Treatment Courts

Iowa’s Diversion Programs

The Need for Action In 2004, Iowa averaged 125 meth responses

in one month. In 2012, Iowa averaged 2,003 marijuana

plants seized Rose to 5,813 in 2013

Synthetic drugs were on the rise K2, bath salts

DEA records indicated Iowa as the 3rd highest response in the country.

Heroin use appears to be rising in Iowa(Lukan S. , 2013))

The Problem Today In 2008, presence of illegal drugs in a

child’s body occurred 633 times. By 2012, rose to 1,002 cases reported to

DHS. Over the last five years, the number has

totaled 4,012. An increase of 58% since 2008.

(Lukan S. , 2013)

The Response Non-Prescription Pseudoephedrine control

laws – 2005 Meth lab incidents have declined 75%

Iowa enacted the Pseudoephedrine Tracking System - 2009 Electronic monitoring system that flags

illegal over the limit purchases. Stop buyers from buying small amounts

from a number of different pharmacies(Lukan S. , 2012)

More than 71,800 illegal purchase attempts have been blocked

Preventing over 423 pounds of Pseud. sales Averting approx. 1500 additional labs

As of Sept. of 2013, Iowa is averaging only 21 labs/ per month compared to the 125 earlier mentioned.

(Lukan S. , 2013)

Diversion Program Drug Treatment Court-1999

Provides services to both adults and juvenilesCounty Attorney’s office, Juvenile

Court, attorneys, Probation officers or the court

First drug court in IowaFirst to use volunteers to serve as it’s

judges(Iowa, 2002)

Four phases – anticipated one year Stabilization – 3-5 weeks Acceptance – 3-8 months Maitenance/Aftercare – 3-8 months Recover – on going

Progress is closely monitored Rewards/Consequences based

Electronic monitoring, bi-weekly vs. weekly supervision appt, drug court appearances,

Placement in halfway houses, treatment, or jail

Eligibility requirements:Must have chargesProbation cases and 1 year of

supervision remainingWillingness to participate and

make life changesNo felony charges or extensive

criminal historyNo gang involvementNo trafficking of drugs in large

quantities

60-70 clients Team members

District Court Judge Juvenile Probation Supervisor 5 drug court officers ( JCS & Dept.

Correct.) Part-time Tech 70 Community Panel volunteer

membersPanels meet once per month

145 juveniles and 140 adults graduated J- 54% have not committed another

crime A- 73% have not committed

another crime(Iowa, 2002)

Diversion ProgramFamily Treatment Court

Partnerships between courts and communities

Empower parents to break free from the grip of drugs and reunite families

Team Includes: Judge DHS Substance abuse treatment

professionals Attorneys Private agency providers

They have served 496 families 587 parents and 954 children

94% did not suffer a recurrence of maltreatment

76% were able to remain in the custody of their parents

79% were reunited within 12 months Parents are admitted to treatment

earlier and remain almost four times longer

Has saved Iowa taxpayers $4.6 million

(Family Treatment Courts in Iowa, 2014)

Overall Woodbury County’s overall success rate is

higher than the national average. Diversion programs help develop bonds

between client and professionals.(Vick, 2010)

Provide closer supervision and more frequent testing.

Drug use and criminal behavior are substantially reduced while drug users are participating

(Belenko, 1998)

Family Treatment Courts in Iowa. (2014, January). Iowa. Belenko, S. (1998). Research on Drug Courts: A Critical Review. National Drug

Court Institute Review: Volume 1, 4-24. Gottefredson, D. C., Najaka, S. S., & Kearley, B. (2003). Effectiveness of Drug

Treatment Courts: Evidence from a Randomized Trial. Ebsco, 171-196. Herman-Stahl, M. A., Krebs, C. P., Kroutil, L. A., & Heller, D. C. (2006). Risk and

protective factors for methamphetamine use and nonmedical use of prescription stimulants among young adults aged 18 to 25. Science Direct: Addictive Behaviors, 1004-1014.

Iowa, D. o. (2002). Drug Court Evaluation Plan. State of Iowa. Kendell, G. W. (2007). Methamphetamine Abuse in Iowa. Des Moines:

Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy. Lukan, S. (2013, Septemeber). Results Iowa. Retrieved March 2014, from

Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy: http://www.resultsiowa.org/drugctrl.html

Lukan, S. F. (2012, November). Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy. Retrieved March 2014, from 2013 Iowa Drug Control Stratgey: http://iowa.gov/odcp/drug_information/methamphetamine.html#

Russell, K., Dryden, D. M., Liang, Y., Friesen, C., O'Gorman, K., Durec, T., et al. (2008). Risk factors for methamphetamine use in youth: a systematic review. BMC Pediatrics, 1-10.

Vick, D. (2010). Impact of Community Panel Juvenile Drug Court Judges In Woodbury County, Iowa. PB & J, 20-32.