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Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative Press Releases

Update: 14 Human Cases of Guinea Worm Reported in 2023

Eradication of Guinea worm disease remains in sight with only 14 provisional human cases reported worldwide in 2023, The Carter Center announced Thursday. Learn more »

Carter Center Releases 2024 Journalism Resource Guide for Mental Health Reporting

The Carter Center today released a new Journalism Resource Guide for Mental Health Reporting. The guide – developed in part with funding from the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM), and in partnership with the World Psychiatric Association and the International Center for Journalists – is available in English and Spanish and provides up-to-date statistics, resources, and guidance on how to report on mental health issues accurately and sensitively. Learn more »

Carter Center Campaign Results Show Progress in Educating Georgians About Mental Health Care Rights

At a press conference held during its inaugural Mental Health Parity Day today at Georgia’s State Capitol, The Carter Center released results of its first Georgia mental health parity awareness campaign. Learn more »

2024-25 Applications Open for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Learn more »

The Carter Center Convenes Albany and Savannah Mental Health Leaders as Part of Yearlong Campaign to Elevate Awareness of Mental Health Insurance Law

The Carter Center, in partnership with Georgians for a Healthy Future and the Georgia Parity Collaborative, hosted roundtables on mental health insurance coverage Dec. 11-12 at the Gateway Community Service Board Crisis Center in Savannah and Albany State University in Albany. The roundtables aimed to gather input from diverse stakeholders to better understand the most effective ways to raise awareness about their rights to mental health care in Georgia. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards Two Irish Journalists Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center is pleased to announce that Órla Ryan of The Journal, working with its investigative platform Noteworthy, and Shauna Bowers of The Irish Times have been selected as the inaugural winners of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism in the Republic of Ireland. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 9 U.S. Journalists Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center is pleased to announce nine U.S. recipients of the 2023-2024 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Learn more »

Partners Celebrate Elimination of Trachoma as Public Health Problem in Mali

Mali has become the 17th country to receive the World Health Organization’s validation of the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. The Carter Center, Helen Keller Intl, and Sightsavers are proud to have worked together in partnership to support the government of Mali in their fight against trachoma. This decade old partnership was made possible through the support of Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Learn more »

Carter Center to Host 27th Annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum on May 18

The Carter Center will convene its 27th Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum on May 18, 2023. This free in-person and virtual event explores pressing mental health issues in Georgia and the rest of the country. Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellowships Now Offered in Ireland

Headline, a national media program focused on mental health in Ireland, has partnered with The Carter Center to offer the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism to Irish media. Learn more »

Applications Open for 2023-24 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center is pleased to announce that applications for journalists who are U.S. citizens and residents are now being accepted for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Selected fellows will join a top-notch cohort of more than 250 fellows awarded over the past two decades. Learn more »

Carter Center Congratulates Nigeria for Interrupting River Blindness in Several States

The Carter Center congratulated the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health today for stopping river blindness transmission in four of the country’s 36 states, protecting 18.9 million people from the second-leading infectious cause of blindness. The public health triumph — the largest stop-treatment decision in the history of the global river blindness campaign — was announced today in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, following World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day Jan. 30. Learn more »

Guinea Worm Disease Reaches All-Time Low: Only 13* Human Cases Reported in 2022

Only 13 human cases of Guinea worm disease were reported worldwide in 2022, pushing the disease closer to eradication, The Carter Center announced Wednesday. The figure is the lowest annual case total ever reported, following the record of 15 cases set just the year before. When The Carter Center assumed leadership of the global Guinea Worm Eradication Program in 1986, about 3.5 million human cases occurred annually in 21 countries in Africa and Asia. Learn more »

Carter Center Announces 2022-23 Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellows in Latin America

The Carter Center and the University of La Sabana in Bogotá, Colombia, have named the two recipients of the 2022-2023 Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism in Latin America. Learn more »

Carter Center and Liberia Ministry of Health Announce New Mental Health Champions Initiative to Bolster Country’s Mental Health Care System and Decrease Stigma Surrounding Mental Illnesses

The Carter Center and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Liberia have announced a new initiative to train nine Liberian citizens from diverse backgrounds to serve two-year terms as “Liberia Mental Health Champions.” Learn more »

Carter Center’s Dr. Donald R. Hopkins Receives Honorary Degree from the American Museum of Natural History’s Richard Gilder Graduate School

Dr. Donald R. Hopkins, the Carter Center’s special advisor for Guinea worm eradication, received an honorary Doctor of Sciences degree Wednesday from the American Museum of Natural History’s Richard Gilder Graduate School. Learn more »

Carter Center and The National in the UAE Award 2022-2023 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

As part of a partnership with The National media outlet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Carter Center announces two new fellows for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program. Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter’s 95th Birthday Messages Celebrate Her Historic Impact and Advocacy

As part of a celebration of former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s 95th birthday on August 18, The Carter Center and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers call attention to Mrs. Carter’s accomplishments and ongoing championing of causes that are increasingly relevant in today’s world. Learn more »

Center-led Guinea Worm Eradication Program Wins Prestigious Prize from Government of Japan

The Guinea Worm Eradication Program, led by The Carter Center, has been chosen to receive the Fourth Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize in the medical services category, the government of Japan announced Wednesday in Tokyo. The prize recognizes the program’s efforts to make Guinea worm disease the first human disease to be eradicated since smallpox in 1980. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 9 U.S. Journalists Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center is pleased to announce nine U.S. recipients of the 2022-2023 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. The group includes freelancers, staff reporters, a Georgia journalist, and the third annual awardee of the Benjamin von Sternenfels Rosenthal Grant for Mental Health Investigative Journalism, in partnership with Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting. Learn more »

26th Annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum May 18-19

The Carter Center will convene its 26th Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum on May 18-19, 2022. This free virtual event explores pressing mental health issues in Georgia and the country. (See below for agenda and viewing information.) Learn more »

Nations Pledge to Eradicate Guinea Worm Disease

High-ranking representatives of several countries pledged this week to devote all resources needed to interrupt transmission of Guinea worm disease and certify its eradication by 2030. Learn more »

The Carter Center Launches Multistate Newsroom Collaborative to Enhance Mental Health Care Coverage

In the face of the growing national mental health crisis, The Carter Center announces the launch of the Mental Health Parity Collaborative, a new multistate newsroom partnership focused on exploring access to and inequities in mental health care in the U.S. Learn more »

Applications Open for 2022-23 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center is pleased to announce that applications for journalists who are U.S. citizens and residents are now being accepted for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Selected fellows will join a top-notch cohort of more than 225 fellows awarded over the past two decades. Learn more »

Landmarks to Light Up on Jan. 30 for Disease Awareness

The third annual World NTD Day is Jan. 30, 2022, highlighting the global commitment to ending neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which cause immeasurable suffering among the world’s most marginalized communities. On Sunday, more than 100 landmarks in over 30 nations will light up to celebrate progress and ensure NTDs remain a global priority. Learn more »

World Records Fewest Guinea Worm Cases in History of Eradication Campaign

The Carter Center announced Wednesday the lowest annual case total ever recorded, and the cases occurred in just four countries. When The Carter Center assumed leadership of the global Guinea Worm Eradication Program in 1986, about 3.5 million human cases occurred annually in 21 countries in Africa and Asia. Learn more »

Carter Center Congratulates Ethiopia on Interrupting Transmission of River Blindness in Three Former Highly-endemic Districts

The Carter Center, together with the Ethiopia Onchocerciasis Elimination Expert Advisory Committee (EOEEAC), is pleased to further amplify Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health press release, which went out earlier this week. For two decades, Ethiopia has been a leader in river blindness elimination and we congratulate them on interrupting transmission of river blindness in three districts in the Oromia region, the country’s most recent stop treatment decision. Learn more »

ASTMH: New Evidence that Mass Treatment with Ivermectin Has Halted Spread of River Blindness in Two Nigerian States; Separate Study Shows Drug’s Potential to Interrupt West Nile Virus Transmission in U.S.

New data indicate that mass treatment with ivermectin—a drug that was a workhorse of tropical medicine long before it emerged as a controversial COVID-19 treatment—has eliminated river blindness transmission in two states in Nigeria, the first Nigerian states to achieve this distinction in a country that has the world’s highest burden of the disease. Learn more »

Carter Center Announces 2021-2022 Rosalynn Carter Fellows for Mental Health Journalism in Latin America

Journalists Flavia Fontes Mantovani, of Folha de São Paulo daily newspaper in Brazil, and Katherine Stanley Obando, from solutions journalism outlet El Colectivo 506 in Costa Rica, will receive USD$5,000 to investigate mental health in their regions. Learn more »

Recipients of 2021-2022 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism in the UAE Announced

As part of a partnership with The National media outlet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Carter Center announces two new fellows for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program in the UAE. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 9 U.S. Journalists the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center is pleased to announce nine U.S. recipients of the 2021-2022 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. The Center is awarding one more fellowship than in previous years due to the heightened need for solid mental health reporting during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism appoints new U.S. Advisory Board members

The Carter Center’s Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism (RCJF) is pleased to announce the appointment of four new U.S. Advisory Board members. They bring a wealth of experience and expertise from various mediums, academia and the international journalism arena. Learn more »

Noor Dubai Foundation and The Carter Center Renew Partnership to Eliminate Trachoma, Leading Infectious Cause of Blindness

As part of its continued focus on the global fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), the Noor Dubai Foundation renews its partnership with The Carter Center to wipe out trachoma, the leading infectious cause of blindness. Since 2013, the two organizations have assisted Ethiopia in the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in 29% of the Amhara region, known to be the most trachoma-endemic location in the world. Learn more »

Carter Center’s ‘Brilliant Warrior against Disease,’ Dr. Donald R. Hopkins, Receives Honorary Degree from Yale

The Carter Center’s Dr. Donald R. Hopkins received an honorary Doctor of Medical Sciences degree Monday from Yale University for his work toward the eradication of smallpox and Guinea worm disease. Learn more »

Former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter Honored by World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros for 50 years of Mental Health Advocacy

Former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter was recognized today by the World Health Organization (WHO) for 50 years of leadership to help improve access to health care for all people with mental health and substance use issues. Learn more »

25th Annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum to Address a National Vision for Transforming Mental Health and Substance Use Care and Access to Care in Georgia

The Carter Center is convening its 25th Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum on May 20-21. This free virtual event explores pressing mental health issues relevant to Georgia and the country. Learn more »

Applications Open for Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellowships in the UAE

As part of a partnership with The National media outlet in the United Arab Emirates, The Carter Center announced Thursday that applications are open for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Learn more »

Carter Center and Rice’s Baker Institute Launch Panel Discussion Series on U.S. Election Reform

Next week, The Carter Center and Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy are launching “The Carter-Baker Commission: 16 Years Later,” a series of five virtual events focused on key issues affecting U.S. elections and potential reforms. Learn more »

Carter Center Convenes Bipartisan Town Hall Calling for Urgent Action to Improve Mental Health Care Access in Georgia

At a virtual town hall held on March 23, a bipartisan group of Georgia lawmakers and mental health advocates called for immediate action to make behavioral health services more available throughout the state. Learn more »

GLIDE-Carter Center Partnership Aims to Eliminate River Blindness in the Americas, Lymphatic Filariasis and Malaria on Hispaniola

The Carter Center and The Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) announced an exciting new partnership to support the Carter Center’s innovative disease elimination efforts in the Americas. Learn more »

Applications Open for 2021-22 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center, a global leader in mental health, is pleased to announce that applications for journalists who are U.S. citizens and residents are now being accepted for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Selected fellows will join a top-notch cohort of more than 225 fellows awarded over the past two decades. Learn more »

Carter Center Lights Up Buildings and Monuments in Atlanta, Southwest Georgia to Mark World NTD Day (Jan. 30)

Jan. 30, 2021, will mark the second annual World NTD Day, highlighting the global community’s commitment to ending neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that cause immeasurable suffering among the world’s most marginalized communities. Learn more »

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Renews Commitment to Guinea Worm Disease Efforts Through Partnership with The Carter Center

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has announced renewed financial support of $10M to the Carter Center, following the 30th anniversary of the organization’s partnership with the UAE. Learn more »

Guinea Worm Cases Fell 50% in 2020, Carter Center Reports

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of human Guinea worm cases was cut in half to just 27* in 2020, The Carter Center announced Tuesday. Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter’s 50 Years of Mental Health Leadership Honored in Bipartisan U.S. House of Representatives Resolution

The Carter Center welcomes the passage of a bipartisan resolution of the U.S. House of Representatives last Friday honoring former First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s decades of work to improve mental health care and diminish the stigma against mental illnesses. Learn more »

Incoming Fellow and Student Scholars from Qatar Join Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

As part of a partnership with the Qatar Foundation’s World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), The Carter Center announces new recipients of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism in Qatar. Learn more »

Carter Center Names Dr. Kashef Ijaz as New Vice President for Health Programs

Kashef Ijaz, M.D., M.P.H., has been appointed vice president for health programs at The Carter Center, effective Oct. 1. Learn more »

Carter Center Announces Latin American Recipients of Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center and Universidad de La Sabana in Bogotá, Colombia, in association with the Gabo Foundation, announce the recipients of the two annual fellowships awarded by the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism in Latin America. Learn more »

Recipients of 2020-2021 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism in the UAE Announced

As part of a partnership with The National media outlet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Carter Center announces two new fellows for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program in the UAE. Learn more »

Georgia School-Based Mental Health Virtual Town Hall July 21

To increase access to school-based behavioral health services in Georgia, a virtual town hall will be held on July 21. The discussion – supported by The Carter Center and co-hosted by Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice and Voices for Georgia’s Children – will address ways to continue delivery of Georgia’s school-based mental health services in non-traditional settings during the pandemic. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards Eight U.S. Journalists Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center, a global leader in mental health, is pleased to announce the eight U.S. recipients of the 2020-2021 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. The group includes a nonprofit news leader, local reporters, freelance journalists, and the inaugural Benjamin von Sternenfels Rosenthal Grant for Mental Health Investigative Journalism. Fellowships to international journalists will be announced by fall 2020. Learn more »

Report Details Ways Countries are Using COVID-19 to Curtail Democratic Freedoms and Offers Countertactics

Democracies around the world need to adopt new ideas and approaches to ensure the lasting protection of democracy and civil liberties threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report endorsed by The Carter Center that was released today. Learn more »

The Carter Center Partners With Mental Health Reporters’ Network to Mentor Liberian Journalists

The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism and the Mental Health Reporters Network in Liberia announce the inaugural class of mentees in mental health journalism. Learn more »

Carter Center Supports Liberia's COVID-19 Efforts

As COVID-19 continues to spread in Liberia, The Carter Center has answered the request of the government to assist with prevention efforts and mental health support. Learn more »

Media Advisory: Carter Center and Atlanta Press Club Present 'Will the Pandemic Reduce Mental Health Stigma?'

During the pandemic, mental health has been more openly discussed than at any time in recent memory. The media, health experts, members of the entertainment industry, and families are sharing tips to help each other cope with stress and anxiety caused by the outbreak. Journalists and experts will discuss whether this could be a tipping point for reducing the stigma that typically surrounds mental health discussions. Learn more »

Applications Open for 2020-2021 Latin American Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center and the University of La Sabana in Colombia, in association with the Gabo Foundation, are now accepting applications for 2020-2021 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism in Latin America. Learn more »

Applications Open for UAE’s 2020-2021 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

As part of a partnership with The National media outlet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Carter Center announces that applications are now open for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program in the UAE. Learn more »

Applications Open for 2020-21 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center is pleased to announce that applications for journalists who are U.S. citizens and residents are now being accepted for the 2020-21 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Learn more »

Middle Georgia Forum to Address Unmet Mental Health Needs for Georgia’s Children to be Held Feb. 6 in Dublin, Georgia

The third of six regional School-Based Behavioral Health Forums across Georgia will convene at Dublin High School on Feb. 6. These forums – co-hosted by The Carter Center, Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, and Voices for Georgia’s Children – assess the status of school-based behavioral health efforts in Georgia, identify and discuss strategies to eliminate barriers to success, and encourage the adoption of state and national best practices. Learn more »

54* Cases of Guinea Worm Reported in 2019

A provisional total of 54 cases of Guinea worm disease were reported in 2019, The Carter Center announced Wednesday. Intensified surveillance and reporting incentives in endemic areas in recent years have produced expected fluctuations in the small number of Guinea worm cases. When The Carter Center assumed leadership of the program in 1986, about 3.5 million human cases occurred annually in 21 countries in Africa and Asia. Learn more »

The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program Announces New Student Fellow in the United Arab Emirates

As part of a partnership with The National media outlet in the United Arab Emirates, The Carter Center announces a new recipient of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program. Learn more »

Carter Center Challenges Donors to Help Eradicate Guinea Worm Disease

The Carter Center Board of Trustees announced it is launching a $40 million fundraising campaign, including a $20 million Carter Center Challenge Fund, toward the eradication of Guinea worm disease, and Alwaleed Philanthropies, a global philanthropic foundation, said it would invest the first $1 million in matching support. Learn more »

The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program Announces Selection of Two Students from Northwestern University in Qatar

As part of a partnership with the Qatar Foundation’s World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), The Carter Center announced today two new recipients of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program in Qatar. In 2018, The Carter Center joined with WISH to develop a program designed to train students at universities in Qatar about accurate and ethical reporting on mental illnesses. The two students, from Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), add to the two students trained from the inaugural cohort last year. See below for the journalist names and project topics. Learn more »

Carter Center Announces Latin American Recipients of Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center and the University of La Sabana, in association with the García Márquez Foundation, announces three new fellows for the 2019-2020 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Latin America. Learn more »

Southwest Georgia Forum to Address Unmet Mental Health Needs for Georgia’s Children to be Held Sept. 13 in Albany

The second of six regional School-Based Behavioral Health Forums across Georgia will convene at Albany State University on Sept. 13 (more details below). These forums – co-hosted by The Carter Center, Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, and Voices for Georgia’s Children – assess the status of school-based behavioral health efforts in Georgia, identify and eliminate barriers to success, and encourage the adoption of national best practices. Learn more »

Liberia’s Growing Mental Health Workforce Gives Greater Access for Youth and Young Adults Seeking Care

Working with the government of Liberia, The Carter Center has helped to train over 300 credentialed mental health clinicians who work in all 15 counties in the country; 140 of whom specialize in the needs of children and adolescents. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards Eight U.S. Journalists Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center announced today eight U.S. recipients of the 2019-2020 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. The Center will train fellows on effective mental health reporting and support them as they report on a mental health topic of their choice. Learn more »

Carter Center Mental Health Forum to Address How to Improve Georgia’s Mental Health Care Systems, New State Funding, and Boosting Care for Older Adults

Recommendations on how to accelerate improvements in Georgia’s mental health system and meet the remaining obligations from the settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice will be addressed during the 24th annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum on May 10, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Carter Center. Learn more »

Haiti Celebrates Major Progress Against Malaria on World Malaria Day

This World Malaria Day, members of the global health community laud the dedication of thousands of Haitian health workers committed to accelerating efforts to eliminate malaria in Haiti. Learn more »

Carter Center Holds Forum to Address Unmet Mental Health Needs for Georgia’s Children

The first of six regional School-Based Behavioral Health Forums across Georgia will convene at The Carter Center on April 15 (more details below). These forums – co-hosted by The Carter Center, Georgia Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, and Voices for Georgia’s Children – will assess the status of school-based behavioral health efforts in those regions of Georgia, identify and eliminate barriers to success, and encourage the adoption of national best practices. During the April 15 event, panelists will focus on school-based behavioral health in the Atlanta metropolitan region and the anticipated release of new state funding to increase the number of mental health professionals in Georgia’s schools. Educators, parents, policy leaders, behavioral health experts and providers are encouraged to attend this public forum. Learn more »

Applications Open for 2019-20 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

Applications from U.S. citizens and residents are now being accepted for eight one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center's Mental Health Program. These fellowships aim to enhance public understanding of mental health and substance use conditions and reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with these illnesses through balanced and accurate reporting. The deadline for applications is Wednesday, April 10, 2019, and the fellowship recipients will be announced Wednesday, July 17, 2019, on the Center's website. Learn more »

Guinea Worm Wanes to 28 Cases Globally; Ethiopia, Mali Report Zero Human Cases

Just 28 human cases of Guinea worm disease were reported in 2018, down slightly from 30 cases reported in 2017. When The Carter Center assumed leadership of the Guinea Worm Eradication Program in 1986, there were an estimated 3.5 million human cases annually in 21 countries in Africa and Asia. Learn more »

The Carter Center Expands Mental Health Journalism Training in Qatar

The Carter Center has partnered with The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), an initiative of Qatar Foundation, to announce an expansion of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism program started with WISH in Qatar in 2016. Learn more »

Mental Illness Will Cost the World $16 USD Trillion by 2030 According to New Lancet Report

A new Lancet Commission report on mental health released today said that mental disorders are on the rise in every country in the world and will cost the global economy $16 trillion by 2030. The economic cost is primarily due to early onset of mental illness and lost productivity, with an estimated 12 billion working days lost due to mental illness every year. Learn more »

Liberia’s Emerging Mental Health System Gains Ground With Latest Class of Graduating Clinicians

Nineteen clinicians specializing in child and adolescent mental health graduated today at Monrovia City Hall in Liberia from a training developed by the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program in partnership with the Liberia Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. Learn more »

Georgia Among 32 States to Get A Failing Grade on Report Cards Scoring Statutes to Mental Health and Addiction Treatment 10 Years After Federal Parity Law

Thirty-two states, including Georgia, get a failing grade for statutes designed to ensure equal access to mental health and addiction treatment, according to a report being issued today on the 10th anniversary of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. Learn more »

The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program Announces New Fellows from Colombia

The Carter Center and the Universidad de La Sabana, a private accredited university in Colombia, announced today three new recipients for the two fellowship slots for Colombia's Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards Eight 2018-2019 U.S. Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center announced today eight U.S. recipients of the 2018-2019 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Selected from a pool of highly competitive applicants, the 22nd annual class brings the total to 197 journalists who have been awarded the fellowships to date. (See below for a list of journalist names and project topics.) Learn more »

Carter Center Congratulates Ghana for Triumph over Trachoma

The Carter Center congratulates its longtime partner Ghana, which has become the first sub-Saharan African country to be validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating the eye disease trachoma as a public health problem. Learn more »

Carter Center Mental Health Forum to Address Policy in Georgia and Children’s Issues

New CDC research into children’s mental health services and policies will be unveiled during the 23nd annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum on May 11, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Carter Center. This event is open to the public, but registration is required. Learn more »

Liberia Ramps Up Resources to Improve Mental Health for Children and Adolescents

Nineteen clinicians specializing in child and adolescent mental health graduated today in Monrovia, Liberia, from a training developed by the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program in partnership with the Liberia Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. Learn more »

South Sudan Stops Transmission of Guinea Worm Disease

The world’s newest nation, South Sudan, has succeeded in interrupting transmission of Guinea worm disease, the country’s minister of health announced Wednesday at The Carter Center. As of the end of February 2018, South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, has recorded zero cases of Guinea worm disease for 15 consecutive months. Because the Guinea worm life cycle is about a year, a 15-month absence of cases indicates the interruption of transmission. Learn more »

Two States in Nigeria Interrupt Transmission of River Blindness

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health has interrupted transmission of river blindness in two large states and as a result will stop mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin (Mectizan®) in 2018. Learn more »

The Carter Center, MAP International and Liberia Ministry of Health Team Up to Combat Mental Health Crisis in Liberia

The Carter Center, MAP International, and the Liberian Ministry of Health have formed a new partnership to combat a growing mental health crisis in Liberia. Learn more »

Carter Center Presents Final Report on Kenya’s 2017 Elections

The Carter Center released its final election report today, presenting its comprehensive findings from Kenya’s 2017 electoral period and offering recommendations to help strengthen Kenya’s future electoral processes. Learn more »

Sudan’s Health Professionals and Science Institutions Receive Critical Equipment and Supplies Needed to Advance Maternal and Child Health Education Programs

In a ceremony today in Khartoum, Sudan, The Carter Center joined officials from the Sudan Federal Ministry of Health and other dignitaries to distribute critical supplies, textbooks, and equipment as part of a five-year partnership to improve the country’s maternal and child health education program efforts. Learn more »

Applications Open for 2018-19 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

Applications from U.S. citizens and residents are now being accepted for eight one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center's Mental Health Program. These fellowships aim to enhance public understanding of mental health and substance use conditions and reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with these illnesses through balanced and accurate reporting. The deadline for applications is Wednesday, April 11, 2018, and the fellowship recipients will be announced Wednesday, July 11, 2018, on the Center's website, www.cartercenter.org. The 2018-2019 fellowship year begins in September 2018. Learn more »

Announcement for 2017 Guinea Worm Disease Case Totals

The Carter Center, together with its partners, recognizes continued progress in the global Guinea worm eradication campaign. In 2017, there were only 20 villages with cases of Guinea worm disease in two countries, both in Africa, compared to 23,735 villages in 21 countries on two continents in 1991. Learn more »

Carter Center Commends Eight Recommendations to Improve Mental Health Services for Children in Georgia

The Carter Center commends the hard work done by the Commission on Children’s Mental Health and the recommendations included in their final report. Learn more »

Liberian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Activates Mental Health Act

The Liberian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released the country’s first Mental Health Act and distributed the official handbill in Liberia this week. Learn more »

Two States in Nigeria Eliminate Disfiguring Parasitic Disease Lymphatic Filariasis as Public Health Problem

Millions of Nigerians no longer are at risk of a disfiguring tropical disease, thanks to a pioneering partnership between the Federal Ministry of Health and The Carter Center. Learn more »

Liberia Significantly Increases Number of Mental Health Professionals and Services

Twenty-two clinicians specializing in child and adolescent mental health graduated today in Monrovia, Liberia, from a training developed by the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program in partnership with the Liberia Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. Learn more »

The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Announces Two New Fellows from Qatar

As part of a partnership with the Qatar Foundation’s World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), The Carter Center announced today two new recipients of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program in Qatar. Learn more »

Carter Center Joins Qatar Fund for Development and Sudan Government to Announce Maternal and Child Health Initiative

In a signing ceremony today in Khartoum, Sudan, The Carter Center joined officials from the Qatar Fund for Development, the Sudanese Federal Ministry of Health, and other dignitaries, including the ambassador of the state of Qatar to the Republic of Sudan, to mark the beginning of the first phase of a five-year partnership to improve maternal and child health in Sudan. Learn more »

Carter Center Leaders to Visit Liberia

Carter Center CEO Ambassador (ret.) Mary Ann Peters is in Liberia from Aug. 15-21 to review Center health and peace programs and discuss program goals and progress with partners in government, civil society, and the international community. Learn more »

The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program Announces Two New Fellows from the United Arab Emirates

As part of a partnership with the Al Jalila Foundation, The Carter Center announced today two new recipients of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Learn more »

The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program Announces New Fellows from Colombia

The Carter Center and the Universidad de La Sabana, a private accredited university in Colombia, announced today three new recipients of two fellowship slots for Colombia's Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards Eight 2017-2018 U.S. Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center announced today eight U.S. recipients of the 2017-2018 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Selected from a pool of highly competitive applicants, the 21st annual class brings the total to 189 journalists who have been awarded the fellowships to date. Learn more »

Four-Poster Bed Designed by Jimmy Carter among Carter Center Auction Highlights

A mahogany four-poster bed designed by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and created by master furniture maker Andrew Reid is among more than 150 items to be auctioned on June 24 to benefit the not-for-profit Carter Center. Proceeds will support the Center's work to advance peace and health across the globe. Learn more »

The Carter Center Congratulates Liberians on Passage of the Landmark Mental Health Act to Improve Health and Protect Citizens Living with Mental Health Disorders

The Carter Center congratulates Liberia on the passage of its first law to improve health care for people with mental illnesses and prevent discrimination against them. Learn more »

Carter Center Hosts Discussion on Coping with Anxiety

The Carter Center is hosting on June 15 a discussion on anxiety disorders with Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellow Andrea Petersen and Carter Center Mental Health Program staffer Rebecca Palpant Shimkets. Learn more »

Carter Center Mental Health Forum to Address Policy in Georgia and Children’s Issues

New research about the factors associated with mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders in children aged 2-8 years will be discussed this year during the 22nd annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum on May 12, 2017, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Carter Center in Atlanta. Learn more »

OFID awards Carter Center $800,000 grant for Blinding Trachoma Elimination in Mali, Niger

The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has awarded The Carter Center a grant of US$800,000 to help support an initiative to eliminate blinding trachoma in Mali and Niger. Learn more »

Liberia Expands Access to Mental Health Professionals and Services for Children and Adolescents

Twenty-one clinicians specializing in child and adolescent mental health graduated today in Kakata City, Liberia, from a training developed by The Carter Center’s Mental Health Program in partnership with the Liberia Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. Learn more »

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Pledges New Support for Trachoma Elimination Programs in Mali and Niger

Efforts to eliminate blinding trachoma as a public health problem in the West African nations of Mali and Niger will receive US$11.725 million in additional support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, to be implemented by The Carter Center, Helen Keller International, and Sightsavers, the organizations announced Wednesday. Learn more »

Carter Center Named Semi-Finalist in MacArthur Competition for $100 Million Grant

Eight bold solutions to critical social problems were named semi-finalists today in 100 and Change, a global competition for a single $100 million grant from MacArthur. The proposals address challenges ranging from eliminating needless blindness to educating children displaced by conflict, in places from Nigeria to Nepal to the United States. Learn more »

Applications Being Accepted for 2017-18 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

Applications from U.S. residents are now being accepted for eight one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center's Mental Health Program. These fellowships aim to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses through balanced and accurate reporting. Learn more »

Mali Reports No Guinea Worm Cases; Disease Remains in Just Three Countries, Carter Center Says

In 2016, only three countries — Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, reported a total of 25 human cases of Guinea worm disease. For the first time, Mali reported none. In 2015, four countries — Chad, Ethiopia, Mali, and South Sudan — had reported 22 cases. Learn more »

Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease on View at The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum

Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, a multimedia exhibition opening at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum on Jan. 11, 2017, explores the factors that determine whether a disease can be eradicated and the scientific and social innovations that are making it possible. Learn more »

Statement From Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter on Presidential Medal of Freedom Awardee

On behalf of the staff of The Carter Center, we extend our congratulations to Bill and Melinda Gates on receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom Learn more »

32nd Annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy Focuses on Shift Toward Integrated Care and Population Health

More than 140 health and corporate wellness leaders will come together Nov. 17-18 to discuss ways to improve mental health and well-being by addressing behavioral health within defined populations such as communities, organizations, and other groups. Learn more »

The Carter Center Celebrates Assisting 500 Million Doses against Diseases in 14 Countries

The health programs of The Carter Center have surpassed a major milestone: The organization on Nov. 4 celebrated assisting with the distribution of 500 million doses of donated medication to combat five neglected tropical diseases in 14 countries in Africa and Latin America. Learn more »

Guatemala Becomes Fourth Nation in Americas to Eliminate River Blindness

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and The Carter Center congratulate President Jimmy Morales and the people of Guatemala for eliminating onchocerciasis (river blindness) in the nation, as verified recently by the World Health Organization (WHO). Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program Welcomes Middle Eastern Journalists

For the first time, journalists from Middle Eastern countries will participate in the annual meeting of The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program held at The Carter Center each year. Fellows from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar join the 20th class of fellows in a journalism program which aims to reduce the stigma of those living with mental health conditions. Learn more »

Uganda Announces Milestone in River Blindness Elimination Goal

Uganda has successfully freed 821,230 people, the largest number to be freed from river blindness globally based on the latest WHO guidelines. This has expedited the process of achieving its goal of eliminating river blindness (onchocerciasis) nationwide by 2020. At its peak, the vector-transmitted parasitic worm caused eye and skin disease in 37 districts in Uganda, with about 6.7 million people at risk. Learn more »

Children and Adolescents to Receive Additional Tailored Mental Health Services in Liberia

The Carter Center has partnered with the UBS Optimus Foundation to improve the well-being of vulnerable youth in Liberia by tailoring and strengthening the national mental health care system to address the unique needs of children and adolescents. Learn more »

Documentary Screening “Requiem for a Running Back” at The Carter Center

The Carter Center’s Mental Health Program invites the media to a screening of the documentary “Requiem for a Running Back,” followed by a panel discussion and Q&A on the issues and stigma associated with the disease and the toll it takes on caregivers. Learn more »

Carter Center Helps Liberia Provide Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Services

Twenty-one clinicians specializing in child and adolescent mental health graduated today in Monrovia, Liberia, from a training developed by The Carter Center’s Mental Health Program in partnership with the Liberia Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. Learn more »

The Carter Center and Noor Dubai Foundation Announce New Partnership to Accelerate Elimination of Blinding Trachoma in Ethiopia

The Carter Center and Noor Dubai Foundation have announced a new four-year partnership to accelerate efforts to eliminate blinding trachoma in Ethiopia by 2020. Ethiopia has the highest known burden of trachoma in the world, with an estimated minimum of 67 million Ethiopians at risk of disease. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 2016-2017 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center announced today the recipients of the 2016-2017 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Selected from a pool of highly competitive applicants, the 20th annual class of fellows includes eight from the United States. Two fellowships also were awarded to journalists from Colombia. Learn more »

UAE Previews ‘Countdown to Zero’ Exhibition

HE Dr. Maha Barakat, Director General of the Health Authority Abu Dhabi and HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, inaugurated a preview of the exhibition Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease at Yas Mall on Monday. Learn more »

The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program Expands to Qatar

The Carter Center Mental Health Program has partnered with the Qatar Foundation’s World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) global healthcare community initiative to develop and implement a Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism (RCJF) program in Qatar. The RCJF Qatar program will be the second mental health fellowship program for journalists in the Middle East. The first one began in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in May 2016. Learn more »

Carter Center Mental Health Forum to Address Policy in Georgia and Children's Issues

New research about the needs of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, will be discussed during the 21st annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum on May 20, 2016, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Carter Center in Atlanta. This event is open to the public, but registration is required. Learn more »

The Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program Expands to the United Arab Emirates

The Carter Center Mental Health Program has partnered with the Al Jalila Foundation to develop and implement a United Arab Emirates (UAE) Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism (RCJF). This program will be the first mental health fellowship program for journalists in the Middle East. Learn more »

Carter Center Names Dean Sienko as New Vice President for Health Programs

Dean G. Sienko, M.D., M.S., has been appointed vice president for health programs at The Carter Center, effective June 2016. Learn more »

Carter Center Joins Government of Sudan to Mark Milestone in Maternal and Child Health Initiative

ATLANTA…In a ceremony today in Khartoum, Sudan, The Carter Center joined officials from the Sudanese Federal Ministry of Health to mark an official handover of supplies and equipment to improve the country's maternal and child health. Learn more »

Liz Blake Appointed Chair of Carter Center Board of Councilors

Liz Blake, retired senior vice president of Habitat for Humanity International, has been appointed chair of the Carter Center's Board of Councilors for 2016. The board comprises 239 members, who serve as a leadership advisory group that promotes understanding among opinion leaders and the broader community of The Carter Center and its activities. Learn more »

Applications Being Accepted for 2016-17 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

Applications from U.S. residents are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center's Mental Health Program. These fellowships aim to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses through balanced and accurate reporting. The deadline for applications is April 6, 2016, and the fellowship recipients will be announced July 11, 2016, on the Center's website, www.cartercenter.org. The 2016-2017 fellowship year begins in September 2016. Learn more »

Carter Center Announces Only 22 People had Guinea Worm Disease in 2015

Only 22 cases of Guinea worm disease were reported worldwide in 2015, an 83 percent reduction from the 126 cases reported in 2014, the greatest single percentage reduction in human cases in the history of the global campaign. These provisional numbers are reported by the ministries of health in remaining endemic countries and compiled by The Carter Center. When the Center began leading the international campaign to eradicate the parasitic disease in 1986, there were an estimated 3.5 million Guinea worm cases occurring annually in Africa and Asia. Learn more »

***MEDIA ADVISORY on 31st Annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy "Help Wanted: Reshaping the Behavioral Health Workforce"***

Media are invited to cover the Nov. 12-13, 2015, 31st Annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) resulted in millions more people trying to access mental health and substance use services as one of the 10 essential health benefits included in all covered plans. Learn more »

Carter Center Congratulates Winners of Nobel Prize for Medicine

The Carter Center and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter congratulate the winners of the 2015 Nobel Prize for Medicine, who discovered drugs that have prevented needless suffering for countless millions of people. Learn more »

Newest Victory in Onchocerciasis Elimination: Mexico

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and The Carter Center congratulate President Enrique Peña Nieto and the people of Mexico for eliminating onchocerciasis (river blindness) within its borders, as verified recently by the World Health Organization (WHO). Mexico is the world's third nation to receive official verification of elimination of the disease. Learn more »

International Coalition Urges Final Push to Eliminate River Blindness from the Americas

The Carter Center, PAHO/WHO, and the Mectizan Donation Program of Merck & Co., Inc., known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, are part of a coalition of organizations helping countries in the Americas fight river blindness (onchocerciasis) and are calling for a final push to definitively eliminate transmission of the disabling disease from the Western Hemisphere. Learn more »

Carter Center Statement: President Jimmy Carter Meeting with Nicolás Maduro, President of Venezuela

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter met with Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro Moros in New York City today to discuss the status of the campaign to eliminate river blindness (onchocerciasis) from the Americas. Learn more »

Carter Center Releases National Journalism Guide for Reporting on Behavioral Health

The Carter Center Mental Health Program today released "The Carter Center Journalism Resource Guide on Behavioral Health" to journalists, behavioral health and media experts, and guests during the three-day annual meeting of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Approximately 1 in 5 Americans aged 18 or older experienced a mental illness last year and 20.7 million adults (8.8%) had a substance use disorder. Learn more »

Carter Center Helps Bolster Liberia's Mental Health Workforce Following Ebola Epidemic

The Carter Center's Mental Health Program in Liberia, in partnership with the Liberia Ministry of Health, has exceeded its goal of training 150 mental health clinicians by 2015, working largely in primary care clinics and hospitals across all 15 counties to provide much needed care. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 2015-2016 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center announced today the recipients of the 2015-2016 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Selected from a highly competitive and record number of applicants, the 19th annual class of fellows includes six from the United States. Two fellowships also were awarded from Colombia. (See below for a full list of fellows and their project topics.) Learn more »

Applications Being Accepted for 2015-16 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

Applications from U.S. residents are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center's Mental Health Program. These fellowships aim to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses through balanced and accurate reporting. Learn more »

Former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter Congratulates Liberia's Minister of Health and Social Welfare for Improving Country's Mental Health Care Systems and Services

During the Carter Center's fourth annual Mental Health Liberia Program Review held this week in Atlanta, Georgia, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter congratulated former Liberia Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr. Walter Gwenigale for his many contributions that have helped to increase access to care and services for those living with mental illnesses in Liberia. Learn more »

Philanthropist Sir Emeka Offor Donates $10 Million to Accelerate Jimmy Carter's Efforts to Help Eliminate River Blindness in Nigeria

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and businessman Sir Emeka Offor signed an agreement today for a partnership to eliminate river blindness (onchocerciasis) from seven states in Nigeria where The Carter Center works with the Federal Ministry of Health, including Sir Emeka's native state, Anambra. Learn more »

Carter Center Mental Health Forum to Address Policy in Georgia and Children's Issues

New research about the needs of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, will be released during the 20th annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum on May 15, 2015, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Carter Center in Atlanta. This event is open to the public, but registration is required. Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum Focuses on Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illnesses

Fear of stigma and discrimination remains one of the biggest factors in preventing people from seeking treatment for mental illnesses. This problem is especially true for older children and young adults struggling with mental health issues who sense additional pressure to "fit in" with their peer group. Learn more »

New Graduates Bring Number of Trained Mental Health Clinicians in Liberia to 144

The Carter Center's Mental Health Program in Liberia, in partnership with the Liberia Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, congratulates the newest class of 21 clinicians who have joined the effort to continue improving access to mental health services in Liberia. With the addition of these graduates, 144 mental health clinicians are now trained, working largely in primary care clinics and hospitals across all 15 counties to provide much needed care. Learn more »

Consortium Aims to Eliminate Malaria on Hispaniola by 2020 Starting With $29.9 Million Grant to CDC Foundation

Consortium Aims to Eliminate Malaria on Hispaniola by 2020 Starting With $29.9 Million Grant to CDC Foundation Learn more »

Ebola: World Bank and Liberia to Work with Japan to Launch a Psychological Support Project

The Liberian Government and the World Bank Group in partnership with the Government of Japan, today launched a new $3 million project to address the psychological effects of Liberia's Ebola crisis and to promote psychosocial health in the country. The ceremony was held at the World Bank Liberia Office. Learn more »

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Congratulates People of Ghana for Eliminating Guinea Worm Disease

ATLANTA...Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and The Carter Center congratulate Ghana on being certified by the World Health Organization this week as having eliminated Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis), a water-borne parasitic disease poised to be the second human disease in history to be eradicated. Learn more »

Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease on View at the American Museum Of Natural History Beginning Jan.13

The challenges of eradicating devastating diseases are enormous, but successful strategies can bring about enormous social and economic benefits. Opening at the American Museum of Natural History on January 13, Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease explores the factors that determine if a disease is eradicable — meaning that it can be wiped out completely — as well as the scientific and social innovations that are ridding the world of ancient afflictions. Learn more »

Carter Center: 126 Cases of Guinea Worm Disease Remain Worldwide

The Carter Center announced today that 126 Guinea worm cases were reported worldwide in 2014. These provisional numbers, reported by ministries of health in the remaining four endemic nations and compiled by the Center, show that cases of the debilitating disease were reduced by 15 percent in 2014 compared to 148 cases in 2013. When the Center began leading the first international campaign to eradicate a parasitic disease in 1986, there were an estimated 3.5 million Guinea worm cases occurring annually in Africa and Asia. Learn more »

Jimmy Carter and Carlos Slim Announce New Partnership to Help Eliminate Last Vestiges of River Blindness in the Americas

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Mexican businessman Carlos Slim announced today a partnership to assist the regional initiative working with six countries in the Americas to eliminate river blindness (onchocerciasis): Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Venezuela. The announcement comes as the Mexican government celebrates eliminating transmission of river blindness nationwide, joining Colombia, Ecuador, and Guatemala. Learn more »

Jimmy Carter e Carlos Slim anunciam nova parceria para ajudar a eliminar os últimos vestígios de cegueira dos rios nas Américas

O ex-presidente dos Estados Unidos Jimmy Carter e o empresário mexicano Carlos Slim anunciaram hoje uma parceria para ajudar a iniciativa regional com ações em seis países nas Américas para eliminar a cegueira dos rios (oncocercose): Brasil, Colômbia, Equador, Guatemala, México e Venezuela. O anúncio foi feito ao mesmo tempo em que o governo mexicano comemora a eliminação da transmissão da cegueira dos rios em todo o país, juntando-se a Colômbia, Equador e Guatemala. Learn more »

Jimmy Carter y Carlos Slim anuncian una nueva alianza para ayudar a eliminar los últimos vestigios de la oncocercosis en las Américas

El ex Presidente de los EE.UU. Jimmy Carter y el empresario mexicano Ing. Carlos Slim anunciaron hoy una alianza para colaborar con la iniciativa regional para eliminar la ceguera de los ríos (oncocercosis) que incluye seis países en las Américas: Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, México y Venezuela. El anuncio viene en un momento en que el Gobierno mexicano celebra la eliminación de la transmisión de la ceguera de los ríos a nivel nacional, uniéndose a Colombia, Ecuador y Guatemala. Learn more »

Carter Center and Pan American Health Organization Congratulate Ecuador as Second in the Americas to Achieve Elimination of Onchocerciasis (River Blindness)

The Carter Center and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) congratulated Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa and the people of Ecuador for their country becoming the second in the world to achieve elimination of onchocerciasis (river blindness), as verified by the World Health Organization (WHO). Learn more »

Eradication Efforts Against Global Disease Are Focus of Countdown to Zero

The challenges of eliminating devastating diseases are enormous, but successful strategies can bring about colossal social and economic benefits. Countdown to Zero, a new exhibition about scientific and social innovations that are ridding the world of ancient afflictions, will open at the American Museum of Natural History on Jan. 13, 2015. The exhibition, developed in collaboration with The Carter Center, focuses on several global efforts that have been able to contain, eliminate, or eradicate disease. Chief among these is the 30-year campaign that may soon eradicate Guinea worm disease, positioning it to become only the second human disease ever eradicated, after smallpox. Learn more »

Flomoku Appointed Chief of Party for Carter Center Liberia Office

The Carter Center has named Pewee Flomoku as the first Liberian chief of party for its office in Liberia, effective today. A veteran Liberian journalist, Flomoku will lead both general office operations and its Access to Justice Project. Learn more »

Carter Center, Lions Clubs International Foundation Announce Expanded Partnership to Pursue Elimination of Blinding Trachoma and River Blindness in Four African Countries

During a ceremony held at the Carter Center's headquarters on May 15, 2014, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Lions Clubs International Foundation Chairperson Wayne Madden announced a US $8.8 million expansion of the Lions-Carter Center SightFirst Initiative to end suffering from major causes of preventable blindness in Ethiopia, Uganda, Mali, and Niger. Learn more »

Carter Center Appoints Kelly Callahan as Director of Trachoma Control Program

The Carter Center announces today the appointment of Ms. Kelly Callahan, M.P.H., as the director of the Center's Trachoma Control Program, effective April 14, 2014. Learn more »

123 Mental Health Clinicians Promoting Mental Health in Communities Across Liberia

The Carter Center's Mental Health Program in Liberia, in partnership with the Liberia Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, congratulates the newest, sixth class of 23 clinicians who will help continue to improve access to much needed mental health services in Liberia. These graduates join 100 previously trained and credentialed local mental health clinicians practicing in all 15 counties in Liberia, working largely in primary care clinics and hospitals. Learn more »

Clarification From The Carter Center on Sudan Activities

The Carter Center's long-standing support for the people of Sudan will continue through activities to advance peace, democracy, and health. The Carter Center's Health Program office continues to operate as it undertakes health promotion and disease prevention projects. Learn more »

Nigeria Launches Africa’s First Nationwide Malaria and Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis) Elimination Co-Implementation Plan

The Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health is distributing new national guidelines for coimplementation of interventions to eliminate malaria and lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis). This combined nationwide strategy is the first of its kind in Africa and will allow the Federal and State Ministries of Health to efficiently protect all Nigerians from the two mosquito transmitted parasitic diseases. Learn more »

Applications Being Accepted for the 2014-2015 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

Applications from U.S. residents are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center's Mental Health Program. These fellowships aim to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses through balanced and accurate reporting. Learn more »

CARTER CENTER: 148 Cases of Guinea Worm Disease Remain Worldwide

The Carter Center announced today that 148 Guinea worm cases were reported worldwide in 2013. These provisional numbers, reported by ministries of health in the remaining four endemic nations and compiled by the Center, show that cases of the debilitating disease were reduced by 73 percent in 2013 compared to 542 cases in 2012. When the Center began leading the first international campaign to eradicate a parasitic disease, there were an estimated 3.5 million Guinea worm cases occurring annually in Africa and Asia. Learn more »

President Jimmy Carter And Pfizer Celebrate 15-Year Effort To Help End Blinding Trachoma As A Public Health Concern

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter joined Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) today to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI), an independent, not-for-profit program dedicated to the elimination of blinding trachoma as a public health concern. Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter and Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to Headline Annual National Symposium on Mental Health

During the 29th Annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy on Nov.7-8, 2013, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will join former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter to discuss how access to mental health care could improve with the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA). Learn more »

100 Clinicians Now Provide Critical Mental Health Services to All 15 Counties in Liberia

The Carter Center's Mental Health Program in Liberia, in partnership with the Liberia Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, congratulates the newest, fifth class of 21 clinicians who are pioneering a new model for mental health services in Africa. With 100 local mental health clinicians trained since 2011, all 15 counties in Liberia now have access to at least two service providers. These clinicians largely work in primary care clinics and hospitals in remote, rural areas. Learn more »

Carter Center Congratulates Colombia as First in the Americas to Eliminate River Blindness

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter today congratulated President Juan Manuel Santos and the people of Colombia for becoming the first of six countries in the Americas to eliminate river blindness. The official ceremony was held today in Bogotá. River blindness, also known as onchocerciasis, is a parasitic disease that can cause intense itching, eyesight damage, and irreversible blindness. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 2013-2014 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center announced the recipients of the 2013-2014 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism today. Selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, the 17th annual class of fellows includes six from the United States, two from Romania, and for the first time, two teams from Colombia. (See below for a full list of fellows and their project topics.) Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 2014-2015 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center announced today the recipients of the 2014-2015 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, the 18th annual class of fellows includes six from the United States and two fellowships from Colombia. (See below for a full list of fellows and their project topics.) Learn more »

Carter Center Declares Goal: River Blindness Elimination

The Carter Center announced today that it will no longer only control river blindness, but instead it will work with ministries of health to eliminate it in all 10 countries in Africa and Latin America in the areas where the Center fights the neglected disease. Learn more »

Carter Center Congratulates Nasarawa and Plateau States for Setting Global Example in Fight to Eradicate Lymphatic Filariasis

The Carter Center congratulates Nasarawa and Plateau states for becoming the first Nigerian states to stop transmission of lymphatic filariasis (LF), a parasitic disease most commonly known for causing elephantiasis. The parasites that cause LF (Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, Brugia timori) are transmitted by mosquitoes and live in the lymphatic system of sufferers. Repeated infection can lead to severe swelling of a person's limbs and genitals, a condition called elephantiasis. Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter, Former Congressman Tony Coelho Host Discussion on Mental Illness

Former U.S. First Lady and Carter Center Co-Founder Rosalynn Carter and former Congressman Tony Coelho will join experts from the federal government and other mental health officials to discuss new research published in the American Journal of Public Health's first theme issue on stigma against people with mental illness on April 18, 2013, at 2 p.m. at The Carter Center in Atlanta, Ga. Learn more »

The Carter Center and Universidad de La Sabana Launch Colombia's Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center and the Universidad de La Sabana, a private accredited university in Colombia, announce the launch of Colombia's Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, which will award two annual fellowships to local journalists to investigate and produce a comprehensive project unveiling mental health issues in the nation. Learn more »

President Carter on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Aired on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

President Carter appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and explained how The Carter Center has nearly eradicated Guinea worm disease. President Carter also discussed latrine building in Ethiopia to prevent trachoma and answered a few questions about the news of the day. Learn more »

Local, Carter Center-Trained Mental Health Clinicians Now Reach All 15 Counties in Liberia

The Carter Center's Mental Health Program in Liberia, in partnership with the Liberia Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, announces that efforts to improve access to mental health care in the post-conflict nation now reach all 15 counties in Liberia, with each county having access to at least one locally trained and credentialed mental health clinician. Only a few years prior, Liberia, a nation of 3.8 million people, had one psychiatrist to meet the needs of at least 300,000 Liberians suffering from mental illness each year. Learn more »

Applications Being Accepted for the 2013-2014 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

Applications from U.S. residents are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center's Mental Health Program. These fellowships aim to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses through balanced and accurate reporting. Learn more »

Jimmy Carter Announces Guinea Worm Cases Hit Record Low, Setting Stage for Eradication of Second Human Disease in History

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter announced today that the international Guinea worm eradication campaign spearheaded by The Carter Center has reached its final stages with only 542 cases reported worldwide in 2012. These provisional case numbers, identified by ministries of health in the remaining four endemic nations and compiled by The Carter Center, show that cases of the parasitic disease were reduced by nearly half in 2012. Learn more »

Uganda Interrupts the Transmission of River Blindness in Three More Areas (Part of Nationwide Elimination Targets)

Uganda has successfully interrupted the transmission of Onchocerciasis (river blindness) in three more foci in four districts: Kibaale (Mpamba-Nkusi focus), Maracha (Maracha-Terego focus) and, Mitooma and Bushenyi (Imaramagambo focus). Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter and New Georgia Mental Health Commissioner Frank Berry to Co-Host Town Hall on Access to Mental Health Services in Georgia

At a critical juncture in Georgia's efforts to restructure community access to quality mental health services, former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter and Frank Berry, the new commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), will co-host a public town hall meeting in Mrs. Carter's home region on Oct. 24 at Georgia South Technical College in Americus from 12:30-4:00 p.m. (additional details below). Learn more »

Carter Center Congratulates Liberia on Dramatic Increase in Mental Health Care Access Across Nation

The Carter Center's Mental Health Liberia Program, in partnership with the Liberia Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, announces that efforts to build a sustainable mental health care system have reached an important milestone with 14 out of 15 counties in Liberia now having access to at least one locally trained and credentialed mental health clinician. Only three years prior, Liberia had one psychiatrist in the entire country. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 2012-2013 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center announced the recipients of the 2012-2013 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism today. Selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, the 16th annual class of fellows includes six from the United States and two from Romania. (See below for a full list of fellows and their project topics.) Learn more »

The Dominican Republic and Haiti Continue Plans to Eliminate Malaria and Lymphatic Filariasis on the Island by 2020

Efforts to eliminate two mosquito-borne diseases – malaria and lymphatic filariasis – in Haiti and the Dominican Republic are ongoing, with the first of four binational meetings on the issue to take place in 2012, held in Santo Domingo on the 29th and 30th of March of this year, with participants from the technical teams of the National Center for Tropical Disease Control, the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Health and the National Malaria Control Program of the Haitian Ministry of Health. Also participating in the strategic meeting are experts from The Carter Center, The Panamerican Health Organization (OPS) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Learn more »

Applications Being Accepted for the 2012-2013 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

Applications from U.S. residents are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center's Mental Health Program. These fellowships aim to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses through balanced and accurate reporting. Learn more »

Uganda's Success Against River Blindness: An Inspiration for Africa and an International Challenge

The Carter Center congratulates Uganda for its historic achievement of interrupting transmission of river blindness disease (onchocerciasis) in several parts of the country, freeing hundreds of thousands from risk of this scourge. Learn more »

Carter Center Welcomes Gates Foundation, UAE, CIFF Funding to Achieve Guinea Worm Eradication

$40 million in donations announced today from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) will enable a Carter Center-led eradication campaign to end Guinea worm disease by 2015. The Center also announced today that provisional results show only 1,060 cases of Guinea worm occurred worldwide in 2011. Learn more »

The Carter Center Congratulates Latin American Countries for Major Strides Toward the Elimination of River Blindness

The Carter Center and its Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas (OEPA) are pleased to congratulate three Latin American countries on their recent progress toward eliminating river blindness (onchocerciasis). Today at the sixteenth annual InterAmerican Conference on Onchocerciasis – sponsored by The Carter Center, the Pan American Health Organization, the Lions Clubs International Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – three of the six countries in the Americas that have historically suffered from river blindness announced the good news Learn more »

Britain to Help Carter Center Secure Funding For Worldwide Eradication of Guinea Worm Disease

Britain today announced it will provide major support to a new project that will make Guinea worm the second human disease ever to be eradicated in human history. Learn more »

Closing the Gap on Guinea Worm Disease

Jimmy Carter and Margaret Chan to announce major new funding campaign to wipe out Guinea worm disease. Learn more »

The Carter Center Congratulates Liberia on Graduation of Inaugural Class of Mental Health Clinicians

Today, during a ceremony attended by Liberian government officials, community and religious leaders, and other partners, The Carter Center celebrated the graduation of Liberia's first class of locally trained mental health clinicians. Learn more »

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Congratulates People of Ghana for Halting Guinea Worm Disease Transmission Urges Remaining Endemic Countries to Wipe Out Ancient Affliction as Soon as Possible

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and The Carter Center congratulate Ghana on becoming the world's newest country to stop transmission of Guinea worm, a water-borne parasitic disease poised to be the second human disease in history to be eradicated. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 2011-2012 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center announced the recipients of the 2011-2012 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism today, one of the only journalism fellowship programs exclusively focused on mental health issues. Selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, the 15th annual class of fellows includes six from the United States and two from Romania. (See below for a full list of fellows and their project topics.) Learn more »

Carter Center, American College of Physicians, and Health Experts Release Report Detailing Solutions for Reinvigorating Primary Care System: Five Prescriptions for Ensuring the Future of Primary Care

A new report from The Carter Center and the American College of Physicians (ACP), "Five Prescriptions for Ensuring the Future of Primary Care," argues that an overhaul of the primary care education system—including adopting more rigorous training in mental illness diagnosis and treatment—is necessary to fully implement reform of the U.S. health care system. Learn more »

The Carter Center Celebrates Transfer of Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative to Ethiopia Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Education

After 13 years training more than 26,000 public health workers to help fill the gap in rural health services for 75 million Ethiopians, The Carter Center- assisted Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative (EPHTI) officially has been transferred to Ethiopia's Federal Ministries of Health and Education. Established in 1997 at the invitation of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, EPHTI worked in partnership with seven Ethiopian universities and the Ethiopian government to improve the public health education system. Learn more »

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Announces Three Countries Left in Guinea Worm Eradication Campaign:

Former U.S. President and Carter Center Founder Jimmy Carter announced today that only three endemic countries remain in the fight against Guinea worm disease, poised to be only the second disease in history—after smallpox—to be eradicated. Learn more »

L'ancien Président américain Jimmy Carter annonce qu'il ne reste que 3 pays dans la campagne d'éradication de la dracunculose

L'ancien Président américain et Fondateur du Centre Carter, M. Jimmy Carter, a annoncé aujourd'hui qu'il ne restait que trois pays d'endémicité dans la lutte contre la dracunculose, maladie sur le point d'être la deuxième – après la variole - qu'ait jamais été éradiquée. Learn more »

Applications Being Accepted for the 2011-2012 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

Applications from U.S. residents are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center's Mental Health Program. These fellowships aim to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses through balanced and accurate reporting. Learn more »

Donor Contributions Critical to Success of Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas

Standing in his school's courtyard in El Xab, Guatemala, a blindfolded boy swings a large stick toward an enormous piñata shaped like a fly. Though the scene is a cheerful one, the children are learning something meaningful about the power of their community and country to fight the debilitating disease river blindness (onchocerciasis), which is spread by the bites of black flies that breed in swiftly flowing rivers. Learn more »

Public Health Officials Confirm Significant Progress Toward the Goal of Elimination of River Blindness in Latin America by 2012

Public health officials at the 20th Inter-American Conference on Onchocerciasis in Antigua, Guatemala, confirmed that more than one-third of all Latin Americans who ran the risk of contracting river blindness (onchocerciasis), a leading cause of preventable blindness, are no longer at risk. Learn more »

Conversations at The Carter Center "After the War: Mental Health and a Veteran's Journey Home"

Reservations are still available for the Nov. 9 Conversations at The Carter Center event, "After the War: Mental Health and a Veteran's Journey Home." In addition, attendees now will have the chance to participate in a special book signing immediately following the panel discussion. Learn more »

10 Million Ethiopians to Receive Free Antibiotic During Historic MalTra Week in Amhara Region

The largest single event in trachoma control history is underway. This week, the Lions-Carter Center SightFirst project, the Amhara National Regional State Health Bureau, and the International Trachoma Initiative will provide Pfizer-donated antibiotic treatment to 10 million Ethiopians at risk for blinding trachoma. Learn more »

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter to Lead Two Major Forums on Veterans' Mental Health at The Carter Center

The unique challenges for mental health care and community reintegration faced by National Guard and reserve veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will be the topic of two events being held by The Carter Center in the two weeks prior to Veterans Day. Both events will be webcast live. Learn more »

Carter Center Statement on Settlement Agreement on Georgia Mental Health Services

The Carter Center welcomes Guinea's progress toward holding its historic runoff presidential election, and we urge both candidates, their supporters, and each CENI commissioner to ensure that the constitutional processes are respected to ensure that the will of the Guinean people can be freely expressed. Learn more »

Guinea Worm Eradication and River Blindness Elimination Receive Major Boost with U.S. $1 Million Donation from OPEC Fund: Signing Ceremony Takes Place at The Carter Center

oday, during a special ceremony in Atlanta, former U.S. President and Carter Center Founder Jimmy Carter received on behalf of The Carter Center two new pledges — $500,000 toward the Guinea Worm Eradication Program and $500,000 toward the Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas (OEPA) — from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), represented by His Excellency Director General Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish. Learn more »

Jimmy Carter Featured in Two Independent Documentaries Screening at The Carter Center August 21

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is featured in two independently produced documentaries screening at The Carter Center as part of DocuFest Atlanta's 5th annual, five-day international film festival. Beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21, take a rare inside look at the challenges facing Carter Center health workers in remote, impoverished areas as they eradicate an alien-like disease in the premier of "Foul Water / Fiery Serpent." Learn more »

Carter Center Experts and Partners Chronicle "Nigeria's Triumph" Over Ancient Guinea Worm Disease in American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Article

In the August 2010 issue of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, a new paper co-authored by experts from the Nigeria Ministry of Health, The Carter Center, and the World Health Organization, details Nigeria's historic triumph over many challenges to successfully eliminate the ancient waterborne plague Guinea worm disease (also known as dracunculiasis). Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 2010-2011 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

After a highly competitive selection process, the Carter Center's Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, one of the only journalism fellowships exclusively for mental health, announced today the winners of its 2010-2011 awards. Learn more »

Abu Hamad First to Stop River Blindness Transmission in Sudan

The Sudan Federal Ministry of Health, with assistance from The Carter Center and Lions Clubs International Foundation, announced that the isolated desert area of Abu Hamad has stopped transmission of river blindness (onchocerciasis). Learn more »

Ecuador Becomes Second Country in the Americas to Halt River Blindness Transmission Carter Center Hails Major Step Forward in Campaign to Rid Americas of Parasitic Infection by 2012; Urges Intensified Efforts in the Four Remaining Endemic Countries

Carter Center experts congratulate the people of Ecuador for breaking transmission of the blinding parasitic disease river blindness, or onchocerciasis. Ecuador is the second nation in the Americas after Colombia (in 2008) to stop the transmission of this debilitating, yet preventable affliction on a countrywide basis, according to officials of the Ministry of Health of Ecuador and the Onchocerciasis Elimination Program in the Americas (OEPA). Learn more »

2010-2011 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism: Applications Being Accepted

Applications from U.S. residents are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center's Mental Health Program. These fellowships aim to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses through balanced and accurate reporting. Learn more »

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Visits Last Stronghold of Guinea Worm Disease in Southern Sudan

In the dusty and remote village of Molujore, Terekeka County, Southern Sudan, food shortages are common, insecurity lingers, and survival is a daily struggle. Yet, important progress is being made in the effort to wipe out Guinea worm disease, resulting in the community being singled out for a visit from former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Central Equatoria State Governor Clement Wani Konga, and Commissioner Clement Maring Samuel today to urge intensification of efforts to wipe out the waterborne parasitic infection during the next transmission season beginning in April. Learn more »

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to View Major Progress Against Guinea Worm Disease in Sudan

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, will travel to the world's most Guinea worm-endemic country—Sudan—Feb. 9-12, 2010, to personally appeal for completing eradication of the crippling waterborne parasite as soon as possible and to urge peace and stability in the nation as it prepares for its first multi-party elections in 24 years in April, which the Carter Center's international election observation team will monitor. Learn more »

Amhara National Regional Health Bureau and Lions-Carter Center Sightfirst Initiative Launch Third Integrated Malaria and Trachoma (Maltra) Campaign

The MalTra campaigns are a huge joint undertaking between the Amhara National Regional State (ANRS) and Lions-Carter Center Sightfirst Initiative held twice a year to tackle two of the major scourges of humanity in Amhara region: malaria and trachoma. Learn more »

Eliminating Malaria and Lymphatic Filariasis from Hispaniola

In 2006, the International Task Force for Disease Eradication (ITFDE) concluded that elimination of malaria and lymphatic filariasis (LF) from Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), which is the only endemic island remaining in the Caribbean for both diseases, is "technically feasible, medically desirable, and would be economically beneficial." Former US President Jimmy Carter and staff from The Carter Center visited Dajabón, Dominican Republic and Ouanaminthe, Haiti (clinics, malaria prevention and control offices, homes of families, and mosquito breeding sites) on Oct.7, 2009 and met with the respective heads of state, ministers of health, partner organizations, and donor representatives on October 8. During the visit, the two Ministries of Health announced a bi-national plan to eliminate malaria from the entire island by 2020, at a combined cost of US$194 million (two-thirds for Haiti, one-third for the Dominican Republic) or $1 per person per year, using active epidemiological surveillance, free diagnosis and treatment, health education, and vector control, including selective indoor residual spraying and long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets. Learn more »

Efforts to Control Blinding Trachoma Reduce Child Mortality in Ethiopia, JAMA Study Finds

Ethiopia's devastating child mortality rates—which are among the highest in the world—could be significantly decreased as a result of treatment to control the nonfatal eye disease trachoma, suggests new research published in the Sept. 2, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association by the University of California at San Francisco and The Carter Center, in partnership with the Ethiopia Ministry of Health. Learn more »

Carter Center Announces Agreement With the Government of Sudan, the National Elections Commission and the Government of Southern Sudan on Election Observation

The Carter Center is pleased to have finalized memoranda of understanding with the Government of National Unity (GONU) of Sudan and the National Elections Commission (NEC) and the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) on its program of election observation in Sudan. The Center welcomes the spirit of cooperation demonstrated by Sudanese authorities in these efforts. Learn more »

Three Countries Announce Elimination of Blinding Trachoma at Meeting of Alliance for the Global Elimination of Blinding Trachoma

At a meeting of the World Health Organization's (WHO) global partnership on eye disease — the Alliance for the Global Elimination of Blinding Trachoma by the Year 2020 (GET 2020) — Ghana, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia reported that they have reached the goal for eliminating blinding trachoma. Each country has also strengthened its health care system so it can deliver eye surgery for those in need. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 2009-2010 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

After receiving a record number of applicants, the Carter Center's Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism—the only journalism fellowships exclusively for mental health—announced today the winners of its 2009-2010 awards (see below for full list of fellows and their project topics). Learn more »

African Health Leaders Honor President Carter and The Carter Center for 'Pioneering' Efforts Against Neglected Diseases

Health officials from 11 African countries have honored former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and The Carter Center for their "pioneering contributions to eradicating neglected tropical diseases in Africa." The leadership award was presented to Carter Center CEO Dr. John Hardman and Dr. Donald Hopkins, vice president of health programs, on April 22 in a Washington, D.C., event sponsored by Global Health Progress and ONE. Learn more »

A Milestone Toward Ending River Blindness in the Western Hemisphere by 2012: Escuintla, Guatemala, Largest Endemic Area Yet to Stop Transmission

An international team of researchers led by Rodrigo Gonzalez of the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala reports that the transmission of onchocerciasis or river blindness has been broken in Escuintla, Guatemala, one of the largest endemic areas in the Western Hemisphere to date to stop the transmission of the parasitic disease. Learn more »

2009-2010 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism: Applications Being Accepted

Applications are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center's Mental Health Program. The 2009-2010 fellowships begin in September 2009, and aim to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and combat stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses. Applicants must be U.S. residents. Learn more »

Profile: Jerome Lawrence and The Carter Center Mental Health Program Picturing a Future of Recovery

There are a lot of images that convey the spirit of the Carter Center's work around the world, but few are as unusual and exuberant as a painting of bright red tulips by local Atlanta artist Jerome Lawrence. The vibrant, cheerful painting titled "Tulips are People II," was featured on the Carter Center's 2008 holiday card. Lawrence was selected not only for his artistic skill, but also because his life of recovery with schizophrenia is a message of hope for others struggling with mental illness. Learn more »

Watch Guinea Worm Press Conference: Archived Webcast

Former U.S President Jimmy Carter announces major financial contribution from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and DFID toward final eradication of Guinea worm disease. Learn more »

Guinea Worm Cases Hit All-Time Low: Carter Center, WHO, Gates Foundation, and U.K. Government Commit $55 Million Toward Ultimate Eradication Goal

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter announced today that cases of Guinea worm disease have reached an all-time low with fewer than 5,000 estimated cases remaining worldwide. To help eliminate the remaining cases, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) announced new commitments totaling US$55 million to support the historic Carter Center-led eradication campaign. Learn more »

Announcement of Major Financial Commitment to Final Eradication of Guinea Worm Disease

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Carter Center President and CEO John Hardman, M.D. (right), and Carter Center Global 2000 Program Director Craig Withers (left) announce a $55 million commitment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Kingdom Department for International Development toward final eradication of Guinea worm disease. Learn more »

Press Conference: Jimmy Carter and Carter Center Partners Announce Major New Progress Toward Guinea Worm Eradication

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Guinea worm disease eradication partners will address the critical juncture facing the international Guinea worm eradication campaign with a major announcement of new progress and funding on Dec. 5, 2008, at The Carter Center in Atlanta. Learn more »

The Kids Are Not All Right: Researchers Find Little to Celebrate 25 Years After Groundbreaking Child Mental Health Study Urged Federal Leadership

Atlanta...A quarter of a century has passed since a groundbreaking, 50-state study shone a piercing light on America's alarming disarray of mental health services for children and urged strong federal leadership on policies to support states' efforts. A follow-up study released today finds that states are still struggling to deliver effective care while a lack of federal leadership remains. Learn more »

New Findings on Nation's Delivery of Children's Mental Health Care to be Released at Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy

New research by the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University reveals that state by state policies continue to hinder children's mental health delivery 25 years after the strong recommendation of a federal plan to address the issue. Learn more »

Children's Mental Health Care Uneven in U.S. , Says Study

Mental health services for children across the United States are spotty at best, due to a patchwork of state approaches in which the most effective services are not necessarily the ones funded, according to a new study by the National Center for Children in Poverty called "Unclaimed Children Revisited." The results of the study were unveiled at the 24th annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy in November 2008. Learn more »

Pan American Health Organization Passes Resolution to Interrupt Transmission of River Blindness in Latin America by 2012

In an effort to eliminate river blindness (onchocerciasis) from the Western Hemisphere, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an urgent call to interrupt the disease's transmission by 2012. Learn more »

Statement From Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter on Mental Health Parity Success

We have won a major victory today for millions of people who long have been discriminated against because they have a mental illness or substance use disorder. By passing mental health and addiction parity legislation, Congress has made an important statement that these diseases should be treated like any other physical illness. Learn more »

Carter Center Launches Effort to Spur Elimination of Malaria and Lymphatic Filariasis in Haiti and the Dominican Republic

The Carter Center, in partnership with Haiti and the Dominican Republic, announced today a one-year initiative to try to accelerate elimination of malaria and lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) from the island of Hispaniola, which the countries share. Learn more »

A Clearer Picture of Trachoma in Southern Sudan: Bacterial Eye Disease Devastates Ayod County

The burden of trachoma in Ayod county, one of the most severe ever documented, is a crucial threat to public health in Jonglei state, Southern Sudan according to a recently conducted survey. These alarming results, published today in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, were uncovered through a collaborative survey between The Carter Center, University of Cambridge, and health officials from the government of Southern Sudan. Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 2008-2009 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center Mental Health Program has named the 10 recipients of its twelfth annual Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, including six from the United States, two from southern Africa, and two from Romania. Each domestic fellow will receive a $10,000 stipend to study and report on a particular issue within the mental health field for one year. International fellows will receive a comparable stipend. Learn more »

Statement from Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter Regarding Governor Perdue's Decision to Cut Necessary Funding for Children's Mental Health Services

I am shocked by the announced $8.4 million dollar cut in funds for mental health services for children in the state of Georgia, particularly considering the current crisis state mental health services face. Learn more »

Solving the Shortage of Health Care Providers: Panelists to Discuss Ethiopia's Response to an Urgent Global Crisis

A critical shortage of health care workers plagues sub-Saharan Africa. Without access to health care provided by qualified professionals, people suffer daily from fully preventable maladies such as diarrhea, malnutrition, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. An expert panel will address a sold-out audience on the Carter Center's work to alleviate the problem in Ethiopia through its Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative, and prospects for applying the model elsewhere. Learn more »

Campaign to Eradicate Guinea Worm Disease Reports Lowest Case Levels to Date, President Carter Observes Recent Successes During Special Ceremony

The countdown to complete elimination of Guinea worm disease is ticking closer to zero. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter helped the global Guinea Worm Eradication Program celebrate a major milestone today by honoring four new countries that ended transmission of Guinea worm disease in 2007 at a special ceremony. Ethiopia, Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo join 11 others in reporting an end to the parasitic infection. Learn more »

La campagne d'éradication de la dracunculose signale les niveaux de cas les plus faibles jamais atteints Le Président Carter fait l'éloge des réussites récentes lors d'une cérémonie spéciale

Le compte à rebours s'approche de zéro : la dracunculose est sur le point d'être éliminée. L'ancien Président américain Jimmy Carter a aide le Programme mondial d'éradication de la dracunculose à faire un autre grand pas en avant. En effet, aujourd'hui quatre nouveaux pays qui ont mis fin à la transmission de la dracunculose en 2007 ont été à l'honneur lors d'une cérémonie spéciale. L'Ethiopie, la Côte d'Ivoire, le Burkina Faso et le Togo sont venus se joindre à 11 autres pays qui ont indiqué qu'ils avaient mis fin à l'infection parasitaire. Learn more »

Mali's President Touré, Southern Sudan Program Director Logora Honored With The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Award

Of the original eleven Guinea worm endemic Francophone countries in West Africa, only Niger and Mali remain, with both aiming to eliminate the disease by the end of the 2008. The successful accomplishments of these countries are due to the hard work of hundreds of in-country volunteers, health workers, government officials, and other partners. Learn more »

Prix Jimmy et Rosalynn Carter Décerné Au Président Touré du Mali, Directeur de Programme Makoy Samuel Yibi Logora

Des onze pays francophones de l'Afrique de l'Ouest où la dracunculose était endémique au départ, seuls restent le Niger et le Mali dont les deux visent à éliminer la maladie d'ici la fin de 2008. Ces victoires ont été remportées par les efforts ardus de centaines de volontaires, agents de santé, représentants officiels dans le pays et autres partenaires. Learn more »

President Carter Congratulates Ghana on Lower Case Numbers of Guinea Worm Disease, Warns Against Complacency

One year after witnessing the horrific Savelugu Guinea worm outbreak in northern Ghana, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter returned to Accra today to congratulate the national program for its recent effective efforts in reducing the incidence of Guinea worm disease. Learn more »

2008-2009 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism: Applications Being Accepted

Applications are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center Mental Health Program. Designed to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and combat stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses, the fellowships begin in September 2008. Applicants must be U.S. residents. Learn more »

Lions, Carter Center Celebrate 10 Millionth Dose of Zithromax, Health Gains Against Trachoma in Ethiopia

Today a group led by Lions Clubs International Foundation Chairperson Jimmy Ross witnessed a historic moment in trachoma control when the 10 millionth dose of azithromycin (Zithromax®) was dispensed to a person in Awi Zone. Learn more »

Carter Center, Partners, Celebrate 100 Millionth Mectizan® Treatment

The Carter Center's River Blindness Program, with its global partners, announced recently the 100 millionth treatment of Mectizan® since 1996. The drug, proven effective and safe in treatment and prevention of river blindness, also called onchocerciasis, is donated by Merck & Co., Inc. Learn more »

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Sends Congratulatory Message to Ecuador's New Constituent Assembly

In a message to Ecuador's newly inaugurated Constituent Assembly, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter urged the constituents to use human rights as a basis for drafting a new constitution and encouraged them to seek a harmonious solution on the definition and implementation of their role in transforming the state's institutions. Learn more »

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter's Message for the Inauguration of Ecuador's New Constituent Assembly

Almost 30 years ago, when I assumed the presidency of my country and military dictatorships extended throughout Latin America, Ecuador inaugurated a wave of democratization that continues today. Human rights began to be restored as fundamental values, and slowly the countries of Latin America established democratic regimes. Learn more »

Carter Center Expert Donald Hopkins Receives Prestigious Fries Prize for Guinea Worm Eradication Leadership

Poised to be the first parasitic disease eradicated in human history, Guinea worm disease now teeters on the verge of extinction. The 2007 Fries Prize for Improving Health was bestowed on Donald R. Hopkins, M.D., M.P.H., Carter Center vice president for health programs, for his sustained leadership in the global campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease (dracunculiasis), a debilitating parasitic infection contracted from drinking contaminated water. Learn more »

Colombia is First Country to Interrupt Transmission of River Blindness

Colombia has become the first country to interrupt transmission of onchocerciasis (also known as river blindness) on a countrywide basis, according to officials of the Onchocerciasis Elimination Program in the Americas (OEPA). Learn more »

Carter Center Symposium to Address the Prevention of Mental Illnesses

Harnessing the power of prevention to stop the onset or progression of mental illnesses is long overdue. Failure to implement preventive measures on a national scale takes not only a human toll but also an economic and societal toll in terms of lost productivity and disability. Learn more »

Ethiopia Builds Health Care Workforce Using a Grassroots Approach: Shares Methods with Other Nations Online

Battling the dangerous void left by the migration of its skilled health professionals to other countries, Ethiopia, a country challenged by the grim realities of killer diseases, has proven it can build a sustainable health workforce to meet its unique health situation. Learn more »

The Carter Center Includes Romania in Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism Program

The Carter Center Mental Health Program has awarded two Romanian journalists with the eleventh annual Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. This will be the first year that journalists from the Eastern European country will participate in the program. Learn more »

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Discusses Malaria During Online Smithsonian Chat

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter participated in a live online chat June 28, 2007, to discuss malaria and the article "The Ethiopia Campaign - Jimmy Carter Takes on Malaria," featured in the June 2007 issue of Smithsonian magazine. Learn more »

Carter Center Awards 2007-2008 Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

The Carter Center Mental Health Program has named eight recipients of its eleventh annual Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, including six from the United States and two from southern Africa. Two Romanian journalists will be named at a later date. Each domestic fellow will receive a $10,000 stipend to study and report on a particular issue within the mental health field for one year. International fellows will receive a comparable stipend. Learn more »

Carter Center Guinea Worm Program Meets $45 Million Gates Challenge Early

The Carter Center and its partners are another step closer to eradicating Guinea worm disease, a horrific and debilitating parasitic infection, thanks to the completion of a challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which leveraged a total of $45 million with the support of more than 500 partners in a record two years. Learn more »

The Embassy of Japan Funds Pipe Filters for the Fight to Eradicate Guinea Worm Disease in Southern Sudan

Today, the Embassy of Japan awarded funding for the Southern Sudan Guinea Worm Eradication Program. The contract to purchase 420,000 Guinea worm pipe filters was presented by H.E. Ambassador Yuichi Ishii to The Carter Center in the presence of H.E. Dr. Theophilus Ochang Lotti, Minister of Health, Government of Southern Sudan, Mr. Primo Celerino, Coordinator for the Ministry of Health, Government of Southern Sudan, and Dr. Nabil Aziz, National Guinea Worm Program Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Health. Learn more »

2007-2008 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism: Applications Being Accepted

Applications are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Carter Center Mental Health Program. Learn more »

Carter Center Appoints Philip J. Hickey Jr. as Vice Chair for Board of Councilors

Philip J. Hickey, Jr., chairman of the board and chief executive officer of RARE Hospitality International, Inc., has been appointed vice chair of the Carter Center's Board of Councilors. The board is comprised of 202 members, who serve as a leadership advisory group that promotes understanding among opinion leaders and the broader community of The Carter Center and its activities. Learn more »

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Delegation Conclude Health Tour to Africa

ATLANTA…Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, with a delegation of senior-level Carter Center officials, concluded their two-week tour of Africa today. The Feb. 6-16 visit called international attention to health needs among impoverished communities in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Ghana. Learn more »

Jimmy Carter and General Dr. Yakubu Gowon Encourage Nigerian Officials to Control Schistosomiasis, Other Diseases

Today, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter watched as hundreds of school children received drug treatment for schistosomiasis, a silent and destructive parasitic infection that leads to poor growth and impaired learning, in the small community of Nasarawa North. Learn more »

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Visits Ethiopia to Address New Malaria Initiative; Lauds Country's Progress in River Blindness, Trachoma Control, Public Health Training

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter distributed long-lasting insecticide-impregnated bed nets today in Afeta, a community of 7,500 people in the Jimma zone. The symbolic action was part of the Carter Center's new malaria control initiative in Ethiopia, the largest and most populous country in the Horn of Africa. Malaria is Ethiopia's single largest cause of death. Learn more »

Jimmy Carter and Jimmy Ross Recognize Sudan's New Local Lions Club as Crucial Partner in Country's Fight Against River Blindness and Trachoma

On Thursday, Feb. 9, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Lions Clubs International President Jimmy Ross encouraged Sudan's local Lions Club to participate in the fight against two blinding diseases affecting the country—river blindness and trachoma. The appeal comes during President Carter's multi-country tour of Africa to promote health issues affecting Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Sudan. Learn more »

Jimmy Carter Visits Southern Sudan to Praise Progress Against Disease, Urges Guinea Worm Eradication by 2009

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Government of Southern Sudan Minister of Health Dr. Theophilus Ochang Lotti, during a meeting at the National Assembly on Feb. 10, 2007, encouraged top officials of the Government of Southern Sudan to continue their progress in conquering two of the region's most debilitating scourges—Guinea worm disease and trachoma. Learn more »

Fight Against Guinea Worm Disease: President Carter, Ghana Ministry of Health Issue Urgent Call to Action

Today, amid the scorching heat of peak dry season, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter visited the parched community of Savelugu to meet with dozens of Guinea worm disease victims in an effort to bring global attention to Ghana's growing Guinea worm epidemic caused by inadequate water supply in the country. Learn more »

Leading Global Health Organizations Receive $46.7 Million From Gates Foundation to Integrate Programs Fighting Neglected Tropical Diseases

The fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) received a major boost today with the announcement of five grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation totaling $46.7 million. The grants will support efforts to coordinate and integrate programs to fight key neglected diseases in developing countries. Learn more »

Miss Ghana Vows to Fight Guinea Worm Disease in Her Home Country

In the community of Tampiong in northern Ghana, Miss Ghana 2005, Lamisi Mbillah, balanced on her high heel sandals, lifts a small black pipe filter above her head so that the hundreds of school children surrounding her could see it. She selects a shy little boy from the crowd to demonstrate how the filter works. The boy complies, using the pipe filter as a straw to drink from the container of water in Mbillah's hand. Learn more »

President Carter Honors Four Countries During Special Awards Ceremony Highlighting Progress Against Guinea Worm Disease

Transmission of Guinea worm disease has been stopped in Benin, Central African Republic, Mauritania, and Uganda. Guinea worm, a debilitating disease that causes severe pain and economic hardship and once plagued millions of people in Africa and Asia, today sits on the brink of eradication. Learn more »

Carter Center to Honor Four African Countries for Stopping Guinea Worm Disease Transmission

The four African countries of Benin, Central African Republic, Mauritania, and Uganda will be honored Wednesday, Nov. 15 from 6 to 7 p.m. during a special awards ceremony and reception at The Carter Center, recognizing their stopping the transmission of Guinea worm disease for at least a year. Learn more »

Carter Center News Release: Ceremony Marks "National Mental Illness Awareness Week"

ATLANTA…In recognition of National Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 9-13) and World Mental Health Day (October 10), a candlelight ceremony will be held Sunday, Oct. 8, 2006, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum's outdoor circle of flags, 453 Freedom Pkwy., Atlanta. The event is open to the public. Learn more »

The Ethiopia Campaign

After fighting neglected diseases in Africa for a quarter century, former president Jimmy Carter takes on one of the continent's biggest killers—malaria Learn more »

Carter Center Awards 2006-2007 Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

ATLANTA.....The Carter Center Mental Health Program has named 10 recipients of its tenth annual Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, including eight from the U.S. and two from southern Africa. Each domestic fellow will receive $10,000 to study and report on a particular issue within the mental health field for one year. International fellows will receive a comparable stipend. Learn more »

Center Receives 2006 Gates Award for Global Health

Washington, D.C….The Carter Center received the 2006 Gates Award for Global Health from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation during the Global Health Council's 33rd Annual International Conference on Global Health recently held here. Learn more »

May is National Mental Health Month: Center Joins Observance of 'Mind Your Health'

The Carter Center joins with the National Mental Health Association and other mental health partners in observing Mental Health Month during May 2006. This year, which marks more than five decades of celebration, the observance focuses on the mind-body connection through the promotion of mental wellness and overall health for all Americans, regardless of age or background. Learn more »

Gaps in Georgia's Mental Health Services is Focus of Rosalynn Carter Forum

ATLANTA….A study released last year reveals that overall in 2004, Georgia's public mental health services supplied through the Division of Mental Health reached less than a third of people estimated to have a serious mental illness or a serious emotional disturbance. This gap and two others will be tackled by state leaders and mental health advocates and consumers participating in the 11th annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum at The Carter Center on Friday, May 19. Learn more »

Center Accepting Applications for Tenth Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

ATLANTA.... Applications are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Mental Health Program of The Carter Center. Designed to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and combat stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses, the fellowships begin in September 2006. Read about the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Learn more »

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter on a Georgia Death Penalty Moratorium

I endorse the call for a moratorium on executions in Georgia and wholeheartedly support the American Bar Association's Georgia Death Penalty Assessment Team Report. I have openly opposed the death penalty for a long time. There are serious questions about the fairness of its application in our state. Learn more »

Evening Dialogue: Rosalynn Carter and Joshua Shenk on Mental Health Misconceptions, Lincoln's Melancholy

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter will join Joshua Shenk, author of "Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness," for a special conversation on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Carter Center's Ivan Allen III Pavilion. The conversation will be webcast live on www.cartercenter.org, and both the lecture and book-signing are free and open to the public. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Learn more »

Watch Tonight: President Carter on Larry King Live

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is scheduled to appear on CNN's "Larry King Live" Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2006, from 9 to 10 p.m. EST (8 to 9 p.m. CST, 6 to 8 p.m. PST). Learn more »

Center Realizes $15 Million Challenge Grant for River Blindness

Halting river blindness in the Americas by 2007 has accelerated with the completion of a $15 million challenge grant to The Carter Center. Learn more »

Live Conversations Webcast Jan. 19 on Silent Tsunami of Preventable Diseases

On any given day, more people in developing countries die from preventable diseases than all those killed in the Asian tsunami of late 2004. "The Silent Tsunami of Preventable Diseases," the third installment in this season's Conversations at The Carter Center, will be held Thursday, Jan. 19, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., and webcast live on www.cartercenter.org. Learn more »

Onboard Donation Program: North American Airlines Announces Guinea Worm Eradication Partnership

North American Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of World Air Holdings, Inc., has launched an onboard program to raise funds in support of The Carter Center and its mission to eradicate Guinea worm disease. Learn more »

ABC-TV Mental Illness Documentary Features Carter Center Experts

An intimate, inside look at living with a mental illness, the newest National Council of Churches USA-sponsored television documentary, will begin airing on ABC affiliates across the country on Dec. 4. Shadow Voices: Finding Hope in Mental Illness examines how individuals and their families find their way through a tangle of mental, medical, governmental, societal and spiritual issues. Learn more »

Carter Center Recognizes Delta Air Lines for Decades of Support

In recognition of Delta's support for The Carter Center and its initiatives, President and Mrs. Carter dedicated the lobby of the Center's Ivan Allen III Pavilion to Delta Air Lines during a ceremony Nov. 17 at 11 a.m. at The Carter Center. Learn more »

Award Lauds Rosalynn Carter as Mental Health Champion

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, a tireless advocate for improved access to mental health services, is the recipient of the 2005 Aetna Voice of Conscience Award, honoring her commitment to improving the lives of people around the world. Learn more »

Behavioral Health Care Gap is Focus of Carter Center Symposium

A critical chasm is developing between major medical research advances and applying those breakthroughs to the treatment of people with mental illnesses and addictive disorders. Learn more »

Fight Against Trachoma: President Carter, Ethiopia Ministry of Health Issue Urgent Call to Action

A remote Ethiopian village had cause for celebration today, as Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, senior officials from The Carter Center, and Ethiopia Minister of Health Dr. Kebede Tadesse made a historic visit to commend the efforts of the Amhara Region to prevent trachoma, a painful and debilitating disease that causes blindness. Learn more »

Mental Health Agency Deploys Carter Center Program Director, Team for Hurricane Katrina Assistance

Carter Center Mental Health Program Director Thom Bornemann has joined a special disaster assistance team organized by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and deployed September 12 to Houston to provide urgently needed support. Learn more »

President Carter Visits Africa, Urges Leaders to Intensify Global Health Promotion

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will call international attention to global health needs among impoverished communities in Mali, Nigeria, and Ethiopia when he leads a delegation including his wife, Rosalynn, senior level Carter Center officials including Board of Trustee Chairman John Moores and Executive Director Dr. John Hardman, and Emory University President Dr. James Wagner to Africa on Sept. 9-15. Learn more »

Carter Center Awards 2005-2006 Mental Health Fellowships

The Carter Center Mental Health Program has named 10 recipients of its ninth annual Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, including two from New Zealand and two from South Africa. Each domestic fellow will receive $10,000 to study and report on a particular issue within the mental health field for one year. International fellows will receive a comparable stipend. Learn more »

Conversations at The Carter Center 2005-2006: The New Season

An informative and innovative series of evening discussions, open to the public and to the media, is coming up at The Carter Center. This season's Conversations schedule is designed to increase awareness of national and global issues as they relate to our work. Distinguished panels consisting of Carter Center experts and special guests make presentations followed by question-and-answer periods with the audience. Learn more »

Georgia Mental Health Forum: Move to Managed Care for Medicaid to be Examined

Soon, Georgians will receive Medicaid services through managed care programs, and Atlantans will be among the first in the state to experience these changes. Learn more »

Mental Health Month: Center Joins National Observance During May

Throughout May, The Carter Center will join organizations and individuals across the United States in observance of Mental Health Month, sponsored by The National Mental Health Association. With the theme "Mind Your Health," Mental Health Month will encourage people to care for their minds as well as their bodies as part of maintaining good overall health. Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter Discusses Carter Center, White House Years In PBS Interview

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter will be the featured guest on Scully: The World Show, hosted by Robert Scully, airing on PBS affiliates nationwide during May (air date/time varies, check local listings). Learn more »

Guinea Worm Eradication Program Gets $25 Million Challenge Grant From Gates Foundation

ACCRA, GHANA…The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged US$25 million to the Carter Center's fight to eradicate the remaining cases of Guinea worm disease worldwide. The grant includes an initial $5 million contribution and challenges other donors to provide an additional $20 million, of which of the Gates Foundation will match one-to-one. Already, the Canadian International Development Agency and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation have responded to the challenge by pledging $5 million and $1 million, respectively, joining with the Center and the Gates Foundation to help make Guinea worm the first parasitic disease to be eradicated. Learn more »

The Carter Center Appoints River Blindness Program Director

Atlanta....Frank O. Richards, Jr., M.D., has returned to The Carter Center after retiring from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in March 2005. He returns as technical director for the River Blindness Program, Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Program, and Schistosomiasis Control Program. Dr. Richards was seconded from CDC to the Center in 1996 with the launching of the River Blindness Program (onchocerciasis) and served as its technical director until 2002. Learn more »

Winter Weekend' Auction Raises $875,036 for Center's Peace, Health Initiatives

Snowbird, Utah....The Carter Center's 13th annual "Winter Weekend" live and silent auctions held Feb.12 in Snowbird, Utah, raised $875,036 to help support the Center's work to advance peace and health worldwide. The silent auction raised a record $42,936.55, with more online bidders winning valuable collectibles than ever before. Learn more »

Statement From Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on Flooding in Guyana

ATLANTA....Americans showed unprecedented compassion and generosity in response to the Asian tsunami disaster. Once again tragedy has struck, this time in Guyana, a small country on the northern coast of South America, where The Carter Center has supported political, social, and economic development since 1991. Learn more »

The Carter Center Appoints Trachoma Control Program Director

Paul Emerson, Ph.D., joins The Carter Center as technical director of its Trachoma Control Program, a program dedicated to prevention of unnecessary blindness caused by a bacterial infection. Learn more »

'Today' Show Features President Carter's Workshop, Creations for Winter Weekend Auction

PLAINS, Ga. -- President Carter opened up his workshop here Jan. 19 for an exclusive, up-close look at how he creates his historic paintings, woodwork, and wine - some of which are auctioned to raise funds for the Carter Center's global humanitarian efforts. Learn more »

Statement of Condolence to Tsunami Victims and Their Families

President and Mrs. Carter and the staff of The Carter Center extend condolences and deepest sympathies to the victims and their families of the earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean. President and Mrs. Carter have made a personal contribution to the relief effort and have sent letters of condolence to the embassies of the affected countries. They strongly encourage quick and generous assistance from governments and citizens around the world. Learn more »

Coca-Cola Executive is Appointed to The Carter Center's Board of Councilors

ATLANTA....Ingrid Saunders Jones, a senior vice president of The Coca-Cola Company, has been appointed vice chair of the Carter Center's Board of Councilors. The board is comprised of 202 members who serve as a leadership advisory group that promotes understanding among opinion leaders and the broader community of The Carter Center and its activities. Learn more »

Lions International Donates $2 Million to River Blindness Eradication in the Americas (English and Spanish)

ATLANTA.... Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter announced today a $2 million gift from the Lions Clubs International Foundation to accelerate the Carter Center's efforts to eliminate river blindness (onchocerciasis) in the Americas. The contribution will be matched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of a challenge grant to help The Carter Center secure a total of $15 million to halt transmission of the disease throughout the region. Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy: Transforming Mental Health for Children and Families is 2004 Focus

ATLANTA…Millions of American adults who have mental illnesses are leading lives of quiet desperation. For many, their conditions began when they were children, but there was no help for them then. It doesn't have to be that way today. Learn more »

President Carter to View Hurricane Damage in Grenada

ATLANTA, GA….Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will visit Grenada Oct. 14-15 to help focus international attention on the catastrophic needs of the island ravaged by Hurricane Ivan last month. Learn more »

Congratulatory Statement on Nobel Peace Prize 2004 from Nobel Laureate Jimmy Carter

Rosalynn and I are pleased to congratulate Wangari Maathai, winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. I have known her for many years as a heroine in Kenya and throughout Africa. She has fought courageously to protect the environment and human rights, in the face of severe governmental pressures to silence her often lonely voice. As an outstanding woman leader, she is a role model for other women throughout Africa struggling to improve the well-being of their families and communities. Learn more »

Candlelight Ceremony to Mark World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day, sponsored by the World Federation for Mental Health, will be observed Sunday, Oct. 10, 2004, with former First Lady Rosalynn Carter as honorary chair. "The Relationship Between Physical and Mental Health: Co-occurring Disorders," is this year's theme. Learn more »

C-SPAN, Georgia Public Broadcasting to Air Conversations

Public radio host Tavis Smiley interviews former U.S. President Jimmy Carter A pre-recorded interview with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is scheduled to air on the Tavis Smiley Show Thursday, Sept. 23 (in most markets). Atlanta public radio stations WCLK and WJSP will carry the program. Learn more »

Live Webcast with President and Mrs. Carter Set for Sept. 21

ATLANTA….A live webcast with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter will kick off the 2004-2005 season of the international issues discussion series Conversations at The Carter Center, Tuesday, Sept. 21, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The webcast is free to the public on the Carter Center Web site: www.cartercenter.org. Learn more »

Larry King Live to Feature Carters, Address Mental Health Issues

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter are the scheduled guests on CNN's Larry King Live, Monday, Sept. 20 at 9 p.m. EDT. The Carters will discuss the peace and health initiatives of The Carter Center and current international issues during the first half of the program, which will air live. Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter to Open World Conference on Mental Health

Former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter will open the third world conference on the Promotion of Mental Health and the Prevention of Mental and Behavioural Disorders being held Sept. 14-17, 2004, at the Hyatt Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand. Mrs. Carter, honorary chair of the conference, has worked for more than 30 years to help people with mental illnesses and their families. Learn more »

The New Season: Conversations at The Carter Center

ATLANTA....The Carter Center announces an informative and innovative series of evening discussions, open to the public and to the media. This season's schedule is designed to increase awareness of national and global issues. A distinguished panel consisting of Carter Center experts and special guests make presentations followed by question-and-answer periods with the audience. Learn more »

Help Ship Medical Kits to Aid Eradication of Guinea Worm Disease

30,000 medical kits packed and boxed: Donations still being accepted for shipment Learn more »

The Carter Center Awards 2004-2005 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

ATLANTA.....The Carter Center's Mental Health Program has named 10 recipients of its eighth annual Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, including two from New Zealand and the first two from South Africa. Each domestic fellow will receive $10,000 to study a particular issue within the mental health field for one year. Learn more »

Corporate Volunteers to Help Assemble 30,000 Medical Kits for Sudan, Ghana, and Nigeria (Press Release)

ATLANTA.... More than 300 corporate volunteers and members of the diplomatic community in Atlanta will join Carter Center staff July 13-30 to assemble 30,000 medical kits to use in the effort to eradicate the last 1 percent of Guinea worm disease left in the world. Learn more »

Merck Donation Accelerates River Blindness Elimination in the Americas

ATLANTA....Merck & Co., Inc., has donated $1 million to the Carter Center's effort to eliminate river blindness disease in the Americas in this decade. Learn more »

Georgia Mental Health Forum Focuses on Making New Freedom Commission Goals Reality

ATLANTA....On Wednesday, May 12, the 2004 Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum will bring together experts and policy-makers in an effort to implement recommendations from the final report of President Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. Tens of thousands of Georgians have suffered a breakdown in availability and delivery of public mental health services as a result of massive budget cutbacks and repeated management reorganizations over the last several years. The presidential report finds that mental health systems are in a shambles and makes strong recommendations for rebuilding, but state and local agencies are left to implement them Learn more »

2004-2005 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism: Applications Being Accepted

ATLANTA.... Applications are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Mental Health Program of The Carter Center. Designed to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and combat stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses, the fellowships begin in September 2004. Learn more »

Carter Center, WHO, UNICEF Call for Urgency in Fight to Eradicate Guinea Worm Disease in West Africa

TAMALE, GHANA...Today 650 kilometers north of Ghana's capital city, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and senior officials from The Carter Center, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF made a historic visit to the endemic Guinea worm village of Dashie to urge Ghana to finish the eradication of Guinea worm disease. Learn more »

Carter Center, WHO, UNICEF Escalate Efforts Against Guinea Worm Disease in West Africa

ATLANTA....Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and his wife, Rosalynn, will travel on behalf of The Carter Center to West Africa Feb. 2-6, 2004, to call international attention to the need to eliminate the last 1 percent of Guinea worm disease remaining in the world. Learn more »

Gates Foundation Awards Carter Center $10 Million to Fight River Blindness in Americas (English and Spanish)

ATLANTA....The Carter Center today announced it will escalate the fight to eliminate river blindness disease from the Americas in this decade with a $10 million challenge grant provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Learn more »

Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy Set for Nov. 5-6

ATLANTA....Forty-three-year-old Tom Lane's story illustrates what's wrong with America's access to mental health services. Not long ago, he was coping with severe depression and bipolar disorder in northern California. Medical bills amounted to more than $40,000. Unable to get any mental health insurance and living in total isolation, he was desperate and nearly succeeded at suicide. He managed to find help just in time. Today, he is a successful and experienced professional serving as the director of consumer affairs with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. Learn more »

National Geographic Publication Features President Carter, Dr. Hopkins

WASHINGTON...."How can we heal our planet and achieve an Earth that nurtures humanity and nature in all their diversity?" asks former president Jimmy Carter in his introduction to a new book from National Geographic that takes a sweeping look at the human condition, the state of the world's health and the challenges facing us in the 21st century. Learn more »

Carter Center and Lions Celebrate River Blindness Milestone

ATLANTA. . . In the battle to fight a major cause of preventable blindness, the Carter Center's River Blindness Program and Lions Clubs International Foundation are celebrating the delivery of more than 50 million Mectizan® treatments in 11 countries in Africa and the Americas since 1996. Learn more »

Carter Center to Host Atlanta Premiere Screening of "Imagining Robert: My Brother, Madness and Survival"

ATLANTA....Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and the Carter Center's Mental Health Program are proud to present the award-winning documentary "Imagining Robert: My Brother, Madness and Survival" on Monday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. in the Center's Ivan Allen Pavilion. The screening precedes the airing on local Atlanta public television (PBA 30) and other PBS stations nationwide. Learn more »

Carter Center Releases Action Plan for Guinea Worm Eradication, Targets Ghana, Nigeria, and Sudan

Atlanta. . . A collaborative action plan for making Guinea worm disease (dracunculiasis) the next disease to be eradicated from the earth was issued today at The Carter Center. Learn more »

Statement by Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter on the Missouri Supreme Court Ban on Executing Juveniles

ATLANTA….The Missouri Supreme Court's ruling that executing juveniles is unconstitutionally cruel is the most recent and resounding indication of positive changes in public attitudes about government executions. In June 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that executing mentally retarded individuals violates "the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society." Learn more »

President and Mrs. Carter Travel to Japan, China to Promote Center's Health and Peace Programs

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter promoted the Carter Center's peace and health programs during a recent tour of Japan and China Learn more »

2002 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Promotes Fight Against Disease and Hunger During Japan Trip

ATLANTA....Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, will travel to Japan Sept. 4-6 to promote the Carter Center's work to increase agricultural production and eradicate Guinea worm disease in Africa. Learn more »

Nobel Laureates Lead Call to Eradicate Guinea Worm Disease

ATLANTA…..U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter lend their voices to the campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease in public service announcements being released in West Africa by The Carter Center. Learn more »

President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health: A Statement from Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter

ATLANTA....I am pleased to see that the White House has released the final report from the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. President Bush and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson should be commended for their support of this effort and for making mental health a real priority for the Administration. Learn more »

Carter Center Awards Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism for 2003-2004

The Carter Center's Mental Health Program has named eight recipients of its seventh annual Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, including two fellows from New Zealand. Learn more »

Canada Donates $3 Million Toward Eradication of Guinea Worm Disease

The Honourable Susan Whelan, Canada's Minister for International Cooperation, announced today that Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency, will contribute $3 million over three years to The Carter Center to help eradicate Guinea worm disease in Africa. Learn more »

Former First Lady to Attend Mental Health Legislation Unveiling

In addition to Mrs. Carter, Congressman Kennedy will be joined by several experts who have first-hand experience in dealing with the psychological impacts of terrorism in the wake of the attack on Sept . 11 attacks. They include Dr. Kerry Kelly, chief medical officer for the New York City Fire Department, who was at Ground Zero when the towers collapsed; and William P. Van Wart, a battalion chief in the New York City Fire Department, who helped coordinate relief efforts on the ground after the attack. Learn more »

Hope on the Street' to Debut May 13 at Carter Center

ATLANTA....Join former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, KQED Public Television, San Francisco, and Georgia Public Broadcasting for a free preview of the one-hour documentary Hope on the Street – addressing mental illness and homelessness – at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 13, in the Ivan Allen Pavilion at The Carter Center. The screening will be followed by an open question-and-answer period with producer Michael Isip, Ray Guevara, a bi-polar patient featured in the film, and the narrator, Dede Ranahan, whose son has schizophrenia and has spent time living on the streets. The Carter Center Mental Health Program Director Thomas Bornemann will moderate the event. Learn more »

Carter Center Accepting Mental Health Journalism Fellowship Applications for 2003-2004

Applications are now being accepted for six one-year journalism fellowships with the Mental Health Program of The Carter Center. Designed to enhance public understanding of mental health issues and combat stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses, the fellowships begin in September 2003. Learn more »

Carter Center Appoints Ethiopia Public Health Training Director

Atlanta.... Joyce P. Murray, Ed.D., R.N., professor of nursing at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing of Emory University, has joined The Carter Center as director of its Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative, a teacher training program enabling Ethiopia to meet staffing needs for more than 500 community health centers nationwide. Learn more »

'Conversation' Panelists To Explore Mental Health Aftereffects of Sept. 11, 2001

Etched forever on our minds are the images of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. But how do some of us cope with the mental aftereffects of such a potentially staggering trauma? Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter leads a blue-ribbon panel in search of answers. Learn more »

'Conversations,' Symposium To Examine Mental Health Implications Of Sept. 11 Attacks

ATLANTA….National experts and public officials concerned about the mental health implications of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States will gather at the 18th Annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy Nov. 6-7 at The Carter Center. Learn more »

2002 Nobel Peace Prize Awarded To President Carter

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2002 to Jimmy Carter, for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development. Learn more »

The Carter Center at a Glance

The Center is a not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization founded in 1982 in Atlanta, Ga., by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in partnership with Emory University. Learn more »

Nobel Acceptance Statement from President Carter

I am deeply grateful for this honor. I want to thank the Nobel Committee and the many people at The Carter Center who have worked side by side with me and my wife, Rosalynn, to promote peace, health, and human rights. Learn more »

Media Center: Nobel Peace Prize

President Jimmy Carter Biography Photos The Nobel Peace Prize 2002 Announcement Press Release Acceptance Statement The Day That Was: Oct, 11, 2002 Learn more »

The New Season: Conversations At The Carter Center

ATLANTA….An informative and innovative series of evening discussions open to the public and to the media is coming up at The Carter Center. This season's 'Conversations' schedule is designed to increase awareness of national and global issues. A distinguished panel consisting of Carter Center experts and special guests will make presentations followed by question-and-answer periods with the audience. The kickoff Town Hall Meeting With President and Mrs. Carter is expected to be a quick sellout. Here is the exciting lineup of all five events: Learn more »

2002-2003 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

ATLANTA…..The Carter Center's Mental Health Program today named eight recipients of its sixth annual Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, including two fellows from New Zealand. Learn more »

Mrs. Carter Responds To Supreme Court Ruling

I applaud the United States Supreme Court's ruling today that executing people with mental retardation constitutes cruel and unusual punishment and is therefore unconstitutional. Today's ruling is the latest, most resounding indication of shifting public attitudes about government executions. Eighteen states already prohibit capital punishment for people with severe developmental disabilities and 16 of these have banned such executions within the last dozen years. The death penalty should not be imposed on those who are least capable of mature understanding and therefore least blameworthy, no matter how grave their crimes. Learn more »

Former Surgeon General Joins The Carter Center Mental Health Task Force

David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., former U.S. Surgeon General, will join the Carter Center's Mental Health Task Force in September. Chaired by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, the task force works to identify mental health issues of major concern, convene diverse constituencies, and develop initiatives to reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illnesses. Learn more »

The Carter Center Appoints Director For Mental Health Program

Thomas H. Bornemann, Ed.D., M.S.W., senior adviser for mental health with the World Health Organization (WHO) department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence, will join The Carter Center August 1 as director of its Mental Health Program. Learn more »

Carter Center, Japanese Government Partner To Eradicate Guinea Worm

ATLANTA...In the history of mankind, only one disease, smallpox, has been eradicated. Through the efforts of a worldwide coalition led by The Carter Center and with the generous support of partners such as the Government of Japan, a parasitic disease known as Guinea worm is poised to become the second, and the first disease to be overcome without a single vaccine or medication. Learn more »

World Leaders Call for an Increased Commitment of Resources by the International Community to Combat Poverty

ATLANTA, GA… At a high-level forum at The Carter Center, leaders and representatives of developing countries and international development organizations called attention to the lack of progress toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals to reduce poverty. Learn more »

President Carter Travels to Sudan to Push Guinea Worm Disease Eradication Efforts

ATLANTA, GA… Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, will participate in the International Conference on the Eradication of Guinea Worm Disease, March 4-7, in Khartoum, Sudan. The meeting, which brings together the leaders of the Guinea worm disease eradication effort from countries throughout Africa, is co-sponsored by the Government of Sudan, The Carter Center, World Health Organization, and UNICEF. Learn more »

World Leaders Convene at the Carter Center to Address Challenges to Overcoming Global Poverty

ATLANTA, GA… World Bank President James Wolfensohn, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Mark Malloch Brown, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Andrew Natsios, Minister of International Development for Norway Hilde Johnson, and Minister of Development Cooperation for the Netherlands Eveline Herfkens will join former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin February 21-22 at The Carter Center to address challenges to economic development and overcoming poverty. Four sitting presidents, from Albania, Guyana, Mali, and Mozambique, will detail their countries' experiences in developing poverty reduction strategies with the help of the international community. Learn more »

Final Report of the Conference on the Eradicability of Onchocerciasis

More than 60 international experts from a variety of disciplines convened at The Carter Center from Jan. 22-24, 2002, to address the question 'Is onchocerciasis (river blindness) eradicable with current knowledge and tools?' The conference, organized by The Carter Center and the World Health Organization, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, included presentations by expert speakers, deliberations in four working groups, and a plenary discussion of major conclusions. Learn more »

Carter Center Hosts Symposium on Children and Mental Health: Symptoms and Redesigning Treatment Services

No other set of health conditions is as harmful to children as mental illness. One in 10 children and adolescents suffer from mental illness severe enough to cause some level of impairment, yet only one in five such children receive treatment, according to the Surgeon General's report on children's mental health. Learn more »

Carter Center Awards 2001-2002 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism

Atlanta, GA….The Carter Center's Mental Health Program today named nine recipients of its Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, including, for the first time, two international fellows. Each domestic fellow will receive $10,000 to study a particular issue within the mental health field over the course of one year. Learn more »

Mental Health Care And The American Worker: Conference to Examine the Business Case for Mental Health Care

Studies have shown a link between employees with depressive symptoms and decreased job performance, but companies increasingly are scrutinizing their mental health care benefits. As a result, the mental health community must do more to show companies how a lack of mental health care coverage can impact their bottom line. Learn more »

Distribution of Nine Million Pipe Filters to Fight Guinea Worm Disease in Sudan

The Carter Center, along with its partners - - Health and Development International (HDI), Hydro Polymers of Norsk Hydro, and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) - - has begun to blanket Sudan with nine million pipe filters - one for every man, woman, and child at risk of Guinea worm disease in Sudan. Learn more »

Carter Center Hosts Forum on Mental Health Care of Children in Georgia's Juvenile Justice System

ATLANTA, GA....More than 65 percent of children in Georgia's juvenile justice system have a diagnosable mental disorder, and adequate treatment services for them are sorely lacking. This is one of the topics to be addressed at The Carter Center May 17 at the 2001 Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum Georgia at the Crossroads: Children in the Juvenile Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Systems. Learn more »

The Carter Center Receives APA's Distinguished Service Award

ATLANTA, GA....The Carter Center today received the American Psychiatric Association's "Distinguished Service Award" in recognition of its efforts to address key public policy issues and develop initiatives to reduce the stigma of mental illness. Learn more »

Johnson & Johnson and Home Depot Join Carter Center's Commitment to Eradicating Guinea Worm

ATLANTA, GA....The Carter Center's Guinea Worm Eradication Program is getting a huge boost this weekend, thanks to Johnson & Johnson and Home Depot. Johnson & Johnson is donating enough medical supplies to assemble 6,000 health kits to be used in the treatment of Guinea worm disease. Home Depot, a long-time Carter Center partner, is contributing storage facilities, shipping supplies, and volunteers to assemble the kits before they are shipped to Africa. Learn more »

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Supports International Task Force for Disease Eradication

ATLANTA, GA.... The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has provided a $741,000 grant for the reactivation of the International Task Force for Disease Eradication (ITFDE). Based at The Carter Center in Atlanta, the ITFDE will evaluate the most likely disease candidates for eradication, with suggestions on research that could increase opportunities for eradicating and controlling selected diseases. Learn more »

Carter Center Receives $30 Million for Blindness Prevention

Atlanta, GA...The Carter Center announced today that it has received the largest project-specific cash grants in its history - totaling nearly $30 million over the next ten years – from the Lions Clubs International Foundation and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Learn more »

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to Visit Africa

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter will travel on behalf of The Carter Center to Mali, Africa Oct. 14-16. They will attend a conference sponsored by Sasakawa-Global 2000 (SG 2000) to consider solutions to the many challenges affecting food distribution in Africa, from rural farms to the continent's burgeoning urban areas. Learn more »

The Carter Center Presents 'Breaking through the Stigma: The Portrayal of Mental Illness in the Media'

Today, journalists play an increasingly important role in shaping public understanding and debate about health care issues. Does the media unfairly influence the public perception of the mentally ill? How can we erase the stigma attached to mental illness? Rosalynn Carter and The Carter Center will host a panel of experts to address these issues on Thursday, May 13, from 7:30-9 p.m. Learn more »

Background of Carter Center Involvement in Sudan

The Carter Center has worked in Sudan since 1986, when its SG 2000 Agriculture program began working with farm families to increase the yield and quality of their crops. Led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug, SG 2000 helped Sudanese farmers increase wheat production by 500 percent in five years, growing from 157,000 tons in 1986-87 to 831,000 tons in 1991-92. Learn more »

Carter Center Establishes Journalism Fellowships

The Carter Center today announced the establishment of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Part of a national effort to reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness, the one-year, annual fellowships, which begin in September, will provide $10,000 grants to five fellows so that each may study or complete a project on a selected topic relative to mental health. Learn more »

Carter Center Expands 'Not Even One' Program

The "Not Even One" Program (NEO) of The Carter Center announced today it will expand its efforts to prevent gun-related deaths and injuries of children by establishing a demonstration site in Atlanta effective April 1. Hughes Spalding Children's Hospital of Grady Health System (HSCH), in conjunction with the Morehouse School of Medicine, will manage the site. In collaboration with the Emory University School of Public Health, HSCH will help NEO develop within the next few years, a model public health approach that communities nationwide can use to prevent firearm-related deaths and injuries of youth. Learn more »

Carter Center Mental Health Program Receives President's Award

The Carter Center's Mental Health Program, chaired by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, recently received the President's Award from the Mental Health Association of Georgia. The award was given in recognition of the program's leadership and advocacy in the mental health field. Learn more »

A Discussion on the Stigma of Mental Illness with Rosalynn Carter, Rod Steiger, and Kathy Cronkite

ATLANTA, GA.... Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter; Academy-award winning actor Rod Steiger; and author Kathy Cronkite, daughter of Walter Cronkite, will participate in an open forum at The Carter Center on Wednesday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m.. Mrs. Carter will lead a frank discussion on the stigma of mental illness and how such negative perceptions may be countered. Audience participation is welcome. Learn more »

Statement from Former President Jimmy Carter on Extension of Sudanese Cease-Fire

ATLANTA, GA.... I commend the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the South Sudan Independence Movement (SSIM) for their decisions to extend the cease-fire in Sudan for another two months. During the past two months, the cease-fire has permitted the leaders and citizens of Sudan, working with The Carter Center and others, to carry out a major effort to eradicate Guinea worm disease, prevent river blindness, and immunize children against polio and other diseases. The cease-fire extension, agreed to by the SPLA, SSIM, and the government of Sudan, will enable the expansion of these efforts to further alleviate the suffering of Sudanese and will provide an opportunity to advance the peace process. Learn more »

Conversations Lecture Series Continues

The "Conversations at The Carter Center" lecture series continues its 1994-95 run on January 10. Former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter kicked off the program last September with a town hall meeting just two days after President Carter's return from his mission to Haiti with Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) and retired Gen. Colin Powell. President Carter also attended the second program, "Interfaith Groups and Health." Learn more »

USAID Joins Carter Center For Final Assault on Guinea Worm

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded a $3.5 million grant to The Carter Center for its global effort to end Guinea worm disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target date of December 1995 to make Guinea worm the second disease to be eradicated after smallpox. Learn more »

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