John Joseph Gates, Ph.D., passed away Jan. 15, 2022 from complications of a chronic heart condition.
Dr. Gates was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. Aug. 1, 1940. He earned his bachelors degree in psychology from Manhattan College in 1962, his Masters of Science Degree in psychology from Florida State University in 1964 and his Ph.D. in both clinical psychology and school psychology from FSU in 1966. He served a clinical internship at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif. and completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of Kansas’s Bureau of Child Research at Parsons, Kan. after which he joined the psychology department of Queens College of the City University of New York, N.Y. as an assistant professor.
Gates was a longtime, trusted advisor to former first lady Rosalynn Carter. He directed her mental health program at The Carter Center from 1993 to 2000 and then served as a member of her mental health task force and also on the advisory board of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers until his death. “Words cannot express my gratitude for all John did to help me with my work, as well as to improve the lives of countless people with mental health conditions. As a vital part of The Carter Center Mental Health Program and in service to the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, he left an indelible mark on both programs. They would not be where they are today without him,” said Mrs. Carter.
Gates moved to Georgia in 1969 when he began his work with the Georgia Department of Human Resources as a clinical psychologist at Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, Ga. Gates held various positions as a psychologist at the hospital and was appointed superintendent of CSH in 1978. One of his major achievements there was to have CSH accredited for the first time in its history by what was then called the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. In 1983, Gates became the state director of the Division of Mental Health, Mental Retardation & Substance Abuse — now the Division of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities — where he continued pursuing the accrediting of all state psychiatric hospitals, provision of community-based services and consumer advocacy.
It was during his tenure as state director he began his collaboration with Carter as he led an effort to improve care at the state psychiatric hospitals and significantly expand community-based services for people with mental illness, developmental disabilities and addictive diseases, incorporating for the first time the viewpoints of consumer advocates and families in the service delivery system. While director of the Carter Center Mental Health Program, he established the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, an initiative to fight the stigma surrounding mental illnesses with a cadre of trained, talented and committed journalists. Later, as a task force member, he played an integral role in the successful effort to hold the Georgia Department of Human Resources accountable for providing community-based services to patients discharged from state psychiatric hospitals.
Gates believed deeply in the power of communities to build hope and resilience for those who are struggling. He was a passionate advocate for a strength-based approach to helping people in distress whether from behavioral health challenges or care giving responsibilities. As an advisor to the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, he was instrumental in guiding the institute’s efforts to support the health and well-being of family caregivers in their own communities — the backbone of our health system today.
In 2000, Gates joined the Collaborative Center for Child Well-Being as Director of Programs, so he could bring singular focus to the importance of positive development of children. In many ways, he was a visionary, always looking for ways to effect change by providing individuals with the tools and support they need to be successful. He was a man of unbounded compassion and kindness, wise and generous. His commitment to the mental health and well-being of all people continued even in his “retirement” and his many contributions will long be remembered.
Gates’ professional affiliations included member of the American Psychological Association, Georgia Alliance for Mentally Ill, Mental Health Association of Georgia (Honorary Life Member) and was elected a fellow of the Georgia Psychological Association. He served on the boards of the National Mental Health Association, the World Federation for Mental Health, Rosalyn Carter Institute for Human Development and Compeer Atlanta and Community Friendship, Inc.
He co-authored “Caring and Competent Caregivers and Privacy and Confidentiality in Mental Health Care.”
He was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather as well as a cherished friend, colleague and mentor to many. He found happiness and pleasure in being surrounded by his family, enjoying the company of friends and colleagues, reading, art, traveling, listening to music, dancing and indulging in good food. He had a great sense of humor and a gift for bringing people together and putting things into perspective.
He is preceded in death by his father John Gates, his mother Marie Gates, his sister Helen O’Brien and his niece Josephine O’Brien. He is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Marsha; his son, Eric Gates (Kandice), of San Antonio, Texas; Chris Gates (Kelly), of Milledgeville, Ga.; his daughter Rayeanne Gates, of Charlotte, N.C.; his niece, Maryanne O’Brien, Manalapan, N.J., and two granddaughters, Katie, of Texas and Emily, of Georgia.
A celebration will be held from 2-4 p.m. Monday, April 18 in the Chapel at the Carter Center, Atlanta, Ga.
For those who wish to honor his memory, gifts may be sent to: The Carter Center Mental Health Journalism Fellowship Program, Donor Services, 453 John Lewis Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, Ga. 30307 or Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers (RCI), P. O. Box 647, Americus, Ga. 31709.