August 6, 2025 - Shelby County Juvenile Probation has taken its first step to ultimately becoming one department with First Judicial District Juvenile Probation Department (1st JD) out of Jasper.
Following a presentation during a special meeting of the Shelby County Juvenile Board held at 2:30pm on Monday, August 4, 2025, a motion was made by Jim Payne, 273rd Judicial District Judge, and was seconded by LeAnn Kay Rafferty, 123rd Judicial District Judge, for the two departments to enter into a service merger agreement by way of an interlocal agreement with the intention of working toward becoming one department.
Additionally, as part of the motion, Judge Payne also moved to appoint Edeska Barnes to oversee the Shelby County Corrections Department.
The motion carried with County Judge Allison Harbison also voting in favor.
Edeska Barnes, Jasper Juvenile Probation Department Director, gave the initial presentation during the meeting to the judges.
Two options were presented to the board for consideration with “Option 1” being a Full Merger:
- Two departments would merge as one department
- Two separate Boards would merge and act as one J Board
- Two budgets would be integrated into one budget
- Appoint a Director/Chief Juvenile Probation Officer
- Requires Legislative Action (2 years)
The decision the board went with, “Option 2” which is titled the Service Merger:
- Two departments would remain as separate departments
- Boards and Budget would remain separate and continue to operate independently
- Appoint a Director/Chief Juvenile Probation Officer to oversee both departments
- Draft an Interlocal Agreement to describe the shared services
- Can apply for Grant(s) as a Region
- Legislative Action is not required (can begin immediately)
Barnes described the 1st JD board being made up of seven judges including three district judges and four county judges. He also named and described several current employees of the 1st JD Probation Department, as well as partnerships with 12 cities/communities; 12 school districts; 20+ school resource officers; eight school police departments; six city police departments, and four sheriff departments.
According to Barnes, shared programs between the departments would be Equine Assisted Learning, Mental Health Assistance Program (HAP), Sex Offender Counselor, male officer available to assist with transports when possible, Chief Financial Officer regarding the budget, GPS monitoring for youth, expanded collaboration between the school districts and other agencies in the county and juvenile probation, application for a Juvenile Probation/Truancy Officer for Shelby and San Augustine Counties, and a Director.
“We had this past summer seven equine summer camps across the district. We do have a vape program in Jasper Independent School District. We're hoping to spread this into the Buna school district and have been in contact with that superintendent and also in the Newton ISD school district,” said Barnes. “We have a substance abuse program in Sabine ISD, this is in Hemphill, Judge [Daryl] Melton has offered some funds to pay for that where it’s used to identify the need of substance abuse treatment.”
Barnes provided financial figures for placement costs between Shelby County and 1st JD as a comparative and according to the data he presented, Total Placement Costs Including Regionalization Funding for the two departments showed in 2024 Shelby County at $171,153.84 and 1st JD at $164,288.06; and currently in 2025 Shelby County at $63,574.19 and 1st JD at $193,454.28.
Placement - demographics and cost data was also supplied by Barnes and it showed that in 2024 three juveniles were placed in Shelby County while in 1st JD four were placed and in 2025 (September 1, 2024 through July 9, 2025) five juveniles were placed in Shelby County and six were placed in 1st JD.
Placement costs to the department in Shelby for 2024 showed almost $54,000 and 1st JD almost $80,000 while 2025 (September 1, 2024 through July 9, 2025) has Shelby at around $47,000 and 1st JD just over $126,000.
Barnes explained these expenses to each department are not reimbursed.
“All placement cost for the most part is to the department and this is money that I paid out that I get no return on, there’s no reimbursement or there is no payback this is just what it cost,” said Barnes.
Judge Harbison indicated that Clint Porterfield, County Auditor, had some questions for Barnes and Porterfield shared he had been briefed on some of the matter by County Attorney John Price.
“I'm kind of curious a little bit about the compensation for services, and I believe that Attorney Price explained how much that would be. So I just want to give you some information. Maybe you could expand on that a little bit. As you know, a large part of our state granting goes to a large part, or a large percentage of our state funding, I'm sure yours is the same, goes for salaries and benefits. With that being said, of our state funding, only about $90,000, actually goes to our program services. So, with that being said, the compensation for services will take about a third of that money.
“You've already elaborated on the services, the additional that you can provide. You’ve elaborated on additional regional funding, but maybe you can elaborate a little bit about how we can make this $30,000 amount up, because that's I believe what the service amount would be, as far as funding and services or programs. And I'm gathering that that would be paid out of our state money.”
Barnes explained there is the option to pay it out of state or the option to pay it out of local or a combination. He described some past years (2022-2023) where some funds in Shelby County were sent back to the state. Barnes suggested some future possibilities with grant funding that could be beneficial.
“It would be my job to look at each individual that comes through the door and see what best service I can get for that child that’s going to keep the public safe, give that kid services and also be of less cost,” said Barnes.
With no additional items for the board to consider, the meeting was adjourned at 3:43pm.
