Not long after Rosalynn Carter, the former first lady, died on Sunday, politicians from both sides of the aisle commended her work in that public role and the strides she made for women’s rights, mental health and many other causes.
The Carter Center in Atlanta announced her death, calling her “a passionate champion of mental health, caregiving, and women’s rights.” The center disclosed in May that Mrs. Carter had dementia and on Friday that she had entered hospice care at home.
Like many first ladies, Mrs. Carter used her prominent position to champion a cause: the treatment of mental illness.
She was named honorary chairwoman of the Carter administration’s mental health commission, and she led the White House Conference on Aging, which started in 1977.
She held nationwide hearings on both topics, testified before Congress and pressed for legislation to support mental health centers and to offer insurance coverage for the care of mental illness.
Persons:
Rosalynn Carter, Carter
Organizations:
Carter, White, Conference, Aging
Locations:
Atlanta