The Children's Bureau's Division of State Systems (DSS) communicates with state and tribal partners via regular phone calls, listserv messages, the voluntary Child Welfare Technical Working Group (CWTWG), and resource mailboxes (group mailboxes designed for a specific purpose), such as CCWIS Questions.
State and Tribal Assignments
A DSS analyst is assigned to each state, territory, or tribe with a title IV-E agency (including tribal grantees). The analyst is available to respond to questions, provide technical assistance, and serve as the primary contact for advance planning documents (APDs) and other formal submissions.
Child Welfare Technical Working Group
The CWTWG represents child welfare information technology (IT) projects and supports DSS's efforts to provide guidance and technical assistance for title IV-E agency efforts to plan, develop, implement, operate, and maintain a child welfare information system. The CWTWG includes DSS staff and volunteer child welfare IT project managers.
Listservs
Child Welfare IT Managers Listserv
DSS maintains the Child Welfare IT Managers listserv that is exclusive to state and tribal staff to alert them about important updates, child welfare IT webinars, and scheduled child welfare IT manager conference calls. Contact Kym Rosen to join this listserv.
Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) Announcements Listserv
The CCWIS Announcements Listserv is a public listserv anyone can join to receive updates on the implementation of the new CCWIS regulations. Visit the CCWIS Announcements Listserv page for steps on how to sign up.
Resource Mailboxes
DSS uses three different group mailboxes to communicate with title IV-E agencies. The CB APD Submissions and HHS Multi-Program APD Submissions resource mailboxes are used to manage formal submissions for federal approval, such as APDs, requests for proposals, and contracts. For more information about these two resource mailboxes, refer to the How to Send a Formal Submission webpage.
DSS maintains the CCWIS Questions resource mailbox to allow state and tribal title IV-E agency staff and other interested parties to request guidance on child welfare IT policy. DSS responds to each question asked and may add the resulting question and answer to the Child Welfare Policy Manual.