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CWS/CMS New System Request for Information
Description
The Child Welfare Services Case Management System (CWS/CMS) is a critical tool in providing Child Welfare-based services. It is a statewide, automated system that allows county and State CWS workers, and management to effectively and efficiently meet the needs of families and children served by the CWS program. CWS/CMS also meets statutory and regulatory mandates. All 58 California counties and CDSS utilize the CWS/CMS. The CDSS monitors and provides support and guidance to the counties through administrative oversight, fiscal support, and the development of program policies. The CDSS also takes a direct yet limited role in the provision of adoption services through six district offices and in the licensing of substitute care providers. All 58 California counties provide CWS services and a limited number of counties provide licensing and adoption services.
The primary purpose of the CWS/CMS is to enhance and support the effectiveness of California's CWS Program. The system:
- Provides child welfare social work staff with immediate access to child, family, and case-specific information in order to make sound and timely case decisions;
- Provides child welfare social work staff with current and accurate information to effectively and efficiently manage their caseloads and take appropriate and timely case management actions;
- Provides State and county administrators with the information needed to monitor and evaluate the achievement of program goals and administer programs;
- Provides State and county child welfare agencies with a common database and definition of information with which to evaluate CWS; and
- Consolidates the collection and reporting of information for child welfare programs pursuant to State and Federal requirements.
Background
The current CWS/CMS was designed and developed over several years and initial implementation began in January of 1997. Final rollout and conversion activities were completed in June of 1998. The system is a large client/server application that provides individual county social work staff with direct network access to a statewide database. This distributed system is comprised of more than 19,000 workstations; 2,000 laptops; 395 servers; 2,900 printers; and other hardware; and utilized by over 19,000 users at over 429 sites in 58 counties and CDSS. Thirty-seven of the State's 58 counties are designated as "Dedicated" counties and operate only the CWS/CMS and its related applications. The remaining 21 counties are designated as "Coexistent" and operate CWS/CMS within other county Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). The application is hosted by the Department of Technology Services (DTS) in Sacramento.
Purpose
The Department of General Services (DGS), Procurement Division (PD), and California Department of Social Services (CDSS) are releasing this Request for Information (RFI) to gather data on the current market conditions for a technology solution to develop a new Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS). This information will be used to develop and finalize requirements to be placed in a Request for Proposal (RFP).
Note: The CWS/CMS New System V&V RFP, including all associated exhibits, artifacts and addenda is the only document that can be relied upon in preparing a responsive competitive bid proposal for the New System Project. Any other information provided on this web site is solely for general public information and does not in any way pertain to any requirements for the CWS/CMS New System V&V procurement.