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TWC staff says foster youth conference will be funded from transition centers allocation; earlier regional expo funds rolled back
Summary
Staff told commissioners that the statewide foster youth conference will be funded from the Foster Youth Transition Centers allocation in the proposed FY26 budget and that a previously planned regional foster youth expo was canceled and its line-item funds were rolled into the transition centers allocation.
Staff clarified the budget treatment of foster youth conferences after a commissioner asked whether the FY26 operating budget included a separate line for a statewide foster youth conference. Staff explained the conference has been funded in past years by carving out a portion of the Foster Youth Transition Centers allocation rather than through a separate operating line.
A staff member (Speaker 2) said the commission attempted to procure a regional foster youth expo for the Gulf Coast/Fort Worth area in a prior cycle but providers did not demonstrate sufficient interest and the event did not run; the corresponding $62,500 regional line was rolled back into the transition centers allocation. A commissioner (Speaker 5) asked whether $65,000 could be set aside for the statewide conference; staff replied that the conference costs are currently covered out of the transition centers allocation and that, historically, a portion of that larger line has been used to support the statewide foster youth conference.
Staff also reported ongoing procurement efforts for foster youth services and said they are exploring higher-education partnerships where grant solicitations were previously unsuccessful.
What happens next
No separate appropriation was made at the time; staff confirmed the conference scheduled for July will proceed using transition-centers funds. Commissioners asked staff to ensure that line-item treatment and procurement plans be clear in the final FY26 materials.
