Speaking in a soft, southern voice and exchanging embraces with her panelists, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter won high praise Friday-the biggest coming from her husband.
“If the Carter Center hadn’t done anything in the past 25 years…except Rosalynn’s mental health initiatives, it would have been worthwhile,” former President Jimmy Carter said during the panel.

The panelists noted the first lady’s efforts in erasing the stigma associated with mental illness, including her help in passing the Mental Health Systems Act.

“In my opinion, this was truly groundbreaking for first ladies in our country,” said Kathy Cade, the former director of projects for the first lady.

But the first lady wasn’t hesitant to criticize.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get over the fact that the next administration ignored and ultimately dismantled all the work that had been made [in mental health],” she said.