Every day in America, child abuse is reported and government organizations try to help, but the amount of time required to monitor every neglected child exceeds what any organization can manage on its own.
In 1977, Seattle judge David Soukup was tasked with deciding where to place children in crisis. He was concerned by how quickly decisions were made despite a lack of information. Soukup came up with an idea to train volunteers to research a child’s living situation and provide findings to the court. This group of ordinary volunteer citizens grew to become the nationwide organization “CASA,” for Court Appointed Special Advocates. CASA now has 950 local programs and 75,000 volunteers.
“Sometimes the question is, ‘Do you yank a child from the only home they know or leave the child in a home that could be abusive?” says Stuart Tutler, executive director of Williamson County CASA. “It’s impossible to know what’s right without understanding their circumstances.”
When a case comes before a court, CASA advocates are assigned to interact with a child, their parents, grandparents, teachers, - even doctors - to gather information and present a report. CASA doesn’t decide where a child is placed, but advocates can offer insight and suggestions. “Their sole interest is the child,” explains Tutler.
Franklin resident Jennifer Morrison volunteered for three years before joining CASA’s board. She says working with the family of Kelsie Pickens was one of her most rewarding experiences. Kelsie struggled with addiction that left her unable to care for her daughters. Jennifer was assigned to the girls while their grandmother worked to gain temporary custody. She stood by the family as Kelsie suffered through jail time and court-ordered separation from her children. Miraculously, over time, Kelsie became sober and
got on the road to recovery. She married, worked a consistent job and was able to overcome addiction and care for her girls, who are now thriving.
“Getting to be part of stabilizing Kelsie’s home was a gift for me,” says Jennifer. “If I hadn’t walked those miles with her, I would not have believed her redemption was possible.” Adds Kelsie, “CASA was the most important part of my journey. Jen sat with me like I was a person, and that meant a lot to me, that someone was willing to come down to my level.”
Despite the overwhelming emotions Kelsie felt during her struggles, she understands that Jennifer was looking out for the best interest of her daughters. “These people just come in and love your children,” she says. “As a parent, all you want for your children is for them to have the best, whether you can provide it or someone else can.”
Stuart Tutler has spent most of his career focused on the next generation. For 16 years he served as “Interim” Head of New Hope Academy, a Franklin school devoted to nurturing children of various socioeconomic and racial backgrounds. He also served on the Board of CASA for 11 years before assuming the directorship in 2023.
“In Africa there’s a tribe called the Maasai,” he says. “They’re considered fearsome warriors, but when they greet each other, they say the phrase, ‘Kasserian Ingera.’ It means, ‘And how are the children?’ “When the answer is, ‘The children are well,’ that means all of the children in the village are well. Their main priority is the care and protection of their children.”
Stuart challenges others to think about ways to make the world better for our kids. “There’s a quote I find inspiring by Kid President (aka Robby Novak),” he says. “If you make the world better for kids, you make it better for everyone.”
CASA will host its annual banquet, “Voices For Children,” on April 25 at The Barn at Sycamore Farms. The event is open to the public and will feature international food stations, cultural entertainment such as belly dancers and African drummers, drinks and dancing.
WilliamsonCountyCasa.org
“As a parent, all you want for your children is for them to have the best, whether you can provide it or someone else can.” - Kelsie Pickens
