Drug Court graduate rebuilds life
Supporters of the Crow Wing County Drug Court program Tuesday reported the program they believe is turning lives around and saving tax dollars will run out of funding at year's end.
"It is a very effective tool and it's a cost-effective tool," said David Hermerding, Crow Wing County assistant county attorney, during a presentation Tuesday before the county board.
Funding Drug Court is going to be more challenging for Crow Wing County as grant funds dry up, said Administrator Tim Houle.
Drug Court combines punishment and more aggressive rehabilitation to break the cycle of addiction and keep people from reoffending. Participants in the program are screened. Houle said the program makes participants more strictly accountable with a higher level of supervision.
About Drug Court
Average age of participants - 29.
Of 35 discharged participants, 88 percent were employed part time or full time when discharged.
Of 12 discharged court participants who didn't have a high school diploma or GED at entry, 58 percent had a diploma or GED when discharged.
Average jail days served while in Drug Court - eight.
When Rob Masters entered the program, Hermerding said he didn't believe many people had a lot of hope for success. Masters had been in the court system and in jail numerous times spending months and years away from his family. His addiction started when he was a teenager. His trouble with the legal system began about 10 years ago. He said he forged checks and dealt drugs.
"I'm not proud of any of that stuff but it's where your addiction takes you," Masters said.
Now the family man has a full-time job, pays taxes and has turned his life around, Hermerding said, adding he didn't believe that would have happened without Drug Court's intense supervision and work to help Masters with his addiction.
The program uses a team approach with representatives, including probation, courts, public health, social services, and the jail for intervention with people addicted to controlled substances - methamphetamine, marijuana and, increasingly, prescription drugs.
After nearly 20 years of addiction with alcohol and drugs, Masters said he has been sober for going on three years.
"Now I have got four kids - two who have seen me in my addiction and two who haven't and they all love me and that's just phenomenal to me and I've got a loving wife that is extremely supportive and I never would have thought that is possible," Masters said.
"I went from a life that was total chaos, spending more time incarcerated and causing so much havoc to being a productive member of society, to being a good dad and to wanting to reach out to others that are down because there is hope."
Now Masters describes himself as a dopeless hope fiend.
"If it can work for me a hopeless dope addict, it can work for other people, too," Masters said, adding he wants to be part of helping others through it. "If this program isn't around any more, it's going to be hard to be part of something that is not here."
There are currently 19 people in the Drug Court program.
Kaye Wilson, Drug Court probation agent, said 52 people have been in the program and 26 completed it.
"In the two years prior to entering the program, those 19 people spent a combined total of 729 days in jail," Wilson said. "The total cost of that is right around $40,000. ... There is some cost savings because they are not going back into custody."
Additional funds are being sought, but Hermerding said if those efforts are unsuccessful the program will end. Savings aren't solely related to the jail, Hermerding said, noting savings in child protection costs, social services and associated court costs.
"Across the board we are saving money," Hermerding said.
The team approach works faster than the court system and Houle said Drug Courts have reduced the number of people who reoffend.
"It helps to break that cycle of dependency that gets so many of those folks in trouble," Houle said. "It's going to get more challenging for us how we are going to try to fund that."