CLINICAL PROFESSOR JOHNSTON-WALSH AUTHORS WHITE PAPER ON FOSTER YOUTH DRIVING OBSTACLES
March 2019 — Professor Lucy Johnston-Walsh authored a report which addresses the challenges that foster youth face when attempting to reach common teenage milestones, such as obtaining a driver’s license. This report is entitled “Behind the Wheel: Driving as a Route to Independence for Foster Youth .”
Professor Johnston-Walsh’s report was based on research funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and featured in the Foundation’s blog. The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a private philanthropy devoted to developing a brighter future for millions of children at risk of poor educational, economic, social and health outcomes. It describes its grant-making as “very selective” and explains that its focus is ensuring kids have strong, supportive families; increasing economic opportunity; transforming struggling communities; and strengthening social sector leaders dedicated to improving the lives of young people, noting that “to those ends, we invest in innovative ideas, practices and policies that have the potential to help millions thrive.”
In addition to being featured on the Foundation’s blog, Professor Johnston-Walsh’s report has been prominently featured on the First Focus on Children blog. First Focus on Children is a bipartisan advocacy organization dedicated to making children and families the priority in federal policy and budget decisions. As the story observes, learning to drive is an exciting and nearly essential milestone for young people today. Yet, for foster youth this rite of passage is often littered with obstacles — from licensing fees to costly automobile insurance rates. “Youth in foster care meet challenges each step of the way — when applying for their permit, enrolling in driver’s education programs, participating in supervised driving, purchasing cars and obtaining car insurance,” writes Lucy Johnston-Walsh a law professor who runs the Children’s Advocacy Clinic for Penn State Dickinson Law. Johnston-Walsh learned of these challenges when a clinic client was told she was not allowed to own a car due to county policy. Behind the Wheel identifies common challenges that young people face and recommends policy solutions that states can make to help these youth get behind the wheel — and get ahead in life. Policy suggestions include allocations of state funding as done in a few states to cover car insurance, drivers education, and licensing fees as well as steps to simplify applications forms.
Lucy Johnston-Walsh is a Clinical Professor of Law and founding director of the Dickinson Law Children’s Advocacy Clinic. Professor Johnston-Walsh’s research, teaching and service focus on juvenile law, specifically legal challenges of youth involved in the foster care system. She supervises law students in the legal representation of youth involved in the dependency system and her scholarship directly relates to systemic issues presented through the clinic cases, as well as interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of child advocacy. Her recent scholarship has been published in both medical journals and law reviews with forthcoming articles in Akron Law Review and Seattle Journal for Social Justice.