Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS)

The California Health and Human Services (CalHHS) Office of Technology and Solutions Integration (OTSI) is responsible for state-level project management and oversight of the California State Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS).

CalSAWS is the case management system supporting the State of California’s public assistance programs, providing eligibility determination and benefit calculation for county eligibility and employment staff to assist program applicants and recipients. The SAWS provide support and automation for the administration of public assistance programs such as Medi-Cal, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), CalFresh/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), Foster Care, Refugee Cash Assistance, Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KinGAP), California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) General Assistance/General Relief (GA/GR), Welfare-to-Work, Child Care, and Adoption Assistance Program (AAP). The Project also manages BenefitsCal, which is the public-facing portal where Californians can get and manage benefits online for CalFresh, CalWORKs, GA/GR and Medi-Cal. BenefitsCal also allows for Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to assist customers with applying for and managing their benefits.

As of October 30, 2023, all 58 counties are using CalSAWS. LRS supporting Los Angeles County, C-IV supporting 39 counties and CalWIN supporting 18 counties have all successfully migrated and are now on CalSAWS.

The statewide CalSAWS Joint Powers Authority (JPA) is based on a regional governance model developed by the CalSAWS Leadership Team. The CalSAWS JPA constitutes a single legal entity for purposes of managing the CalSAWS Consortium and the CalSAWS System. The CalSAWS JPA also serves as the contracting vehicle for all procurements.