CWDS Bulletins

It is our pleasure to announce the much-anticipated approval of the Child Welfare Services-California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) project roadmap. This marks a significant milestone in the project’s development and path towards delivering CWS-CARES. 

Some highlights of this approval include: 

• The delivery of CWS-CARES through two versions - CARES Version 1 (V1) and Version 2 (V2) 

  • V1 will replace and retire CWS/CMS and go-live in Oct. 2026. It will include the following capabilities  

    • Intake  

      • Screening  

      • Investigations: Engagement and Determination  
    • Resource Management
      • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Provider Directory  

      • Services (Array)  

    • Case Management

      • ​​​​​​​Engagement and Services  

      • Placement  

      • Case Closure  

      • Adoption  

      • Prevention Services  

      • Aftercare and Re-entry  

      • Case Plan  

    • Courts 
      • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Warrants  

      • Court Hearing Framework  

      • Jurisdiction, Disposition, and Other Hearings  

      • Status Reviews  

    • ​​​​​​​Eligibility 

      • Request Determination and Redetermine Eligibility  

      • Eligibility Programs  

    • Financial Management  

      • ​​​​​​​Track Administrative and Assistance Costs  

      • Track Service Delivery (including FFPSA)  

    • Resource Family Approval (RFA) 

      • ​​​​​​​RFA Application Submission (RFA Greenfield enhancements) 

      • Maintain Resource Family Home  

      • Complaints and Legal Action  

    • Reporting and Analytics  

      • ​​​​​​​Federal Extracts and Indicators 

      • State Reports  

      • Ad-hoc Reporting, Data Extract and Data Visualization  

  • V2 will build on core functionality of V1, expand on additional capabilities, such as advanced analytics, continued implementation of interfaces with external systems and child welfare contributing agencies, and will be tied to Federal CCWIS compliance. Go-live is scheduled for April 2028 

• The implementation of V1 to all end users at the same time across the state, reducing the risk to child safety by establishing a single statewide system at go-live and eliminating the need for end users to work across two systems  

• County and Tribal Core Constituent Participation is planned and budgeted for through CARES V1 and V2 

We would like to thank everyone for their contributions and support for CWS-CARES reaching this important milestone and look forward to sharing more information in the future.  

Click here to view the CWDS Roadmap.