ATLANTA….On Oct. 5, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, vice chair of The Carter Center, will be inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, N.Y. She will be only the third first lady ever inducted into the Hall of Fame joining Abigail Adams (inducted in 1976) and Eleanor Roosevelt (inducted in 1973). Originally named to the Hall of Fame in 2001, Mrs. Carter's induction was postponed a year, due to the Sept.11 attacks.
Widely recognized for her advocacy work on mental health issues over the last 20 years, Mrs. Carter has galvanized key partnerships in the campaign to eliminate stigma against those with mental illness, to achieve mental health insurance coverage parity, and to screen our youth early for mental and behavioral disorders.
"Her life-long work on behalf of women, children, and the mentally ill is a living testament to her vision and character. In this day and age, Mrs. Carter's ongoing dedication to making our country a better place for all is, indeed, a great and worthy achievement," said Marilyn Bero, president of the National Women's Hall of Fame.
A full partner with President Carter in all of the Carter Center's activities, the former First Lady also created and chairs the Carter Center's Mental Health Task Force, an advisory body of experts, consumers, and advocates promoting positive change in the mental health field. She also has spearheaded the annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy. In addition, Mrs. Carter has chaired the World Federation for Mental Health's International Committee of Women Leaders for Mental Health since its establishment. As First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Carter served as honorary chair of the President's Commission on Mental Health. Within one year, the Commission assessed the current system and made recommendations for new legislation by undertaking a series of public hearings across the country. In September 1980, Congress passed the Mental Health Systems Act.
Mother of four, Mrs. Carter has maintained a life-long dedication to issues affecting women and children. In 1991, she launched with Mrs. Betty Bumpers, wife of former U.S. Sen. Dale Bumpers of Arkansas, "Every Child By Two," a nationwide campaign to publicize the need for early childhood immunizations. Mrs. Carter is president of the board of directors for the Rosalynn Carter Institute of Georgia Southwestern State University (RCI), which was established in her honor on the campus of her alma mater in Americus, Ga., to help family and professional caregivers.
Read "Rosalynn Carter: A Tribute"
Mrs. Carter has received many honors in the health and mental health fields and is the author of four books: First Lady from Plains, Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life, Helping Yourself Help Others: A Book for Caregivers, and Helping Someone With Mental Illness: A Compassionate Guide for Family, Friends, and Caregivers.
The not-for-profit, nongovernmental Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn. In partnership with Emory University, the Center works to wage peace, fight disease, and build hope for millions of people around the world. Led by Mrs. Carter since its inception, the Center's Mental Health Program will host the annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy, November 6-7. This year's topic is A Status Report: Meeting the Mental Health Needs of the Country in the Wake of September 11, 2001.
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