Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

Program Overview

The California Department of Social Services , Children and Family Services Division , is responsible for developing and overseeing a vast array of programs and services for California at-risk children and families, providing a statewide system for out-of-home care providers, appropriating services to children in out-of-home care, and facilitating adoptions for children who need permanent homes. California's program for child protection is comprised of a number of services and interventions called Child Welfare Services (CWS). These services are organized into programs which together, form a continuum of efforts aimed at safeguarding the well-being of children and adults in ways that strengthen and preserve families, encourage personal responsibility, and foster independence. Generally, the continuum can be broken down into four broad categories:

  • Programs and Services intended to prevent abuse or strengthen families;
  • Programs and Services intended to remedy the effects of abuse or neglect (e.g., emergency response, family maintenance and family reunification;
  • Programs and Services that provide for the out-of-home care of children (e.g. Foster Care and Relative Home Placements);
  • Programs and Services that provide for the permanent removal of children from abusive homes (e.g. Adoptions, legal guardianship, Kinship Care).

    California's child welfare services programs are administered by the 58 individual counties. This means that each county organizes and operates its own program of child protection based on local needs while complying with state and federal regulations. Counties are the primary governmental entities that interact with children and families when addressing issues of child abuse and neglect. Counties, either directly or through providers, are responsible for obtaining or providing the interventions and applicable services to protect the well being of children and to help families address issues of child abuse and neglect. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) monitors and provides support in the counties efforts to best serve children and families. The State supports counties through program regulatory oversight and administration and the development of program policy and statute. The CDSS Children and Family Services Division (CFSD) provides a broad spectrum of county child welfare services support activities. CFSD secures federal funding to support child welfare services programs; conducts research and develops new programs and services; provides oversight and evaluation of local and statewide demonstration projects; provides statewide "best practices" training for social workers; coordinates scholarships for social work students; and helps formulate post-secondary social services curriculums. CDSS also provides some direct services such as adoptions placements.

CWS/CMS Overview

In 1989, SB 370 (Chapter 1294, Statutes of 1989) authorized the development and implementation of a statewide computer system to automate the case management, services planning, and information gathering functions of child welfare services. CWS/CMS is California’s version of the federal Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS).

The provisions of SB 370 laid out specific goals in the development of a statewide child welfare system. In accordance with the goals of SB 370, CWS/CMS has been designed to:

  • Provide Child Welfare Services (CWS) workers with immediate access to child, family and case-specific information in order to make appropriate and timely case decisions;
  • Provide CWS workers with current and accurate information to effectively and efficiently manage their caseloads and take appropriate and timely case management actions;
  • Provide State and County administrators with the information needed to administer programs and monitor and evaluate the achievement of program goals and objectives;
  • Provide State and County CWS agencies with a common database and definition of information from which to evaluate CWS; and
  • Consolidate the collection and reporting of information for CWS programs pursuant to State and federal requirements.

At the time SB 370 was enacted, there was no centralized statewide system that allowed State or county child welfare workers to share information. Each county had its own locally designed method of managing cases which ranged from manual, paper-file systems to computer-based systems. The different systems made information sharing inefficient and time-consuming.

The CWS/CMS is a personal computer (PC)-based, Windows application that links all 58 counties and the State to a common database. The CWS/CMS is an automated, online client management database that tracks each case from initial contact through termination of services.

The CWS/CMS is one of the largest Windows-based systems. CWS/CMS is designed so caseworkers can move through the application, performing work in the sequence that is most appropriate. The application allows caseworkers to open and track cases through the components of the CWS/CMS program. The system assists caseworkers in recording client demographics, contacts, services delivered, and placement information. The system also enables case workers to record and update assessments, create and maintain case plans, and manage the placement of children in the appropriate foster homes or facilities. The system will generate and manage many forms associated with a client or case. The application also collects data for the purposes of State, county, and federal reporting.

Functionality

The CWS/CMS has eleven functional components designed to reflect the processes employed by child welfare workers in investigating, servicing and managing a child welfare case. Combined, these eleven components automate the many phases and programmatic functions of CWS. The eleven components and their functions are as follows:

  • Intake -- referral screening, investigation and cross reporting.
  • Client Information -- recording and accessing information on clients;
  • Service Delivery -- recording of services delivered to clients;
  • Case Management -- development of case plans, monitoring service delivery, progress assessment;
  • Placement -- placement management and matching of children to placement alternatives;
  • Court Processing -- hearing preparation, filing of petitions, generating subpoenas, citations, notices, recording court actions;
  • Caseload -- assignment and transfer of cases;
  • Resource Management -- information on resources available for CWS (services providers, county staff resources, etc.)
  • Program Management -- caseload, county, program-level information for program management purposes;
  • Adoptions -- recording of information for reporting purposes; and
  • Licensing -- information on licensees used in placement decisions.

Each functional component captures information and provides automated tools for case management, service provision, and program management or documenting case history.

Governance

An Oversight Committee governs the CWS/CMS. The CWS/CMS Oversight Committee is comprised of representatives from the following organizations: eight members selected by the President of the County Welfare Director's Association (CWDA), with the concurrence of the CWDA Executive Committee; the Office of Systems Integration (OSI) CWS/CMS Project Manager; the OSI CWS/CMS County Liaison; and the Deputy Director for CDSS Children and Family Services Division (Chair). The Oversight Committee provides policy direction and a Strategic Plan for the continuing development and operation of CWS/CMS to ensure the system supports the achievement of statutory CWS program goals. The CWS/CMS Oversight Committee has put in place methods of communicating decisions, upcoming changes and status reports to the stakeholders throughout the State. The goal is to continue the successful utilization of CWS/CMS to ensure the safety, permanence and well-being of children.

Policy Issues

In August of 1997, the CDSS formed the CMS Support Branch within the Children and Family Services Division to bring a programmatic and policy perspective to bear on the resolution of issues that arose as CWS/CMS was implemented and became operational. In 2019, the CMS Support Branch was renamed to the Child Welfare System (CWS) Branch. The CWS Branch is part of the CFSD, and it is a program partner within Child Welfare Digital Services. This branch is responsible for the oversight of the maintenance and operation of CWS/CMS and the development and implementation of California Automated Response and Engagement System referred to as CWS-CARES. The CWS-CARES is the new system that will eventually replace CWS/CMS. The branch's primary function is to ensure compliance of Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System requirements and that the CWS-CARES is developed with an outcomes-focused approach to significantly improve the timely delivery of services and supports for children, youth, and families. The CWS Branch has 6 main areas of focus: fiscal services, business requirements, program policy, administrative support, and service management of the Licensing, Case Management, Resource Management, Financial Management and Data Management service areas.

Conclusions

The CWS/CMS will continue to be a "living tool" in a constant state of improvement to accommodate: (1) mandated statutory and regulatory changes, (2) promising program and services practices, and (3) needs of the counties so they can provide for the children and families they serve. As policies, regulations and/or county business practices change and improve, the Application will need to change and improve as well.

All County Letters and Other Notices

Intake (Emergency Response)

ACIN I-01-21 (January 20, 2021)
Safely Surrendered Baby Intake And Data Entry

ACIN I-69-19 (December 9, 2019)
Obtaining A Physician’s Certification Of A Child’s Condition For A Child Near Fatality That Is The Result Of Abuse Or Neglect

ACL 19-20 (March 13, 2019)
Documentation Of Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity (SOGIE) In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACIN I-06-19 (February 15, 2019)
Safely Surrendered Baby Intake And Data Entry

ACL 17-85 (October 24, 2017)
Assessing And Investigating Referrals Involving Third Party Perpetrators Of Child Abuse Or Neglect

ACL 17-91 (September 13, 2017)
Clarification On Documenting Calls To The Child Welfare Hotline That Do Not Require An In-Person Investigation

ACL 17-27 (May 10, 2017)
Investigating, Assessing, And Documenting A New Referral Of Child Abuse Or Neglect In An Open Investigation Or Case

ACL 16-85 (September 30, 2016)
Statewide Policies And Procedures To Prevent Child Sex Trafficking

ACL 16-74 (September 21, 2016)
Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Documentation In the Child Welfare Services/Case Management Review

ACIN I-63-16 (September 8, 2016)
Safely Surrendered Baby Best Practices And Clarification Regarding Site Approval

ACIN I-52-14 (September 9, 2014)
Best Practices For Timely Investigation Of Child Abuse And/or Neglect Immediate/Ten Day Referrals

ACIN I-13-09 (February 10, 2009)
Documentation Of Referrals In Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACIN I-03-07 (January 25, 2007)
Implementation Of Differential Response Special Project Codes In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System

ACIN I-86-06 (December 1, 2006)
Recording “Time To Investigation” Information In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACIN I-26-06 (April 7, 2006)
23-Hour Assessment Centers

ACIN I-16-04 (August 2, 2004)
Safely Surrendered Baby Law Updates

ACIN I-37-04 (August 2, 2004)
CWS/CMS Procedures For Referrals On Previously Adopted Children

ACIN I-66-02 (September 18, 2002)
Reporting Requirements: Safely Surrendered Baby Law And Child Fatalities

ACL 14-01 (February 8, 2001)
Process For Recording Child Fatalities Related To Child Abuse And Neglect On The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System.

 

Case Management

ACL 20-122 (November 13, 2020)
New Changes In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) To Document The Development of Plans Of Safe Care for Infants Affected by Prenatal Drug Exposure Or A Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

ACIN I-58-20 (July 10, 2020)
Documentation of Placement Facilities/Homes That Will Accept Placement of COVID-19 Exposed/Positive Children in the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACL 20-74 (June 26, 2020)
Extensions of Prior Guidance Pertaining to Foster Youth Status Verifications; Placement Preservation for Children, Non-minor Dependents, and Care Providers Exposed to, Symptomatic of, or Positive for, COVID-19; Reunification Assessments; and COVID-19 Documentation Within CWS/CMS

ACL 20-73 (June 26, 2020)
Extensions of Prior Guidance Pertaining to the Documentation of Monthly Caseworker Visits Within CWS/CMS Conducted Through Alternate Means of Contact Due to the COVID-19 State of Emergency

ACL 20-45 (April 18, 2020)
Guidance Regarding Extended Foster Care Program Flexibilities Due To Covid-19 Impacts

ACL 20-31 (March 30, 2020)
Documenting Child Welfare and Probation Contacts by Alternate Means to Children and Families During Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) California State of Emergency

ACIN I-06-20 (January 27, 2020)
New Resources For Case Management Workers For Documenting, Protecting And Sharing Reproductive And Sexual Health Information For Youth And Non-Minor Dependents (NMDs) In Foster Care

ACIN I-47-19 (October 10, 2019)
Credit Reporting For Foster Youth: Updates And Clarifications

ACL 19-84 (September 4, 2019)
Updated Information Regarding Funding For Emergency Caregivers With Placement Of Children And/Or Nonminor Dependents (NMDS) Prior To Resource Family Approval (RFA) Or As A Tribally Approved Home (TAH)

ACL 19-31 (April 16, 2019)
Re-Entry Of Eligible Nonminors To Extended Foster Care (EFC) When Adoptive Parent(s) Or Former Legal Guardian(s) No Longer Provide Support

ACL 18-61 (June 20, 2018)
New Mandates Regarding Case Plan Documentation And Training Related To Reproductive And Sexual Health Care Needs And Rights Of Foster Youth

ACL 18-32 (March 23, 2018)
Instructions For Entry Of The Level Of Care (LOC) And Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC) Rates Into Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACL 18-09 (January 25, 2018)
Requirements For Implementing The Child And Adolescent Needs And Strengths Assessment Tool Within A Child And Family Team

ACL 17-104E (September 10, 2018)
Documentation Of Child And Family Teams (CFTs) In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACL 17-104 (December 4, 2017)
Documentation Of Child And Family Teams (CFTs) In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACL 17-71 (July 21, 2017)
Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Program Fiscal Year 2017-18 Allocation Methodology And County Plan Instructions

ACIN I-13-17 (April 25, 2017)
Promising Practices For Youth Who Are Missing Or Run Away From Foster Care

ACL 17-23 (March 20, 2017)
Sensitive And Sealed Records And Limited Access Privileges In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACL 17-22E (December 4, 2017)
Updated Health Assessment And Dental Referral Periodicity Schedules For Children, Youth And Non-Minor Dependents (NMDS) In Foster Care

ACL 17-22 (March 1, 2017)
Updated Health Assessment And Dental Referral Periodicity Schedules For Children, Youth And Non-Minor Dependents (NMDS) In Foster Care

ACL 16-109 (December 23, 2016)
Child Fatality And Near Fatality Reporting And Public Disclosure Requirements

ACIN I-73-16 (October 19, 2016)
Documentation In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) For Parenting Minor And Non-Minor Dependents

ACL 16-49 (May 23, 2016)
Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Documentation In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System

ACL 16-32 (April 28, 2016)
Documentation Of Pregnancy And Parenting In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System For Minor And Non-Minor Dependents

ACL 16-15 (April 28, 2016)
Youth Who Are Missing From Foster Care

ACL 16-08 (January 25, 2016)
Federal Preventing Sex Trafficking And Strengthening Families Act:  Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of Children (CSEC) And Runaway-Related Implementation Requirements For Counties

ACIN I-60-15 (September 14, 2015)
Implementation Of Special Project Codes In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) For Parenting Minor And Non-Minor Dependents

ACIN I-43-15 (June 26, 2015)
Assessments To Determine The Appropriateness Of The Group Home Placement For Children And Youth In Group Home Care Over One Year In Duration And Plans For Transitioning Into A Family-Based Setting

ACIN I-36-15E (June 17, 2015)
Improving Safety For Children In Foster Care Receiving Psychotropic Medications

ACIN I-30-15 (May 1, 2015)
Psychotropic Medication Authorizations-Data Reconciliation Report

ACL 15-11 (March 24, 2015)
Recording Developmental And Mental Health Screening, Referral, And Plan Intervention Information In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System

ACIN I-10-15 (February 27, 2015)
Update To County Certification To System Utilization Of The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACL 14-41 (June 10, 2014)
Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) Release 6.8 Changes For The ICPC And For Certain Children Receiving Regional Center Benefits

ACL 14-23 (February 28, 2014)
Foster Youth Credit Reports

ACL 13-86 (October 25, 2013)
Assessing Youth Residing In Group Care Longer Than One Year

ACL 13-64 (October 15, 2013)
Registered Sex Offender (RSO) Address Matches Of Relative/Nonrelative Extended Family Member (NREFM) Approval And County Child Welfare Responsibilities

ACIN I-42-12 (August 30, 2012)
Update Of Tribal Customary Adoption Special Project Code In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) And Release 6.5 (R6.5)

ACL 12-05 (January 13, 2012)
Implementation Of Extended Foster Care Special Project Codes In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACL 11-18 (February 11, 2011)
Monthly Caseworker Visits With Children Forms And Documentation For Probation Officers

ACL 09-86 (December 29, 2009)
Notification Of Relatives

ACL 08-66 (December 31, 2008)
Assignment Of A Wraparound Special Project Code In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACIN I-82-08 (October 8, 2008)
Outcome Indicator On Health And Dental Assessments

ACL 08-31 (July 18, 2008)
New Transitional Independent Living Plan (TILP) Agreement For Foster Youth

ACL 08-24 (June 9, 2008)
Minor Dependent Parents In Foster Care

ACL 08-17 (March 28, 2008)
Dual Agency Care Rates For Children With Developmental Disabilities Who Receive Aid To Families With Dependent Children - Foster Care Or Adoption Assistance Program Benefits

ACL 06-04 (June 20, 2006)
Minor Dependent Parents In Foster Care

ACIN I-25-06 (April 7, 2006)
Foster Care Placement Episode

ACIN I-83-04 (December 30, 2004)
Documentation Of The Mental Health Needs Of Children Receiving In-Home Services And Children In Foster Care

ACIN I-80-04 (December 28, 2004)
Documentation Of The Educational Needs Of Children Receiving In-Home Services And Children In Foster Care

 

Adoption

ACL 12-51 (January 7, 2013)
Federal Reporting Requirements On Children Entering Foster Care From Disrupted And Dissolved Intercountry Adoptions

ACL 10-47 (October 27, 2010)
Implementation Of Tribal Customary Adoption - Assembly Bill 1325 (Chapter 287, Statutes of 2009)

ACL 09-40 (August 18, 2009)
Private Adoption Agency Reimbursement Program (PAARP) Funding Increase Claiming Guidelines

ACL 01-27 (April 19, 2001)
Public Adoption Agency Program Data

ACIN I-47-00 (April 19, 2000)
1999 Chaptered Legislation Affecting The Adoptions Program, The Office Of Child Abuse Prevention, The Child Welfare Services Program, The Foster Care Program And The Foster Care Audits Program

 

Courts

ACIN I-83-15 (October 22, 2015)
Recording Of Probate Court Requests

ACL 08-58 (December 1, 2008)
Relative And Nonrelative Extended Family Member (NREFM) Caregivers - Criminal Record Clearance And Exemption Transfers

ACIN I-54-04 (September 23, 2004)
Notice Of Involuntary Child Custody Proceedings For An Indian Child (SOC 820)

 

Licensing

ACL 20-14 (March 16, 2020)
Resource Family Approval (RFA) Program- Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) Instructions for Resource Family Approval

ACL 19-17 (May 2, 2019)
Implementation Of Senate Bill 282, California Work Opportunity And Responsibility To Kids (CalWORKs) Employment Services For Noncustodial Parents (NCPs)

ACL 18-128 (October 30, 2018)
Monthly Data Reporting Template And Completion Instructions For Emergency Caregiver (EC) Payments Pending Resource Family Approval (RFA)

ACL 17-16 (February 14, 2017)
Resource Family Approval Program - Conversion Of Existing Approved And Licensed

ACL 05-09 (April 26, 2005)
Reporting And Investigation Requirements For Child Abuse Allegations Regarding Children In Out-Of-Home Placements

ACL 02-78 (October 24, 2002)
Assessment of Relatives And Non-Relative Extended Family Members For Approval As Foster Care Providers; Plans of Correction

 

Fiscal

CFL 21-22-77 (March 4, 2022)
Child Welfare Services Automated Data Processing County Annual Planning Document Update

CFL 20-21-37 (October 26, 2020)
Fiscal Year 2020-21 Child Welfare Services-California Automated Response And Engagement System Project County Constituent Participation Planning Allocation

CFL 19-20-71 (April 3, 2020)
Child Welfare Services (CWS) Automated Data Processing County Annual Planning Document Update

CFL 19-20-08E (February 19, 2020)
Fiscal Year 2019-20 Child Welfare Services/Case Management System Data Clean-Up Allocation

CFL 19-20-08 (July 23, 2019)  
Fiscal Year 2019-20 Child Welfare Services/Case Management System Data Clean-Up Allocation 

CFL 19-20-20 (September 12, 2019)
Updated Claiming Instructions For Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) (Formerly Known As Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System [SACWIS])

CFL 18-19-33 (November 1, 2018)
Claiming Instructions For Child Welfare Services - California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) Project Module Participation

CFL 18-19-09 (September 7, 2018)
Fiscal Year 2018-19 Child Welfare Services/Case Management System Data Clean-Up Allocation

CFL 15-16-16 (August 27, 2015)
Clarifying Claiming Instructions For CWS/CMS Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) System Support Staff (SSS) Costs

CFL 09-10-29 (October 12, 2009)
Clarification Of Electronic Data Processing (EDP) Cost Claiming

CFL 06/07-36 (May 21, 2007)
California County Welfare Department (CWD) Cost Allocation Plan (CAP) Changes For The 2005/2006 Fiscal Year (FY)

CFL 05/06-43E (April 27, 2006)
Errata to Couty Fiscal Letter 05/06-43 - County Welfare Department (CWD) County Expense Claim (CEC) Time Study And Claiming Instructions For The June 2006 Quarter

CFL 05/06-43 (April 6, 2006)
County Welfare Department (CWD) County Expense Claim (CEC) Time Study And Claiming Instructions For The June 2006 Quarter

CFL 03/04-27 (October 17, 2003)
New Claiming Instructions For Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS)

 

System Use

ACL 18-47 (May 3, 2018)
Child Welfare Services (CWS) External Systems

ACIN I-12-15 (March 9, 2015)
Accessing Child Welfare Services/ Case Management System (CWS/CMS) Data Entry Instructions For County Letters/ Information Notices

ACIN I-13-15 (February 27, 2015)
Child Welfare Services - New System (CWS-NS) Confidentiality Reminder

ACIN I-33-11 (July 7, 2011)
Statewide Accessibility, Use, and Confidentiality Regarding Data Within the Child Welfare Service/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACL 11-44 (June 8, 2011)
Server Based Computing (SBC) System Tokens For Access To The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACL 11-02 (January 19, 2011)
Fiscal Year (FY) 2010/2011 Process For County Certification To System Utilization Of The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) And The Availability Of An Associated Funding Augmentation

County Letter (December 2, 2009)
Child Welfare Services (CWS) External Systems

ACIN I-43-05 (August 5, 2005)
Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) Training Unit

ACIN I-81-89 (December 5, 1989)
Senate Bill 370 (Chapter 1294, Statutes Of 1989)

 

General Data Entry

ACIN I-04-22 (January 11, 2022)
Use Of “Attach” Feature In The California Automated Response And Engagement System (Cares-Live) Snapshot Application

ACL 22-08 (February 1, 2022)
Instructions For Entering Tribally Approved Homes And Documenting Tribally Specified Home Placements Into The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System

ACL 22-01 (February 7, 2022)
Child Welfare Services/Case Management System Data Clean-Up For Fiscal Year 2021-22

ACIN I-31-20 (April 8, 2020)
Documentation of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Child Welfare Services / Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACL 17-60 (June 22, 2017)
Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) Data Clean-Up For Fiscal Year (FY) 2017-18

ACIN I-87-16E (February 28, 2017)
Errata To Psychotropic Medication Data Sharing

ACIN I-87-16 (December 5, 2016)
Psychotropic Medication Data Sharing

ACL 16-75 (September 27, 2016)
Foster Youth Data Shared With California Department Of Education

ACIN I-12-15 (March 9, 2015)
Accessing Child Welfare Services/ Case Management System (CWS/CMS) Data Entry Instructions For County Letters/ Information Notices

ACIN I-88-10 (November 2, 2010)
Safely Surrendered Baby Definition, Intake And Data Entry

ACL 03-61 (December 2, 2003)
CWS/CMS Data Entry

 

Reports

ACL 21-12 (May 6, 2021)
Documentation Of Diagnosed Conditions In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) For Adoption And Foster Care Analysis And Reporting System (AFCARS) Data Entry And Reporting Purposes

ACL 21-27 (March 12, 2021)
Child Welfare Requirements for Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Training, Certification, and Entry of CANS Data into the Cares -Live System

ACIN I-64-14 (October 31, 2014)
Adoption And Foster Care Analysis And Reporting System (AFCARS) Data Entry Progress

ACL 13-106 (December 31, 2013)
Probation Foster Care Placement Monthly Caseload Statistical Report (FC23 1/05)

ACL 13-93 (December 9, 2013)
Release Of The California Child And Family Services Review (C-CFSR) Instruction Manual

ACL 13-36 (July 18, 2013)
Complete, Accurate, And Timely Adoption And Foster Care Analysis And Reporting System (AFCARS) Data Entry And Updates To The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS)

ACIN I-03-13 (January 24, 2013)
Complete, Accurate, And Timely Data Entry And Updates To The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) Data

ACL 12-21 (April 24, 2012)
Assembly Bill 717, Chapter 468, Statutes Of 2011 Child Abuse Central Index

ACL 11-27 (April 21, 2011)
National Youth In Transition Database Data Implementation Requirements

ACIN I-07-10 (January 25, 2010)
National Youth In Transition Database (NYTD) Data Entry Requirements Into The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) For All Foster Care Youth Eligible For Independent Living Program (ILP) Services

ACIN I-26-04 (May 18, 2004)
Review And Update Of Data Contained In The Child Welfare Services/Case Management System

ACL 04-06 (April 14, 2004)
Records Retention ACL

ACIN I-01-04 (January 13, 2004)
Adoption And Foster Care Analysis And Reporting System (AFCARS) Assessment Review

ACIN I-51-03 (October 17, 2003)
Child Welfare Services/Case Management System Data Aid Codes

ACIN I-04-01 (January 29, 2001)
Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) Statewide Bulletins

Contact Us

Child Welfare System Branch
2870 Gateway Oaks, Suite 230 - MS 19-83
Sacramento, CA 95833

Information System Bureau
Governance Support Unit
GovernanceSupportUnit@otsi.ca.gov

Regulations Support Unit
CWSB-ISRSupportUnit@dss.ca.gov

Business Requirements Unit
BusinessRequirements@dss.ca.gov

Fiscal Monitoring Unit
CWSB-Fiscal@osi.ca.gov

External Stakeholder Coordination Unit
cwds-externalstakeholder@osi.ca.gov