Rosalynn Carter's advocacy for mental health was rooted in compassion and perseverance

Rosalynn Carter's advocacy for mental health started during her husband's 1966 campaign for governor, when she spoke almost daily with Georgia families struggling to get help for their loved ones. She later became the driving force behind federal health legislation when Jimmy Carter was president. After leaving Washington, she used The Carter Center in Atlanta to bring together policy experts and created a journalism fellowship program to improve the accuracy of reporting about mental illness. Those who knew her say her work was rooted in compassion, but she also had sharp political skills and the drive to get things done. Rosalynn Carter died Sunday at the age of 96.