1. WCDS Consortium Background
March 15, 2017

2. Who and What is the WCDS Consortium?

3. Background
The Welfare Client Data Systems (WCDS) originated in Santa Clara County in 1967 and, eventually, was implemented in nineteen Counties. Together, eighteen of those Counties formed a Consortium for the joint development and maintenance of the shared existing WCDS System software. The Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) ( was initiated by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) in 1985 and subsequently transferred to the Office of Systems Integration (OSI). In 1995, with the approval of the Federal funding agencies, the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the responsibility for welfare system development and implementation was passed to Counties with the requirement that Counties form consortia to develop and implement systems. The California Legislature initiated the reassignment of responsibilities and placed directive language in the State 1995/96 Budget authorization. The agreement between the State, the Federal and County agencies states that the Counties currently running or scheduled to receive Interim SAWS (ISAWS) should be considered a Consortium and that the Los Angeles County Project (LEADER) should be a second Consortium. The remaining Counties were free to form two additional consortia. The WCDS Counties immediately moved to become a third Consortium that initiated the CalWORKs Information Network (CalWIN) project, thus leaving the remaining Counties to form a fourth Consortium known as C-IV.

4. The WCDS Consortium
18 Counties and CSAC Support Staff (extension of counties)
Supported by external partners:
HP Enterprise Services, Inc. is the primary vendor for providing design, development, implementation and maintenance of WCDS’ products.
First Data Corporation is the vendor providing Quality Assurance services to the Consortium.
No separate legal entity; exists as partnership of Counties (as opposed to C-IV, a JPA); as a result:
Folsom site staff employed as CSAC affiliates through annual CSAC contract
County or Counties must hold the WCDS contracts (operational vendors, legal services, temporary staff augmentation)
Managed by Board of Directors with many duties delegated to the Executive Director and the Operations & Policy Advisory Committee (OPAC)

5. WCDS Consortium Counties
County
Size Status
County #
Alameda
Large 01
Contra Costa 07
Fresno 10
Orange 30
Placer
Small 31
Sacramento 34
San Diego 37
San Francisco 38
San Luis Obispo 40
San Mateo
Medium 41
Santa Barbara 42
Santa Clara 43
Santa Cruz 44
Solano 48
Sonoma 49
Tulare 54
Ventura 56
Yolo 57

6. What is CalWIN?
California Work Opportunity & Responsibility to Kids Information Network

7. CalWIN…
A modern technological solution for efficiently administering public assistance programs and providing quality service to the communities
An integrated on-line, real-time automated system with 26 subsystems to support eligibility and benefits determination
Supports CalWORKs/TANF, RCA, CalFresh, CMSP, CAPI, IHSS, Foster Care, KinGAP, Cal- Learn, Medi-Cal/ACA, General Assistance/ General Relief and Employment Services programs.

8. Other CalWIN Facts
Supports almost 40% of the state’s total caseload. The largest and most automated welfare eligibility and benefit determination system in the State and one of the largest Welfare Administration Systems in the nation.
Supports 50,000+ county employees along with various business partners, in over 850 sites serving over 2.4 million California families.
Processes over 12.5 million transactions daily in less than 1 second on average.
Issues benefits to 4.4 million individuals every month!
Produces ~4.6 million pieces of correspondence each month; available in 14 different languages.
Interfaces data and images with Health Care Systems via MyBenefits CalWIN Portal
Code release quality exceeds industry standards! CalWIN averages less than 1 anomaly per 1,000 lines of code, well below the industry standard of 5 to 10 anomalies per 1,000 lines of code

9. Not Just CalWIN WCDS also manages:
ACCESS CalWIN-Interactive Voice Response System (ACW)
MyBenefits CalWIN Portal –Apply for benefits & Case level benefit information access
Electronic Notices (eNOA); via MyBenefits CalWIN Portal
CalWIN Kiosk Capabilities
MyBenefits CalWIN Mobile App
CalWIN Counties CalHEERS Call Center
Other initiatives

10. WCDS Consortium Operations

12. Board of Directors
WCDS is governed by a Board of Directors, consisting of each participating County’s Welfare Director or appointee. The Co- Chairs are selected each fiscal year through a nomination process and alternate in the role as Chair for each meeting.
The final decision-making body for the Consortium, providing general oversight
Makes high-level policy decisions that guide and direct WCDS oversight of Product Management
Develops strategic vision and manages financial components
Approves release strategies and priorities
Standardizes county policies and procedures
Provides direction to the Operations & Policy Advisory Committee (OPAC)

13. WCDS Executive Director
The Executive Director manages the WCDS Consortium systems and administers the WCDS contracts. The WCDS Executive Director reports to, and is directed by, the WCDS Board of Directors.

14. WCDS Operations & Policy Advisory Committee (OPAC)
Functions at the direction of the WCDS Board of Directors; Co- Chaired by County reps based on nomination/election process
Makes recommendations to the Board that guide and direct WCDS oversight of day-to-day product management and oversight of project teams
Comprised of IT or Operational County staff (one rep from each County) and two Directors
Subset of OPAC to serve as the Steering Committee to handle urgent matters between meetings; to include OPAC Co-Chairs and one rep each from a large, medium and small county
Meets once a month