[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 93 (Friday, June 29, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    CONGRATULATIONS TO SUSAN CHASSON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CHRIS CANNON

                                of utah

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 28, 2001

  Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Susan Chasson, 
a woman of great compassion. This afternoon Ms. Chasson will be awarded 
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leadership Program 
Award. As a nurse and a victims' advocate, Ms. Chasson was able to see 
that the system for assisting children who are victims of abuse was not 
working, and that the system itself often caused more trauma to the 
child than it helped. Susan acted on this and returned to school to 
obtain a law degree so that she could have a greater impact on the 
system.
  In 1991, Ms. Chasson founded the Children's Justice Center in Provo, 
Utah to help children who are victims of physical abuse and sexual 
assault. The Center provides these children with a homelike environment 
where they can tell their stories and begin the healing process. Their 
staff currently serves over 1,200 victims annually. The Center also 
provides medical exams for the children and mental health services for 
both the children and their families, all of whom are victims.
  Susan Chasson's dedication and perseverance in breaking through the 
silence of child abuse reminds us that one person's idea can make all 
the difference in the world. While it is disappointing that child abuse 
remains an issue in the 21st Century, Susan Chasson's vision and 
endeavors must be commended. She is truly a hero for us all.

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