About six years ago, Casey started using crystal methamphetamine and it quickly spiraled into addiction, he said.

“Before I knew it, I was breaking different laws, doing things that were wrong, just causing all kinds of havoc for my kids and my wife,” the Fort Dodge man said.

In 2019, Casey found himself in hot water when he was arrested for stealing a motorcycle and being in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana. After pleading guilty, he received a suspended sentence and was placed on probation.

Casey started his Drug Court journey in early 2020 after violating his probation, and at first he really struggled with it.

-Photo courtesy of Darren Driscoll
Webster County Drug Court Judge Adria Kester holds Jace and Grayson Casey during their dad, David Casey's graduation from the Drug Court program on Friday morning.

“It was just right before COVID hit and they started closing everything down,” he said. “Back then, with everything, you couldn’t see your probation officer, you didn’t make any contact with outside help. It was pretty tough. It was really hard to get any help because everything was shut down.”

Casey struggled to maintain his sobriety and participate in the steps of the Drug Court program and was almost kicked out a few times, he said. He received addiction treatment at Community and Family Resources and a few other outpatient treatment programs and, eventually, that effort paid off. Today, Casey has 588 days of sobriety.

“I sat in jail for like two and a half months,” he said. “It gave me a lot of time to reflect on living my life. I have four kids and they need a father figure at home. I grew up with a single mom, no father figure and I just didn’t want that for my four kids. It’s time I get my life back together.”

On Friday, Casey celebrated his graduation from the program alongside District Court Judge Adria Kester and Webster County Attorney Darren Driscoll, marking the end of that chapter of his life and starting the next.

“This big wave came over me,” Casey said. “To accomplish something that I never thought, at the beginning, I was going to do, I just feel so good to be done with all this knowledge that I have from how to be a better father, how to be a better member of society and be a better friend.”

-Photo courtesy of Darren Driscoll
David Casey, of Fort Dodge, celebrated his graduation from the Webster County Drug Court program on Friday morning. Casey has 588 days sober.

The prison diversion program, started in 2015, aims to help those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction and facing criminal charges get sober and get their lives back on track.

Clients are referred to the program after being arrested on their initial charges or on a probation revocation. They can be referred to the program by their probation officer, the prosecutor or their own attorney.

The program is divided into five phases, which include early recovery, decision making, relapse prevention, personal planning, maintaining personal growth and long-term planning.

With Drug Court, clients are seen in front of a judge each week, must obtain a mental health evaluation and follow through with any recommended therapy or medication. They’re also required to obtain substance abuse evaluations and comply with treatment.

In order to graduate from the program — which usually can take about 18 months — clients have to obtain suitable long-term housing, gain employment and maintain long-term sobriety.