At MSU Texas, our former foster youth liaison is part of FIRST2GO, a slate of services coordinated by the Mosaic Center for Community & Belonging.

Mosaic assists MSU Texas students who are foster care alumni through free and confidential support, along with the sharing information on important resources.

What's a liaison? A liaison is a single individual that serves as a consistent, reliable source of information for the students in foster care -- currently or in the past.

The higher education foster care liaison has three responsibilities.

  • Providing information on support services to foster care alumni -- students formerly in the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS);
  • Informing these students about other resources available at the institution; and
  • Providing any other relevant information to assist the students.

We hope you'll consider your liaison part of your success team on campus. Maybe you just have a quick question about where to go for fill-in-the-blank. Or, maybe you need to time to talk through your big life goals. That's exactly what a liaison is for! 

Use this form to identify yourself or refer a student you know! 

If you have any questions, please contact the Former Foster Youth Liason, Cammie Dean at  cammie.dean@msutexas.edu or call 940-397-4500.

Resources for Former Foster Youth

Financial Resources

  • Education & Training Voucher (ETV) Program help current and former foster youth and young adults, youth adopted at age 16, and youth that enter Permanency Care Assistance at age 16 to make a smoother transition to a successful adulthood by providing funding and supports to help youth and young adults achieve their educational goals.
  • State College Tuition Waiver. This state law exempts or waives payment of tuition and fees at state supported colleges or universities for foster youth currently or formerly in the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and for those adopted from DFPS. 
  • Freshmen & Sophomore Success Scholarship for young adults formerly in DFPS foster care attending a Texas state-funded institution of higher education. Application due dates are August 1 and November 1, prior to each semester. Only students awarded the scholarship both semesters as a freshman may apply for the scholarship as a sophomore or as a 2nd year student at a Texas state-funded institution of higher education. The application is on website.
  • Pre-Law Scholarship. C. Ed Davis PAL Scholarship, offered by the Texas Department of Family Protective Services, is basic non-tuition needs for students interested in the field of law and majoring in government, political science, history, or other pre-law fields. Application can be downloaded on website.

Shelter

  • Extended Foster Care is a voluntary program that offers young adults turning 18 in DFPS care opportunities to continue foster care placement and facilitate the transition to independence with DFPS supervision, if there is an available placement.
  • The Phased IN Project a transitional living program for emancipated foster youth. Phased IN will provide housing, education, medical care and life skills training.
  • Break Housing (for on-campus residents). Break housing fees are waived for students who have aged out of foster care and have an active housing agreement for the current and upcoming housing agreement periods. To ensure fees are waived, please send the Office of Residence Life & Housing an initial email at housing@msutexas.edu to notify us of your former foster youth status. Then submit the break housing form as required for each period. Questions can be directed to the Office of Residence Life & Housing at housing@msutexas.edu or (940) 397-4217. 

Healthcare

  • Medicaid For Former Foster Youth and STAR Health Services provides healthcare coverage through age 25 to young adults who age out of Texas foster care and who were receiving Medicaid when they aged out of care. This also includes young adults who aged out of foster care in another state on or after January 1, 2023 and who were receiving Medicaid when they aged out of foster care.

Student Success

  • TRiO/Student Support Services (SSS). This federally funded grant program provides assistance and services such as study skills, personal counseling, academic advice and assistance, tutoring, cultural events, academic workshops, career services, activities designed to foster enrollment in graduate programs, study lounge, and computer lab. Learn more on the SSS webpage. Former foster youth are given priority during new participant application review in SSS. Ready to apply? Click here.