Coffee County probation office reports caseload growth, drug‑screen outcomes and staffing shortfall

Miss Baker, the county probation officer, told the Coffee County Commission the office averaged 802 active clients over a three‑month period (September–November), with 221 new cases and 223 closures during that span.

"We had on average 802 active clients that were on probation," Miss Baker said, and reported 2,583 appointments were scheduled in the period, of which 336 were canceled and 269 were no‑shows. She said the office completed 137 intakes and 1,517 follow‑up visits and documented 709 nonscheduled contacts.

Why it matters: the report outlines workload and resource gaps for an office responsible for supervising hundreds of people. Commissioners used the update to press staff on language access, staffing and program costs.

Miss Baker gave a breakdown of drug‑screen results: 201 screens were administered; 128 passed, 29 failed for marijuana only, seven failed for alcohol only and 39 returned positives for other drugs including methamphetamine, opiates and benzodiazepines. The office reported 160 violation‑of‑probation filings and 209 resolved violation warrants in the three‑month window.

Miss Baker said a recently enacted law requires an online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) course for some clients. "One of the things that is new now is a cognitive behavioral therapy class and that was a law that was passed earlier in the year," she said; the class is delivered online, averages eight hours and typically costs about $95 per client.

Commissioners asked whether automated appointment reminders are sent in Spanish after noting a high share of no‑shows. Miss Baker said reminder texts are sent by the county’s case‑management vendor through Twilio and are distributed in English only. "The reminders don't go out in Spanish," she said, adding that office rules and sign‑in materials are available in both English and Spanish and that staff use translation by phone or an English‑speaking companion when needed.

Miss Baker also described training and outreach efforts: trauma‑informed care and de‑escalation training provided by Centerstone, shooter‑safety instruction for courthouse staff and a November 14 recovery event for clients that used donated funds rather than county budget dollars.

On staffing, Miss Baker said the office has been down one probation officer since July. The position was reposted Dec. 1; she said the office has received one formal applicant and a prospective resume. Commissioners said any new supervisor position or pay changes would need review by HR and approval by budget and finance.

The commission did not take a formal action on probation funding at the meeting; commissioners asked follow‑up questions and requested continued updates from probation staff.