This is a work in progress.

CWDS Blended Governance Structure

The Child Welfare Digital Services (CWDS) organization oversees the activities of both the legacy Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) and the Child Welfare Services - New System (CWS-NS).

CWS-NS Project Governance

The CWS-NS Project is an integrated team consisting of resources from the Office of Systems Integration (OSI), CA Department of Social Services (CDSS), County Welfare Directors’ Association (CWDA), county welfare departments, and consultants. The project team works closely with various State and Federal control agencies and stakeholder organizations. Not all stakeholders will participate in governance decisions and activities, but they may be effected by the decisions and activities.

To ensure effective governance, decision making and operational oversight need to be executed as close-as-possible to the point where the action is required. The agile approach supports decision making at the lowest levels of the organization. This requires empowerment of the individuals by the decision body and excellent communication horizontally across the service teams and vertically throughout the governance hierarchy.

**have linked chart - but this one is the old one. It needs to be replaced with one that has correct links

The diagram displays the essential elements of governance for the CWS-NS Project, emphasizing the relationships amongst the CWDS Organization and its blended state, county and tribal stakeholder groups. Lines and arrows illustrate affinities and conduits for the exchange of information in support of the CWS-NS. The current CWS-NS Governance Structure leverages some of the existing legacy CWS/CMS Governance structure already in place. Click on each entity in the chart to access additional information about the group and their communications channels.

State Agencies

CA Health & Human Services Agency

The California Health & Human Services Agency oversees departments and offices that provide a wide range of services in the areas of health care, mental health, public health, alcohol and drug treatment, income assistance, social services and assistance to people with disabilities.

California Department of Social Services

The mission of the California Department of Social Services is to serve, aid, and protect needy and vulnerable children and adults in ways that strengthen and preserve families, encourage personal responsibility, and foster independence. The California Department of Social Services is the Sponsor of the Child Welfare Services - New System Project.

CWDS Organization

The governance structure for the CWS-NS Project is established with the following blended entities:

• CWDS Board of Directors
• CWDS Executive Leadership Team
• Service Delivery Organization

Assignment to any one of the three levels brings the responsibility of preparation and communication to each decision making member. The communication of various groups within the CWDS Organization is both horizontal and vertical. Key groups meet on a regular basis as well as communicate informally on a regular daily basis.

CWDS Board of Directors

The Board of Directors provides the highest level of leadership for the Project and is comprised of the following members:

- CDSS Directorate

• Director
• Chief Deputy Director
• Program Deputy Director for Benefits and Services

- OSI Directorate

• Director
• Chief Deputy Director

- CWDA Directorate

• Executive Director

Responsibilities of the Board of Directors

• Set the vision and goals of the overall Child Welfare System
• Empower the project team to make decisions
• Support and enable an agile, iterative environment
• Enable a multidisciplinary team environment
• Support the project team to break down silos
• Secure budget and investment approval
• Secure service-specific approvals

The CWDS Board of Directors meets regularly on a two week schedule.

CWDS Executive Leadership Team

The CWDS Executive Leadership Team is an executive level committee comprised of the following three decision making members

• User Representative
• Digital Service Director
• Technical Delivery and Project Management Director

The Executive Leadership Team’s Primary Focus

• Policy
• Strategy
• Budget
• Politics

Responsibilities of the Executive Leadership Team

• Identification of a single service owner
• Communication with the Board of Directors
• Delivery of the overall CWS-NS service
• Set standards and guidance for service teams
• Enable an agile, iterative environment for service teams
• Empower service teams to make decisions

Communication and Escalation

The CWDS Executive Leadership Team

• Meet biweekly in Executive Leadership Team meetings, with additional meetings as needed.
• Executive Leadership Team members communicate regularly on a daily basis with Service Directors, Service Managers, and Service Teams.

The types of issues and risks that are escalated to the Executive Leadership Team are those related to changes in

• Scope
• Schedule
• Cost
• Vision

• Status

• CWS-NS Project Governance Chart
• CWS-NS Blended Governance
• Service Delivery Organization
• Stakeholder Governance Committees
• Stakeholder User Community Representation

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This document is Draft