Mildred Mitchell-Bateman, M.D.

Dr. Mitchell-Bateman attended Barber-Scotia College in Concord, NC, graduated from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC, and received her M.D. from the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania. After serving as a staff physician at Lakin State Hospital and establishing a general practice in medicine, Dr. Mitchell-Bateman completed a fellowship at the Menninger School of Psychiatry. She returned to Lakin as clinical director and, in 1958, became superintendent. Two years later, Dr. Mitchell-Bateman was appointed supervisor of the Division of Professional Services at the West Virginia Department of Mental Health, and from 1962 to 1977, she was director of the department.

Dr. Mitchell-Bateman served as the first chair of the psychiatry department at Marshall University. Upon stepping down as chair, she continued as Professor of Psychiatry and Assistant Clinical Director of Huntington State Hospital while also serving as a preceptor for medical students. On October 2, 1999, Huntington State Hospital celebrated 100 years of operation, and the hospital's name was changed to Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital. After she retired in February 2000, she still saw patients part-time in the University Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic and provided occasional teaching case conferences with medical students. She dedicated her professional life to meeting the challenges of administering public mental health care programs.

Dr. Mitchell-Bateman brought her expertise to the APA by serving as the APA's representative to the Joint Committee on Interprofessional Affairs and as APA vice president in 1973 and 1974. She was an APA Life Member and a Solomon Carter Fuller Award recipient in 2008.