Patrick J. Kennedy

Patrick J. Kennedy is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the nation’s leading political voice on mental illness, addiction, and other brain diseases. During his 16-year career representing Rhode Island in Congress, he fought a national battle to end medical and societal discrimination against these illnesses, highlighted by his lead sponsorship of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Patrick has since founded The Kennedy Forum, which leads a national dialogue on transforming mental health and addiction care delivery by uniting mental health advocates, business leaders, and government agencies, and co-founded One Mind, a global leader in open science collaboration in brain research. He is also the co-author of “A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction,” which details his personal struggles as well as his bold plan for the future of mental health care in America.