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, May 30, 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.

----------------------

Service Desk Bulletin

Subject: Standard Monthly Operating System Security Patches to SBCS Infrastructure Servers.

Reference Number:

CHG0090092

Event Date/Time:

05/30/2026 @ 06:00 AM

Start Date/Time:

05/30/2026 @ 06:00 AM

End Date/Time:

05/30/2026 @ 10:00 AM

Standard Monthly Operating System (OS) Security Patches to Server Based Computing Services (SBCS) Infrastructure Servers

Summary: CDT will apply Standard Monthly OS Security Patches to SBCS Infrastructure Servers. This process will take place during the Scheduled Preventative Maintenance Window.

Action Requested: Please close out all unused applications and log off from the Citrix system if you are not active.

Who is Affected: All SBCS Users

What to Expect: CDT will apply Standard Monthly OS Security Patches to SBCS Infrastructure Servers. This process will take place during the Scheduled Preventative Maintenance Window.

If you have questions or comments regarding this bulletin, please contact the 24/7 Data Center Service Desk at (916) 464-4311 or Service.Desk@state.ca.gov.

 

----------------------
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 Weekly Digest - May 18, 2026

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

In this Weekly Digest:

  • CWS-CARES and Data Exchange Fact Sheet is Now Available
  • Update: CWS-CARES Implementation Timeline
  • Final Reminder: Nine (9) Days Left to Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #7
  • CWS-CARES is Observing Memorial Day on May 25, 2026
  • CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) of the Week

_______

CWS-CARES and Data Exchange Fact Sheet is Now Available

The CWS-CARES and Data Exchange Fact Sheet is now available on the CWS-CARES Infographics, Flyers, and Slogans page on the CWDS website. This resource provides an overview of how interfaces and state reporting systems connect to CWS-CARES, what historical data is included, and what data is available in CWS-CARES after Go-Live. It also covers historical data from external systems selected for CWS-CARES V1 data conversion. Topics include:

  • Interfaces connecting to CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1)
  • State Reporting Systems
  • External Systems selected for CARES V1 Data Conversion

Please contact Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov with any questions.

_______

Update: CWS-CARES Implementation Timeline

The CWS-CARES Project has developed a high-level Implementation Timeline to outline key activities for Implementation, Training, and Organizational Change Management (OCM) from May 2026 through January 2027. This timeline is intended to support counties and organizations in their internal planning. Please note this is a draft undergoing final validation, and a visual summarizing these activities will be posted to the CWDS website soon.

Key activity areas include:

  • Implementation: May 2026 – January 2027
  • Training: June – October 2026
  • Organizational Change Management (OCM): May – November 2026

For a full breakdown of activities and dates, see the CWDS Bulletins | Child Welfare Digital Services. Please contact Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov with any questions.

_______

Final Reminder: Nine (9) Days Left to Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #7

Thank you to the 530+ stakeholders who have already registered for the next Stakeholder Briefing on May 27, 2026! If you’ve not yet registered, we encourage you to attend the live webinar on May 27, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. All stakeholders impacted by the changes to CWS-CARES are welcome to attend, ask questions, and hear updates from Project leadership.

Register now atCWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #7 | RegistrationNote: 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 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 (EUST) 3
  • Production Simulation
  • Resource Family Approval (RFA) Portal Demonstration

View the dates for all upcoming CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefings in 2026 on the Stakeholder Briefings and Webinars 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.

_______

CWS-CARES is Observing Memorial Day on May 25, 2026

The CWS-CARES Project will observe the Memorial Day holiday on May 25, 2026. Please anticipate a delay in communications on this day. Due to the holiday, no Weekly Digest email will be distributed on Monday, May 25, 2026. Weekly Digest emails will resume on Monday, June 1, 2026.

_______

CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) of the Week

Each week, we highlight a common question from counties and partner organizations, along with a clear, practical answer to  help you better understand CWS-CARES functionality.  

May 18, 2026 FAQ of the Week: 

Q Which interfaces will be available in CWS-CARES Production Simulation? 

A: All interfaces will be available in Production Simulation. This includes Case Management Assessment (CMA) - P-CIS, Foster Care Eligibility Determination (FCED) – CalSAWS, County Expense Claim Reporting Information System (CECRIS), Data Extract from California Department of Education (CDE), Regional Center Services for Department of Developmental Services ( DDS), Juvenile Network (JNET), Facility Management System (LIS/FAS), and Structured Decision Making (SDM).

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.

_______

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 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.

Remote County Testing of Release 9.8 Changes to Prepare CWS/CMS for ‘Read-Only’ Mode - REMINDER

ALL SPOCs and TRAINING CONTACTS:

May 15, 2026 update: This is a reminder that the deadline to register for the R9.8 County Test Workshop (CTW) is May 19, 2026.

Additionally, we want to ensure all potential testers are aware of the database cutoff date in advance. The last day to enter data into CWS/CMS and have it included in CTW is May 12, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Any data entered after this date and time will not be available during CTW.

Please note: if new users are participating in CTW and they have no data entered before the cutoff, they will not have any data available to test during CTW.

_______________________________________________________________________

The Child Welfare Digital Services (CWDS) Office is requesting county staff to participate in the Release 9.8 County Test Workshop (CTW).  Release 9.8 is scheduled for delivery to the counties on July 11, 2026.

The CTW for Release 9.8 will be conducted in a remote setting, via Server Based Computing (SBC) soft tokens.  

The deadline to register is:  May 19, 2026.

Registered testers will participate in the testing of Release 9.8, which is scheduled for delivery to the counties on July 11, 2026.  CWDS is seeking a total of 15 county staff members for each of the 16 sessions (2 sessions per day, 9AM - 12PM and 1PM - 4PM). There will be no testing from 12PM - 1PM each day of CTW.   

Remote CTW sessions will be on the following dates: 

Week 1 (Read/Write Environment)

Monday, June 12026 (AM or PM session)

Tuesday, June 22026 (AM or PM session)

Wednesday, June 32026 (AM or PM session)

Thursday, June 42026 (AM or PM session)

Week 2 (Read-Only Environment)

Monday, June 82026 (AM or PM session)

Tuesday, June 92026 (AM or PM session)

Wednesday, June 102026 (AM or PM session)

Thursday, June 112026 (AM or PM session)

Participants are welcome to register for any of the sessions listed above, in half or whole day increments. Participants are recommended to register for at least one session per week. This will allow the participant to compare activities in both the usual read/write environment and the read-only environment.

The sessions will be limited to a maximum of 15 people per session.  No exceptions. 

We encourage you to submit your request for a specific session as soon as possible, but no later than close of business on May 19, 2026.  If a daily count exceeds the maximum count, Customer Relations will work with that tester to be rescheduled to another session. 

Please note that all requests must be submitted by the deadline so that the CWDS Office can finalize the needed arrangements.  Late registrations cannot be accepted.

A  Release 9.8 County Test Workshop Online Registration Form (see link below) for each potential tester must be received as soon as possible, but no later than close of business on May 19, 2026.

 Link:   Release 9.8 County Test Workshop (CTW) Registration Form

If for any reason, you cannot access the Online Registration Form, please contact Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov.

The CWDS Office will work with the registered participants on all the details of their CTW participation.  

SBC Soft Token Use:

Once registration has closed on May 19, 2026, Customer Relations will schedule a MS Teams meeting with testers and their County IT Contacts.  The purpose of this meeting will be to make sure that your County IT can configure your workstation with the needed software and any other required configurations.  If this cannot be accomplished, your registration in this CTW cannot be accommodated. 

System Change Requests (SCRs) included: 

  • SCR 9003 - Place CWS/CMS in a Read-Only State
  • SCR 8993 - Referral Completed Due Date
  • SCR 8973 - ICWA Eligible Data Entry (Part A)
  • SCR 9034 - R9.8 Training Tools Package

Counties are encouraged to register individuals with knowledge and experience working in the areas mentioned above.  A mix of end users with casework or supervisory experience will also be very helpful.  Participants will validate the changes in the release and will perform tests of problem fixes and enhancements. Participants will work with other County and State testers as well as vendor support staff.

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment, please contact:  Andrea Johnson-Kumar at 916-891-3143 or via email at Andrea.Johnson-Kumar@otsi.ca.gov or Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov.

Your continued support of CWDS is greatly appreciated. 

Action Required

Submit a Release 9.8 County Test Workshop Online Registration Form no later than May 19, 2026.

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, May 23, 2026, at 8:00 PM and concludes on Sunday, May 24, 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.

CWS-CARES Implementation Timeline

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

We are sharing a high-level CWS-CARES Implementation Timeline from May 2026 to January 2027. This timeline includes the key activities for Implementation, Training, and Organizational Change Management (OCM) and is provided to support counties and organizations in their internal planning and awareness efforts.

Please note that this is a draft currently undergoing final validation for the project’s master schedule. Dates may be slightly adjusted following these final reviews.  Following the commitment to distribute this initial information by May 15th, a finalized version will be published soon.

Key County Activities and Dates: May 2026 to January 2027

Implementation

  • Monthly Readiness Checkpoints to mid-October
  • Develop Project Go-Live Support Plan: 5/11– 6/30
  • Org Support Plan Template: 7/1–7/31
  • Go-Live Support starting on 10/26 (Over-the-Shoulder Support to 11/25; Virtual Command Center to 1/24/2027)
Training

1. In-App Learning: Self-Paced Online Training (Enablement): 5/26–10/23Enablement Programs are step-by-step instructions viewable in CWS-CARES and will be available in the production simulation environment beginning 5/26, with additional modules added on a rolling basis through 7/17. Post-launch, the Enablement suite will undergo iterative updates to stay aligned with the system.

2. Train-the-Trainer: 6/15–10/23

  • Self-Paced Online Training (Enablement): 6/1– 8/1
  • Participate in TTT Sessions: 6/15 - 8/14
  • Ongoing TTT Office Hours & Support Channel 6/15-10/23

3. End Users Training: 6/15–10/23

  • Self-Paced Online Training (Enablement): 6/15–10/9
  • Instructor-Led Training (ILT): 8/3–10/23
  • Refresher Training: 10/8–10/23

Organizational Change Management (OCM)

1. Change Champion/Super User Network: 5/11–11/1

  • Establish Network and Planning: 5/11 to 6/15
  • Execute Network Plan: 6/15 to 11/1

2. Business Process Redesign (BPR): 6/15–11/1

  • OAS, Deep Dives, Delta Workshops 6/15 - 9/15
  • Organization Support Materials to Document Deltas: 7/15 – 9/15
  • Statewide Impact Register 9/15 - 10/15
  • Key Findings: 10/15 -11/1

Training Structure and Durations
The training strategy utilizes a blended approach of on-demand and live sessions, with specific prerequisites for each phase:

1. On-Demand Training (Prerequisite):

  • Up to 40 hours of on-demand material will be available.
  • This is a mandatory prerequisite for both Train-the-Trainer (TTT) and End-User Training (EUT).
  • The actual number of hours required will vary depending on a user's specific role.

2. Train-the-Trainer (TTT):

  • The estimated duration is up to 2 weeks.
  • Timing is adjustable based on a trainer's prior experience with CWS/CMS and CWS-CARES; those new to both systems will have more prep time.
  • Exact schedules will be finalized once all trainers are identified.

3. End-User Training (EUT):

  • Most staff will require 1 to 3 days of training.
  • A small subset of users needing comprehensive training across all modules may require additional time.

We will provide further details as they become available, with a target update scheduled for the end of this month. We look forward to partnering with the counties and organizations to ensure a smooth transition and will continue to provide regular updates as we approach the October 2026 Go-Live.

Action Required
No action needed.

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

All SPOCs, Technical Contacts and CAD Contacts:

The California Department of Technology (CDT) has scheduled monthly Microsoft security patching. The patching begins on Friday, June 12, 2026, at 6:00 PM and concludes on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 1:00 AM. The activity may cause interruptions to the Business Objects (BO) servers within the patching window. The expected impact to users is low; however, there is a potential to cause 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.

CWS-CARES Weekly Digest - May 11, 2026

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

 

  • CWS-CARES Production Simulation Opens to First Group of Users 
  • CalSAWS and CWS-CARES Staff to Collaborate in Production Simulation
  • Updated Recommendation for Forms in CWS-CARES 
  • Reminder: Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #7 
  • CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) of the Week 

_______

CWS-CARES Production Simulation Opens to First Group of Users 

CWS-CARES Production Simulation launched for the first group of users on Monday, May 4, 2026, marking a key milestone on the path to CWS-CARES Version 1 (CARES V1) Go-Live. Production Simulation is a production-like environment where users can test system operations, practice workflows, and build confidence ahead of Go-Live.  

Onboarding for the first group of users began with Production Simulation Kickoff Meetings on May 4 and 5. More than 1,700 participants joined live.  A recording of the session, along with the presentation slides, is now available on the Production Simulation Hub on the CWDS website. The remaining users will be onboarded in July 2026.

New Resource Available: The Production Simulation Hub 

The CWS-CARES Production Simulation Hub launched on May 4, 2026. The Hub serves as a centralized resource for Production Simulation materials, including meeting links, recordings, support information, announcements, and Extended User Scenario Testing (EUST) 3 scenarios. The Hub is accessible via the CWDS Portals page on the CWDS website to anyone with a county or organization email address. 

Please contact CWDS Customer Relations at CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov with any questions. 

 _______

CalSAWS and CWS-CARES Staff to Collaborate in Production Simulation

On April 21, 2026, CalSAWS issued a Request for Information (RFI) to recruit CalSAWS staff for Foster Care Eligibility and Determination (FCED) testing in CWS-CARES Production Simulation.  

Recruited CalSAWS participants will partner with their respective CWS-CARES counterparts to validate that business processes function as expected and that staff can work effectively in the system. Recommendations on how Eligibility staff collaborate was shared at the Production Simulation Kickoff meetings on May 4 and 5, 2026.  

Recruitment for CalSAWS staff concluded on May 8, 2026. Onboarding for Eligibility staff will begin in the final week of May, and CalSAWS participation in Production Simulation will begin in early June 2026. 

 _______

Updated Recommendation for Forms in CWS-CARES 

An update to guidance shared via email on September 15, 2025:   

Due to compatibility constraints, Microsoft Word (Word) is no longer the recommended format for forms in CWS-CARES Version 1. Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) is now the primary recommendation, though Word remains available for forms requiring only basic text editing.   

Note that certain Word features are not available in CWS-CARES, including:  

  • Document protection
  • ActiveX controls (checkboxes, radio buttons, and command buttons) 
  • Macros and AutoText (e.g., F3 to insert a table)  

See the Forms in CWS-CARES: Guidance and Recommendations fact sheet on the Infographics, Fliers, and Slogans page on the CWDS website for complete guidance and workarounds for using Word.   

Questions? Email CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov.   

 _______

Reminder: Register for CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #7 

We encourage you to attend the next CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing on May 27, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PMAll stakeholders impacted by the changes to CWS-CARES are welcome to attend, ask questions, and hear updates from Project leadership. 

Register now atCWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefing #7 | RegistrationNote: 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. 

Registration page. Updates will include: 

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

View the dates for all upcoming CWS-CARES Stakeholder Briefings in 2026 on the Stakeholder Briefings and Webinars 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. 

 _______

CWS-CARES Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) of the Week 

Each week, we highlight a common question from counties and partner organizations, along with a clear, practical answer to  help you better understand CWS-CARES functionality.  

May 11, 2026, FAQ of the Week: 

Q: Will we be able to see all the information when a case is transferred from Child Welfare to Probation? 

A: Yes, all previous child welfare case information and history will be available for the probation worker to access and view. 

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’ll be happy to help.

  _______

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

All SPOCs and Technical Contacts:

May 7, 2026 UPDATE: The automated process to end‑date inactive CWS/CMS user logins continues in May. The new reports were generated and saved to SAFE on Thursday, May 7, 2026. The SAFE file is titled, “SCR9039_END-DATE_USERID_2026-05-07.xlsx.” REMINDER: this is the first month will list CWS/CMS user accounts that have been inactive for the previous 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. Please submit your exclusion file by Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 5:00 PM, to request listed user logins from being end-dated when the process runs on Saturday, May 23, 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 attached 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. However, in order to expedite this timeline, it is important when calling in the ticket to explain the reason the user ID login was end dated was due to SCR 9039. User accounts from the reports that are logged in prior to Friday, May 22, 2026, at 5:00 PM, will not be end‑dated in the automated process on May 23, 2026.

All User ID accounts, both active and inactive, will be migrated to CWS-CARES. End-dated User ID accounts that need to be reactivated in CWS-CARES can be completed by the Administrators within CWS-CARES. This process will be much more direct and easier to complete in CWS-CARES than it is currently accomplished in CWS/CMS.

__________________________________________________________

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 attached 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.

__________________________________________________________________________

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.

____________________________________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

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.   

_____________________________________________________________________

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.

_____________________________________________________________________

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. 

CDT Service Desk Bulletin – OTech Managed Storage as a Service (StaaS) upgrade at Gold Camp - May 10, 2026 | 9AM - 12PM

All SPOCs and Technical Contacts:

The California Department of Technology (CDT) has scheduled maintenance on Sunday, May 10, 2026, beginning at 9:00 AM and concluding at 12:00 PM. During the maintenance window, the OTech Open System Storage team will be updating the firmware on the Gold Camp STaaS NetApp Storage. There is no anticipated outage for this maintenance.

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: Update on Salesforce Recorded Webinar

Salesforce Webinar Recording Participants:

Thank you for your participation in the Salesforce Recorded Webinar on April 9, 2026. We appreciate the time you took to join the session and share your feedback.

Following feedback from our county partners, we have decided not to release the recent webinar recording. As the session focused on general Salesforce navigation, some content may not fully reflect the CWS-CARES user experience.

Instead, these topics will be integrated into upcoming CWS-CARES training to ensure users receive guidance tailored to our platform.

We appreciate your continued partnership as we refine our materials to better serve CWS-CARES users.

Action Required

If you have any questions, please contact CWS_CustRel@otsi.ca.gov.