"He called me and just wanted to say 'Mrs. Joanna, me and my mom were sitting here talking about people who impacted my life and things like that, and your name was brought up and I wanted to tell you, thank you,'" Perdue said.

The former youth said that he is now in college and has joined school clubs.
 

"I know there are kids and families out there that are so very thankful for what our staff have done for them and are doing for them," she said.
 

And now that she has transitioned into the role as director of the JCES department, Perdue wants to help make sure every child that becomes involved with the department continues to have the best opportunity to rehabilitate and make good decisions for a better life. The department currently has about 400 youth in the program.
 

"We are going to do everything in our power to help them be successful," she said.
 

Perdue started her new position in September. She has replaced Monica Kelson, who was promoted to Court Administrator over the summer. Perdue started at the Court in 2015 and served as a probation officer (before the Court's transition to JCES) and was a supervisor over the last three years.
 

She will oversee JCES specialists and other staff who work daily with youth who have been adjudicated delinquent by the Court. The department aims to mentor and coach the youth to complete success plans to help them reach long term goals.

"We have staff every day that go above and beyond what any job description or any title could ever say or do," Perdue said.

For example, staff have assisted kids who need haircuts, bought diapers for families in need and have fed children who were hungry.
 

"Our staff is the hardest working staff, and they have the biggest hearts, and they are here because they want to be here," she said.
 

Perdue said she has lived experiences going through the system and knows how much of a difference a specialist can make in a child's life. She wants to continue earning the trust of the families the Court serves, as well as the community partners of Franklin County. She also wants to ensure court-involved children have enough programming and services in order to be successful and find their way out of the juvenile court system.