Iowa City woman graduates from new drug treatment program

9 years ago Sarah Stoppelmoor was a wife, a mother, and a business owner.

Then her cocaine addiction took over.

She said at one point she even turned to living in a van before finally being caught for committing forgery to fund her drug habit.

Now clean for 989 days and counting. Stoppelmoor, 44, of Iowa City, said she has returned as a productive member of society and reached “true freedom.”

Stoppelmoor is one of three people in the first graduating class of the Johnson County Drug Court treatment program, which is a minimum 18-month intensive community supervised program offered to people on probation for drug convictions or other crimes used to aid drug addiction.

“It started on my bathroom floor praying for a means to an end,” she said.

The Drug Treatment Court program has a team consisting of six people that includes a judge, a probation officer, a treatment coordinator, a treatment court counselor, a defense attorney and a county prosecutor, among others.

Program Coordinator Cathy McGinnis said in Johnson County, applicants are reviewed by the team to be enrolled in a five stage program that becomes less structured as they progress.

“If they weren't here, they'd been in prison,” she said, adding that this alternative actually saves the state money.

In fact, since the fall of 2007 when the program started in Linn County, McGinnis said not housing the people in prison has saved about 2 million dollars.

After started in Johnson County in February 2008 the program now has 15 people, while Linn County has graduated 5 people, with 50 currently enrolled, she said.

Every judicial district in Iowa has a drug court; the 6th District is the only one with two, in Linn and Johnson counties.

Although trusting and surrendering to official's orders were especially hard for her, Stoppelmoor said she is fortunate to have gotten caught.

Because of her experience she said her relationship with her children has strengthened where they are now more open than ever with each other.

“Addiction affects everyone. I didn't mean to go from being a cub scout leader to a cocaine addict,” she said. “Secrets will keep you sick. You have to keep your life an open book.”