The University of Texas at Austin is rolling out a centralized hotline designed to be a one-stop lifeline for young adults who have aged out of foster care and are trying to figure out what comes next. The new Texas Foster Youth Network will blend referrals, short-term case management, and workforce navigation into a single point of contact, staffed by people who actually know the system from the inside because they lived it.
According to KXAN, the Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing at UT’s School of Social Work will run the network and build the call center that connects former foster youth with workforce resources, post-secondary education supports, and other transition services. The project is listed among current initiatives on the institute’s website at the Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing.
The effort is funded by a $4 million grant from the Texas Workforce Commission, which state materials say will support a staffed call center and outreach across Texas. UT also plans to bring in young adults with foster care experience to help shape how the network operates in its first year. Hiring notices on AcademicJobs.net describe outreach and operations roles to run the information-and-referral system.
Officials told KXAN the whole point is to cut through the usual confusion of scattered services. TWC Commissioner Alberto Trevio III said the network “provides a centralized location for those resources,” while UT program coordinator Tym Belseth noted that many young people get worn down by being handed long resource lists and bounced from agency to agency.
How the hotline will work
The Texas Foster Youth Network is expected to operate as a central call center where former foster youth can start with one phone call instead of a maze of websites and offices. The center will be staffed by people who have their own foster care histories and who will handle initial screening, provide referrals, and, when needed, offer short-term case management while connecting callers with local workforce boards, colleges, and community partners.
UT’s hiring materials on AcademicJobs.net emphasize that staff will be responsible for developing communication guidelines, privacy policies, and trauma-informed training so the system stays accessible and centered on youth needs.
Why it matters
Research has long shown that many young people exit foster care without the safety net their peers might take for granted. Roughly 1,000 Texas youth emancipate from foster care every year, leaving many at higher risk of unstable housing and unemployment, according to Youth Today. The state’s Department of Family and Protective Services already runs the Texas Youth Hotline for crisis referrals, but state and university leaders say this new network will home in specifically on workforce and education navigation for young adults after foster care.
UT officials say the Texas Foster Youth Network will roll out over the coming months, leaning on partnerships with workforce boards, colleges, and community organizations to reach youth across the state. More information, along with hiring and rollout updates, is available through the project page at the Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing and in materials from the Texas Workforce Commission.
