M. Joycelyn Elders, Former Surgeon General, Addresses Prevention, Education and Courage to CASA/GAL Network

Dr. Elders highlighted the fact that despite the amount of negative media attention given to the juvenile justice system, the CASA concept shows there are subtle things going on that make a difference. She became involved working with the Arkansas CASA program and was really impressed, believing that “CASA volunteers are so valuable to these communities.” As a physician, she witnessed first hand the realities of children enduring horrible conditions, exclaiming “When you find out children are living through these multiple hurts, it’s another thing.” Acknowledging her admiration for CASA volunteers when she said “The system has already learned that the children you work with turn out a whole lot better,” she added however the charge, “Have the courage to make tough decisions; one person with courage makes a majority.”

Prevention, education and courage are keys to a better situation for children according to Dr.Elders. “I’m always advocating for the rights of children and I’m really adamant about healthcare being a priority for children,” she says. However, she laments that much of the money allocated for social work is spent on building more prisons and that “The only people with a constitutional right to healthcare are criminals. That simply does not add up.” Indeed, when it comes to the topic of health care, she does not mince words spelling out what she feels is one of the greatest inadequacies in American society. Tackling tough social issues can be daunting when one looks at the statistics surrounding children in care and she exclaims “Just think if we could invest that money into the lives of children?”

In closing her remarks, she remembered the old Greek saying, “A society grows great when old men and old women plant trees under whose shade they know they’ll never sit,” and thanked her listeners for planting trees for bright, young people to sit under.