DRIVERS EDUCATION:

 

The Department of Health and Human Services recognizes the importance of completing a driver’s education course and obtaining a driver’s license for older youth in care.  Completing a driver’s education is necessary to develop the safe driving skills needed to obtain a driver’s license.  Access to education, employment, health care, and other community-based activities for older youth in care is dependent on access to transportation.

 

When appropriate, youth will be provided the opportunity to complete driver’s education prior to the age of 18 or as part of their Voluntary Extended Support (V9) Agreement.

 

Prior to the youth’s 16th birthday, caseworkers will inform the youth that funds for driver’s education are available. The youth’s caseworker will discuss the expectations, responsibilities, and steps involved in obtaining a driver’s license with the youth, their caregiver and others as needed.  Together, they will decide when the youth should be encouraged to enroll in a driver’s education program, within the following guidelines:

 

The Department of Health and Human Services will cover the total cost for driver’s education.

 

Prior to starting their driver’s education course, the youth will provide their caseworker with a list of the names of individuals who are willing to supervise their practice driving time.  This will give the caseworker time to review the list and perform any background checks on individuals at their discretion. All individuals assisting the youth with their practice driving hours must be insured to the minimum liability or other coverage limits required by the law.

 

The Department may pay a professional driving instructor when needed for the driving time.

 

The youth’s caseworker, the supervisor, and the District Program Administrator may deny the youth’s request for driver’s education, interrupt the driver’s education and licensing process, or revoke the youth’s driving privileges at any time due to the following specific circumstances and conditions:

 

A medical doctor or mental health professional recommends, in writing, to the youth’s caseworker that the youth not drive due to physical, mental, or emotional conditions that would significantly impair the youth’s functioning and judgment making the youth a threat to themselves or others when operating a motor vehicle.

 

A pattern of drug and alcohol use by the youth.

 

Violent and unsafe behavior by the youth during the previous six months.

 

A pattern of suspension, non-attendance, or expulsion from school by the youth during the previous six months.

 

o	Other unsafe behaviors and/or irresponsible behaviors that a reasonable and prudent person would consider to be evidence of poor judgment related to the operation of a motor vehicle.

 

o	Failure to attend scheduled Drivers Education classes.

 

For a youth who is denied the opportunity to obtain driver’s education, the caseworker will provide to the youth, in writing, the reasons for the denial and the opportunity to develop a reasonable plan that outlines what is expected of them in order to complete driver’s education.

 

When enrolling in driving school, the youth must submit an original birth certificate (or notarized copy – not a photocopy), completed driving school forms, and a Departmental purchase order to the school. Completed driving school forms will include a caseworker’s signature.

 

The youth’s caseworker will send all necessary completed paperwork and the Departmental purchase order directly to the driving school within a timeframe that allows the youth to begin driver’s education as soon as possible.

 

After the youth’s driving hours log is complete, it must be signed by either a District Program Administrator or Supervisor in order for the youth to be able to schedule a time for their driver’s license road test.  The signature of one of these individuals for the youth’s driving hours log is required by BMV for any youth up to age 21.

 

The youth must procure a registered and insured vehicle in which to take the road test.  BMV verifies that the vehicle is registered, inspected and insured at the time the road test is taken.  Caseworker approval is required with regard to the person who owns the vehicle that the youth will be using for their road test.

 

In the event that a registered and insured vehicle in which to take the road test is unavailable, DHHS will pay for the rental of a driver’s education vehicle for youth to use to take the road test.

 

Once the youth passes the road test and obtains their 60-day temporary driver’s license, they will go to the local DMV office with their parent or guardian within 60 days to obtain their picture license.  The parent or guardian must go with the youth to sign for the picture license.

 

MOTOR VEHICLE OWNERSHIP:

 

No youth in care under the age of 18 may own a motor vehicle in their own name.  However, a youth in care under the age of 18 may operate a motor vehicle if it is owned by the name of a responsible adult and they are allowing the youth to use the vehicle.  The vehicle must be properly insured according to the law as verified by the youth’s caseworker.  Any violations of a motor vehicle or insurance laws and the consequences of such violations will be the responsibility of the youth.