The Hon. 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, Kennedy 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 and his brave openness about his own health challenges. The son of Sen. Edward “Ted” Kennedy, he decided to leave Congress after his father’s death to devote his career to advocacy for brain diseases, start a family, and create a new, healthier life. He has since founded the Kennedy Forum, which unites the mental health community, and co-founded One Mind, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing mental health research. Kennedy lives in New Jersey with his wife, Amy, and their four children.