CWDS Bulletins

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

CWS-CARES Progress and Engagement Summary: September 2025

The September Progress and Engagement Summary is now available. This monthly summary was specifically formulated as a direct response to your valuable stakeholder feedback. Each monthly summary includes the following data from the previous month: 

• Participation rates for key meetings 

• A list of product demos and topics covered, by date 

• Updates from teams across the project   

We encourage you to review and share the CWS-CARES Progress and Engagement Summary with your teams. 

_______

Update: Build Drop 4 Status 

As of October 6th, Build Drop 4 code has been deployed to the State QA environment for testing. This includes:  

• Adoption & After Care and Re-Entry (Finish a Case Process Area)  
• CalSAWS (Interface)  
• Forms for Adoption 
• After Care and Re-Entry  

The completion of the development in Build Drop 4 signifies that we are closing in on completing the development of the CWS-CARES application. These features will be available for testing during EUST 3. 

_______

Reminder: CWS-CARES is Coming to the 2025 CWDA Conference! 

The CWS-CARES Project is excited to participate in the annual CWDA Conference on October 8-10, 2025, in Santa Clara. Visit our booth to connect with the team, explore resources, and pick up giveaways. The CWS-CARES Project will conduct a 90-minute Breakout Session and multiple demonstration viewings. Participants will have an opportunity to learn more about CWS-CARES and ask questions to Project leadership. We hope to see you there! 

_______

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. 

Action Required

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

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

CARES Explorer Newsletter – September 2025

We are pleased to present the September 2025 issue of the CARES Explorer, the long‑form newsletter published each quarter! For the best experience, please open the link using the Microsoft Edge browser. This issue includes the following article topics:

Project Updates: Read a message from the director of Product and get the latest details and a sneak peek into the October 2025 Stakeholder Briefing Agenda.

Explore CWS-CARES: Learn about upcoming testing periods for CWS-CARES, information and document sharing between CWS-CARES and CalSAWS, and changes to Optimistic Concurrency in CWS‑CARES. Discover what to expect for Resource Family Approval (RFA) in CWS-CARES and the new External Systems resources available on the CWDS website.

Implementation Corner: Read about how the San Luis Obispo OCM team uses creativity to build excitement for CWS-CARES, and the latest statistics from the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop. Also, included is an update on the first user group in the CWS-CARES Sandbox.

We recommend that you share this newsletter at your discretion with staff that are impacted by the changes coming with CWS-CARES. You may also obtain all previous CARES Explorer issues on the CWDS website: CARES Compass/Explorer | Child Welfare Digital Services

If you have any questions, need clarification, or have any accessibility issues, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Relations.

_______

Stakeholder Briefing #4 – Reminder to Register

Register now for Stakeholder Briefing #4 on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at 10AM – 12PM. All stakeholders are invited to attend this webinar to hear an update on the CWS-CARES Project. Registration is required to attend.

All webinar materials, including a recording of the session, slides, and Q&A document, will be available on the CWDS website after the session. View page 3 of the September 2025 CARES Explorer for more information on Stakeholder Briefing #4.

We look forward to your participation!

_______

Thank you for Shopping! The Pop-Up Shop is Now Closed

Thank you to everyone who ordered from the CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop! The first shop closed on September 26, 2025, with thousands of items ordered. We are thrilled by the participation from counties and organizations across the state! We are confident these items will build excitement and enthusiasm for CWS-CARES. Check out page 6 of the September CARES Explorer for more information and statistics on the most popular items from the Pop-Up Shop.

The next Pop-Up Shop is planned for March 2026 and will feature a new selection of branded items. If you have future item suggestions, please fill out the survey: CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop: Merch Ideas.

 ______

CWS-CARES is Coming to the 2025 CWDA Conference!

The CWS-CARES Project is excited to participate in the annual CWDA Conference on October 8-10, 2025, in Santa Clara. Visit our booth to connect with the team, explore resources, and pick up giveaways. The CWS-CARES Project will conduct a 90-minute Breakout Session and multiple demonstration viewings. Participants will have an opportunity to learn more about CWS-CARES and ask questions to Project leadership. We hope to see you there!

_______

Reminder: The CWS‑CARES Public Library

The CWS-CARES Public Library is designed to provide you with quick and easy access to articles about CWS‑CARES Product Features, Service Areas, Milestones, Teams & Roles, Data & Interfaces, and other important topics covered in the Explorer newsletter. On the CWS-CARES Public Library page, you can search by keyword or browse articles by category. Click on any article title to view the full text on its own page. No login is needed to access the articles; feel free to share these with your team!

_______

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. 

Action Required

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

CWDS Customer Relations

CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov

All SPOCs and Data Quality Analysts:

The latest versions of Data Quality Fuzzy Reports for Clients and Placement Homes are now available. The Client and Placement Home Fuzzy Reports assist with data cleanup by providing a greater number of potential duplication matches, using “fuzzy” matching criteria, than would be possible on the more restricted results on the Semi-annual merge reports. Additional information on CWS/CMS data cleansing activities and benefits, including Fuzzy Reports, is found on the Data Quality Portal.

No sign-up is required. All counties have already received the two reports on SAFE.

Action Required

If a county wants to collect the two Data Quality Fuzzy Reports (for Client or Placement Home), please collect them from SAFE as you have done previously. 

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

The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop - Reminder

The online CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop is now open and ready for business until Friday, September 26, 2025. You can shop our exclusive collection of CWS-CARES branded items online. This limited-time shop is open to everyone, including 58 California county child welfare and probation departments and CWDS Project staff. 

For more details regarding shipping fees, invoice requests, and future Pop-Up Shops, please reference the following link: Featured Items and FAQs. Happy Shopping! 

_______

CWS-CARES Process Information Sessions

The CWS-CARES Team is delivering a series of virtual Process Information Sessions to walk through new processes in CWS-CARES to explain how they will impact the way staff complete their work. These sessions are designed to ensure participants understand new and revised business processes so they can update their policies, processes, and workflows as needed. 

To date,18 process information sessions have been completed – 7 sessions for Intake (Screening and Investigations) and 11 for Placement/Eligibility. The next set of sessions will be held in September and October and will focus on Assessments, Supervised Visitation, and Case Closure; Aftercare and Re-Entry; Services and Plans; Prevention Services; and Adoptions.  

To view the session recordings, slides, and Q&A documents, visit CWS-CARES Process Information Sessions Session Materials.

For questions, please contact the CWDS Implementation Team.

_______

External Systems Monthly Meetings

The CWS-CARES Project launched a new External Systems Monthly Meeting Series to create a consistent space for organizations to connect with the Project team, share updates, ask questions, and stay aligned on upcoming activities. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month from 10–11 AM.  

Topics covered so far: 

• July 10: Kickoff and External Systems Overview 
• August 14: Resource Family Approval (RFA) Overview 
• September 11: Data Conversion and County Engagement Milestones 

Upcoming Session Topics:

• October 9: Continued Operations – Validating and Preparing External Systems for CWS-CARES V1 Go-Live 
• November 13: Exploring Validation Tools and Activities Available 

If you would like to receive a meeting invite, please contact the External Systems Coordination Unit (ESCU) Team. To access session records, slides, and Q&A documents, visit the External Systems Portal: Meeting Materials.  

_______

New CWS-CARES Slogan

We have developed a brand statement / slogan for CWS-CARES that articulates the product vision & values. The new CWS-CARES slogan is:  
 
“Advancing child welfare, together. CWS-CARES supports the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families across California through enhanced data collection and informed decision-making.” 

Organizations are encouraged to use this slogan in materials, presentations, and communications to reinforce the shared vision of collaboration and commitment to improving outcomes for children and families across California. 

_______

Guidelines for Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bots/Assistants in Meetings

This is a reminder that the CWDS Office has provided guidance on the appropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI) bots/assistants in meetings.  

The attached document titled Guidelines for Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bots/Assistants in Meetings describes the guidelines.  

These guidelines went into effect on September 2, 2025. 

While the context of the guidelines pertains to CWDS organized meetings, it is recommended that they be followed whenever CWDS managed systems are in discussion. These guidelines should be communicated at the start of any meetings that you host. 

_______

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. 

Action Required

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

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

An important goal for CWS-CARES is to improve the efficiency of forms and document management for workers. CWS-CARES supports each organization's unique forms and document needs by accommodating county-specific templates created in both Microsoft Word and Adobe Experience Manager (AEM). 

Because AEM is a new tool for many organizations, the project team recommends using Microsoft Word for creating county-specific templates. Using it will save time and make the transition easier since most counties are already familiar with Word and have existing templates in that format.

While creating forms in AEM will still be an option, using Microsoft Word may be a more efficient way for counties and organizations to prepare their priority forms for CARES V1.

Important Forms Updates and Resources

• All counties have been given an inventory of their county‑specific forms which are available in CWS/CMS. ​
• The ‘CARES Forms Tracker’ is available in the CARES Forms Workgroup Microsoft Teams channel. The tracker contains all state forms for CARES V1 development. ​If you do not already have access, please contact the CARES Forms Workgroup at otsicwdscaresforms@otsi.ca.gov.
• A new environment, CARES102 (County Development), is available to specifically support county forms development activities. User onboarding is underway and will continue as additional users are trained and provisioned.
• Do you need help with forms management? The CARES Forms Workgroup can assist. Contact them at otsicwdscaresforms@otsi.ca.gov if you have any questions.

We appreciate your continued commitment to staying informed. 
 

Action Required

No action required.

All SPOCs, Technical Contacts, and SBC Administrators:

The California Department of Technology (CDT) has scheduled maintenance on Saturday, September 27, 2025, 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.

• October Stakeholder Briefing Registration
• Announcing the CWS-CARES Weekly Digest
• The CWS-CARES Pop-Up Shop
• The New External Systems Portal
• Upcoming Communications

All SPOCs, Technical Contacts, and SBC Administrators:

The Server Based Computing Services (SBCS) team of the California Department of Technology (CDT) has scheduled an upgrade to the Citrix NetScaler firmware. This upgrade will occur on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, beginning at 6:00 PM and concluding at 11:59 PM. During the upgrade window, users may be kicked out of, or unable to log in to, Citrix SBC.

This activity will not impact those connecting to the CWS/CMS application via direct access or through other remote access, such as Virtual Privat Network (VPN).

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-CARES Data Dictionary V0.05 will be available on the Microsoft Teams Channel: CWS-CARES Data Dictionary under Files on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
• The Intro tab of the CWS-CARES Data Dictionary highlights all updates in the new version, making it easy to see what is new or changed.