By Katie Northcott, News Director
On Wednesday, May 27, Coffee County Family Treatment Court held a graduation and promotion ceremony for Cynthia Smith, the program’s third graduate. Additionally, four clients were promoted to the next phase of the four-phase program.
Judge Greg Perry presides over Coffee County Family Treatment Court. Find more details in the press release below:
Family Treatment Court serves children and their parents who have open DCS cases when substance use is a contributing factor to child abuse or neglect. Our mission is to protect children and ensure they have a safe, nurturing permanent home. Our aim is to help parents achieve stable recovery from substance use and mental health disorders. Our program meets family needs by providing judicial monitoring and provide access to family-focused services, interventions, and other supports. We operate in partnership with Mental Health Cooperative and collaborate with community partners.
Cynthia Smith, our third graduate, was celebrated last Wednesday, May 27th, 2026, alongside her children and husband. Cynthia credits the Family Treatment Court team for helping her turn everything around and believing in her when no one else did. We also had four clients promote to the next phase of our four-phase program, bringing them one step closer to graduation.
Judge Perry stated “the best definition of community is people coming together selflessly, to support one person and by doing so, strengthening the entire community”.
Wendy Tate, the Family Treatment Court’s first graduate, was the programs speaker and praised the program for getting her life on track and opening up the doors for her to begin working in the recovery field.
Honored guests were members of the program’s Steering Committee; Doug McAbee, JT Northcutt, Matthew Harris, Tammy Holt and Christina Cremeans. Also attending to celebrate our graduate were Representative Rush Bricken, Circuit Court Clerk elect Kelsie Adams, District Attorney Craig Northcott, and Judge Robert Carter and Allen Burnette from Recovery Court.
