Since 2010, Drive-To-Work has offered programs to sponsor organizations whose participants need to restore their driving privileges. The purpose of the programs is to inform participants of the steps they need to take to get their licenses back. As a result, knowledge of the licensing process is gained and anxiety about its challenges are reduced. Sponsoring organizations thus add an important new component to their efforts to get their participants "job ready."
“How to Get Your License Back” Seminars
Drive-To-Work has developed a group seminar and Power Point presentation for persons participating in offender re-entry programs, which provides all the information necessary to begin the re-licensing process. Each participant leaves with a checklist of specific steps to begin on their own. When and if they reach the point of needing legal assistance, they can apply to become clients of Drive-To-Work. We have presented these seminars to CARITAS Works program in Richmond, the WELCOME re-entry program of the Richmond Department of Justice Services, Rubicon and the Henrico County Drug Court Program.
Since 2014, Drive-To-Work has partnered with the Virginia Department of Corrections to provide this service as part of the Department's Adult Reentry Initiative. Seminars on "How To Get Your License Back" are presented by volunteer attorneys serving as instructors at different correctional facilities. Participants are offenders who are expecting to be released within six months. During the last two years, we offered 95 seminars at 13 facilities. In 2019, we are presenting 45 “How To Get Your License Back” seminars at 15 correctional facilities.
On-Line Driver Improvement Clinic at Correctional Facilities
Starting in 2019, Drive-To-Work is offering an on-line driver improvement clinic at 15 facilities of the Virginia Department of Corrections. Offenders who need to complete a driver improvement clinic may elect to take the driver improvement clinic while still incarcerated. If they successfully complete the course, the driver improvement clinic requirement is removed from their DMV record.
To make the course affordable for offenders, Drive-To-Work obtained foundation grants to lower the cost. Department of Corrections is also contributing educational funds toward the cost.
This innovative, on-line driver improvement clinic offered at correctional institutions is unique. Virginia is the only state providing it.
