026. Place your orders at: CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2 | Order Now . 

The shop is open to all 58 California counties, Tribes, and partner organizations. CWS-CARES branded items are available for purchase using your own funds. For ordering and shipping details, please reference the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop #2 FAQs and Item Preview document.  

Please contact CWDS Customer Relations with any questions. Happy shopping! 

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CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstration

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’s 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 23 - April 3, 2026: 

  • No CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations were held between March 23 – April 3. 

Upcoming CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations: *  

  • No CWS-CARES Core Constituent Demonstrations are currently planned between April 6 – April 30.  

*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 Question (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

April 6, 2026 FAQ of the Week:

Q: Will CWS-CARES incorporate Safety Organized Practice (SOP)? This is the state approved model approach we use in practice. 

A: CWS-CARES incorporates elements aligned with Safety Organized Practice (SOP) where appropriate within system functionality. For example, provisional Harm and Danger Statements are available at Intake (Screening) and can be further developed throughout the referral and case lifecycle. Additionally, SOP-aligned language has been integrated into relevant areas of the system, including structured contact notes and other documentation features, where applicable. 

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.