For Release: 9 pm September 25, 1997
National Mental Health Association
1021 Prince St. Alexandria, VA 22314
Contact: Patrick Cody (703) 838-7528
NMHA and Tipper Gore Recognize Rosalynn Carter With Into the Light Tribute for Mental Health Advocacy
(Washington, DC) First lady Rosalynn Carter was awarded the National Mental Health Association's "Into the Light" award for her decades of dedication to mental health advocacy. The award was presented at NMHA's annual tribute dinner in Washington, DC, September 25.
Tipper Gore, mental health policy advisor to President Clinton and NMHA's 1996 "Into the Light" honoree, presented the tribute to Mrs. Carter. "Rosalynn Carter has personally inspired me and countless other with her tireless leadership, her vision, and her compassion for people with mental illnesses and their families and caregivers," Mrs. Gore said at the event.
In her book First Lady From Plains, Mrs. Carter explains the roots of her mental health advocacy: "I wanted to take mental illnesses and emotional disorders out of the closet to let people know it is all right to admit having a problem without the fear of being called crazy. If only we could consider mental illnesses as straightforwardly as we do physical illnesses, those affected could seek help and be treated in an open and effective way."
"This vision and straightforward approach is just one example of why we feel so blessed to have Mrs. Carter leading the way on issues surrounding mental health, and why we are so fortunate to have her working closely with so many of us in this important field," said NMHA President and CEO Mike Faenza.
Throughout her husband's terms as governor and president, Mrs. Carter was a champion of people with mental illnesses. As the active honorary chair of the President's Commission on Mental Health in the Carter administration, she helped bring about passage of the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980. Mrs. Carter currently serves as chair of the Carter Center's Mental Health Task Force. In 1991, she established the World Federation for Mental Health's Committee of International Women Leaders for Mental Health.
The National Mental Health Association's tribute dinner, with Elizabeth Dole as honorary tribute chair, was attended by leading mental health advocates, including Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-MN) and Rep. Marge Roukema (R-NJ), co-sponsors of mental health parity legislation. Also in attendance were Dr. Stephen Hyman, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Bernard Arons, director of the U.S. Center for Mental Health Services, and Dr. Bertram Brown, director of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration in the Carter administration.
The "Into the Light" award recognizes individuals for helping to bring mental illnesses out of the darkness of stigma and ignorance. It represents the road we have traveled, from the "dark days" when individuals were restrained by shackles and chains, into a more enlightened era based on new research and new treatments.
At the conclusion of the event, Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Gore rang the NMHA Bell, which in 1953 was cast from melted down iron chains and shackles used to restrain mental patients in asylums.
Established in 1909 by former psychiatric patient Clifford W. Beers, the National Mental Health Association is the only volunteer advocacy organization dedicated to addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. Through its national office and 330 affiliates across the country, NMHA works to promote mental health, prevent mental disorders and achieve victory over mental illnesses through advocacy, education, research and service.
For information on NMHA's tribute to Mrs. Carter, contact Patrick Cody at (703) 838-7528.
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