TRAC-Transition Resource Action Center

Background and History 

In the early 2000s, over 40 community partners came together to address the fact that youth in foster or juvenile care were being released from care unprepared, with significant barriers to transitioning to independent living, and with no safety net.  

TRAC, the Transition Resource Action Center, emerged from this process, envisioned as a one-stop-shop resource center designed to meet these young people’s needs. Evy Kay Washburne facilitated this process, and TRAC opened its doors in March 2003, with Evy Kay as its founding director. Today she serves as TRAC’s board chair. 

Founded in 2003, TRAC operated under the umbrella of CitySquare (originally Central Dallas Ministries). In 2023, TRAC began its separation to become an independent organization and has built new executive leadership and administrative infrastructure to support its mission. 

TRAC is the state designated transition center for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Region 3, which covers 19 different counties in the DFW area. “Transition centers provide a central clearinghouse of one-stop services to serve the diverse needs of older foster youth, homeless youth, or other at-risk youth… Transition centers are independently funded and operated and supported by partnerships between DFPS and their providers, and the Texas Workforce Commission.” 

TRAC Services

TRAC annually provides about 1,200 young people with life skills training, crisis intervention, transition planning, housing assistance (temporary, transitional, and permanent), workforce support, education assistance, physical and mental health services, and drop-in centers:  

• Life Skills Training: TRAC contracts with the state to facilitate the interactive Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) program, which first assesses and then prepares foster youth for adult life in advance of their leaving care.
• Crisis Intervention: TRAC counselors triage calls and provide immediate support to youth in crisis to help stabilize and connect with necessary resources, including temporary housing.
• Transition Planning: TRAC case managers, more commonly referred to as coaches, provide wrap-around support through assessment, mapping out future challenges and opportunities, supportive counseling, and referral to resources. 
• Housing Assistance: TRAC connects youth to a variety of transitional and permanent housing programs, some operated by TRAC and others operated by TRAC partners.  
• Workforce Support: TRAC workforce coaches help young people prepare for employment, find jobs and retain them. 
• Education Assistance: TRAC assists with applications, obtaining financial aid and tuition waivers, registration, purchasing supplies, and securing student housing. 
• Mental and Physical Health Services: TRAC connects youth to trauma-informed clinicians. 
• Drop-In Centers: Both TRAC locations, in Dallas and Fort Worth, provide a home base, where youth can receive services, find a meal or a snack, work on a computer and access wi-fi, and relax in warm and supportive surroundings.