General Information
When will CAREWare be available?
The release date is August 14, 2020.
Is CAREWare mandatory? If not, why?
No, CAREWare is not mandatory. Many Healthy Start grantees are currently contracted to use data systems developed by third-party vendors, or have heavily invested in developing and updating their own databases. The Division of Healthy Start and Perinatal Services (DHSPS) recognizes that mandating the use of a new data management system would, in many cases, be overly burdensome, costly, and time consuming for grantees. To make the best use of program resources and investments, the division is not requiring grantees use CAREWare. However, CAREWare provides many benefits to grantees who choose to use it, including cost savings, and a customizable case management system designed specifically for Healthy Start reporting needs.
Will grantees need to execute any contracts to use CAREWare?
No, a contract is not required to use CAREWare. An End User License Agreement is available for download from the Healthy Start EPIC website
Who 'owns' the data once entered into CAREWare?
You, the user of CAREWare, own your data. You are responsible for creating back-ups; HRSA cannot access any data or reports in CAREWare.
Where will system servers reside? Will each grantee be able to do their own back-up?
The developer of CAREWare, jProg, manages the system servers that house CAREWare data. Grantees can export all data they enter into CAREWare, and are responsible for creating their own back-ups.
Can data be “protected” from HRSA? For instance, if we include client names in our records but don't want to share those with HRSA.
HRSA cannot access any grantee data entered into CAREWare. To fulfill reporting requirements, grantees who choose to use CAREWare will need to use the CAREWare reporting tools to export their required data and then manually send it to HRSA via the instructed methods. HRSA only has access to data that grantees have submitted via the instructed methods below.
Required Methods for Submitting Data:
- Monthly Healthy Start Aggregate Reports - reports are to be sent to the HealthyStartData@hrsa.gov mailbox and your HRSA Project Officer
- Client-level data – data collected using the Healthy Start DataCollection Forms will need to be uploaded into the Healthy Start Data and Evaluation Database (HSMED2) when it is released on November12, 2020. Instructions will be sent to grantees prior to release of the system
- Performance and Progress Reports – data must be entered into the Discretionary Grant Information System (DGIS) housed in the Electronic Handbooks (EHBs).
System Features
Will grantees be able to pull raw data out of CAREWare for program use?
Yes, users can export all data they’ve entered into CAREWare
Will CAREWare produce the monthly aggregate report? Will the system automatically pull the data for the aggregate reports, based on everything users have entered?
Upon release on August 14th, CAREWare users can begin entering information into the three Healthy Start Data Collection Forms. The aggregate data report export will also be available at the same time. Grantees who choose to transition to CAREWare are responsible for entering Data Collection Forms to produce their monthly aggregate report. The monthly aggregate report tool will compile the required data from the Data Collection Forms and generate a completed Excel file that matches the aggregate report template. Each month, the grantee must send this report to the HealthyStartData@hrsa.gov mailbox and their Project Officer, to fulfill the monthly program reporting requirement.
What if I forget to save while using the system?
Each module in CAREWare has a save option. You must select “save” after you enter information in each module. Information will not be auto saved.
Will audit tools be programmed into CAREWare for quality assurance purposes?
CAREWare users can create their own custom reports for audit purposes using the system’s report builder. As development of the system continues through January 2021, any standard reports built by the TA & Support Center will be dependent on the needs of, and generalizability to, all grantees.
Are there tools for staff management within CAREWare? Meaning, can I see how team members are performing or completing tasks for families?
CAREWare users can create custom reports to track staff caseloads and activities. As the development of the system continues through January 2021, any standard reports built by the TA & Support Center will be dependent on the needs of, and generalizability to, all grantees.
When is benchmark reporting expected to be available?
After CAREWare’s August 14th release, a number of additional modules and reports were developed to support grantees in meeting the reporting requirements of the Healthy Start program. The division expects these additional features will be completed by January 2021.
Will grantees have direct access to development teams within CAREWare if other funding requirements need to be met with the same database? Will grantees have to pay for additional customization separately; is it only free for Healthy Start data collection and reporting?
CAREWare is highly customizable; grantees who use CAREWare can create custom forms using a built-in form designer, as well as custom reports. A number of manuals and quick guides are available to grantees that detail how to use these tools.
Additionally, the TA & Support Center and the system developer, jProg, will answer questions regarding customization via email and phone. Grantees who require customizations beyond the standard features developed for Healthy Start reporting are responsible for creating them using the customization tools in CAREWare. If a grantee requires support beyond the available manuals, quick guides, and scope of technical assistance provided by the TA & Support Center and system developer, the grantee may need to explore options to meet their additional needs.
Transitioning to CAREWare
Is it expected that grantees will transition to CAREWare in a few weeks?
CAREWare is not mandatory. If a Healthy Start grantee chooses to use CAREWare, there is no expected timeline for when they should transition, or how long a transition should take. Whether a site chooses to use CAREWare or not, grantees are still responsible for continuing to meet reporting requirements in a timely manner. Additionally, grantees are responsible for identifying the pros and cons of transitioning to CAREWare for their particular site. For grantees who choose to transition from their current data system, the division recommends sites create detailed plans to ensure risks are minimized and reporting requirements are met throughout. Transition plans may include: protocols for backing-up data from current systems, staff roles and descriptions of duties, key steps and necessary tasks, processes for meeting reporting requirements, and detailed timelines for key steps and project completion.
Will CAREWare have the ability in the future to import files from another case management system? Can client-level data be exported so it can be imported into another database?
Given the wide variety of data systems and solutions used by Healthy Start grantees, CAREWare has limited functionality to import data from other systems. If a grantee chooses to transition to CAREWare, they are responsible for developing their site’s approach and continuing to meet program reporting requirements while transitioning. Additional functionality for importing Healthy Start Data Collection Form information from another system will be explored in the coming months.
Grantees can export any data they have entered into CAREWare, including client-level data entered into the three Healthy Start Data Collection Forms.
We were told we would not need to go back and re-screen clients with the new Data Collection Forms. How will these clients be captured if we begin using CAREWare to submit aggregate reports?
Starting May 15th, grantees were required to implement the new Healthy Start Data Collection Forms. Healthy Start grantees should screen all clients served since May 15th with the new Data Collection Forms. Additionally, grantees are required to submit revised aggregate data for January-July 2020 using the new aggregate data template by September 4th, 2020. A grantee who plans to transition to CAREWare before September 4th should submit their revised aggregate data template using information from their current data system so that HRSA has accurate participant counts for the months prior to implementation of the new forms.
Technical Assistance and Support
Who will be the contact for CAREWare technical assistance?
The TA & Support Center at NICHQ is working with the system developer, jProg, to offer support to Healthy Start grantees. jProg will offer technical support via email and phone. All technical questions should be emailed to hshelp@jprog.com. Phone support will be available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 10 am-12 pm, and 5-7 pm ET at 800-371-7973.
Non-technical questions should be emailed to careware@nichq.org. TA & Support Center staff may schedule follow-up phone calls with grantees to address submitted questions or concerns.
For questions regarding implementation of the three Healthy Start Data Collection Forms, general data collection, and reporting, please email questions to the HealthyStartData@hrsa.gov mailbox and copy your Project Officer.
What are the plans and details for future training?
DHSPS and the TA & Support Center hosted a virtual training on CAREWare on Tuesday, August 18, 2020 from 3-4 p.m. ET. The training provided a walkthrough of CAREWare including information on accessing the system, creating and managing user accounts, adding clients, creating records using the Healthy Start Data Collection Forms, and accessing the Healthy Start aggregate monthly report.
DHSPS and the TA & Support Center hosted a Q&A session on Tuesday, September 1, 2020 from 3-4 p.m. ET. Grantees are encouraged to try using CAREWare in the two weeks between the August 18 training and this Q&A session, and to bring any questions to this session.
Both the training and the Q&A session will be recorded and posted to Healthy Start EPIC website for future reference.