MEADA PRESENTS MESSAGE OF HOPE

This MEADA (Methamphetamine Education and Drug Awareness) message was
written by Margaret Munson, Wright County Court Services.

Probation officers with Wright County Court Services frequently deal
with offenders who have chemical dependency-related issues. The most
critical of them is methamphetamine.

About four years ago, the court system asked for a program that
addressed meth use with pre-trial controlled substance cases. From
that, a pre-trial drug testing program was developed. In the
beginning of the program, it felt like everyone was using, no one
could stay clean before or after treatment. But in the last four
years, things have really improved. More individuals are supervised
than should be, but the ones that come into the system have more
choices. Local programs have done an excellent job expanding their
program to adapt to the needs of the addicted client. The providers
have realized that the addict needs more than just 28 days to heal
and recover. A positive outcome of this hard work is that more people
are entering treatment and embracing recovery, rather than taking up
space in the jail system.

The formation of MEADA two years ago, along with the other work going
on in Wright County, is making a true difference for all citizens in
our county.

When drug offenders choose rehabilitation over jail time, everyone
benefits in the long run. A local woman who has been under
supervision for the last 16 months is now a poster child for hope and
recovery. At first, this 49-year-old petite woman weighed about 120
pounds and had very few teeth left in her mouth as a result of her
meth abuse. Her involvement with the manufacture of meth in travel
trailers earned her a trip to jail. When she was bailed out, the
problems continued. Her children were taken away and she wasn't
allowed to have contact with them. She was left homeless with no job,
support and addicted to meth. She went to live with a friend where
they used meth and was in and out of jail several times.

The day her life started back on track was the day she entered a drug
treatment program. Her treatment experience opened her eyes to see
how the drug damaged everything she knew. She is still sober from meth.

Upon completion of her treatment program, she became involved with a
group called "Network for Life." This organization connected her with
employment, a place to live and she received needed support. Over the
last year she has become more independent, living on her own, allowed
to have contact with her children and has health insurance. There is
a criminal case still pending, but due to the hard work she had done,
things look more positive for her today. She recently showed up at
the office smiling, with a new set of false teeth and they were beautiful.

Looking at this woman was a great reminder that there is hope and
life after meth.