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Award Recognizes Individual Who Has Demonstrated the Power and Proof of Long-Term Recovery
Washington, D.C. / June 29 – Patrick J. Kennedy, former U.S. Representative (D-RI) and renowned mental health advocate, will receive the prestigious Voice of Recovery Award from Faces & Voices of Recovery on July 23 in honor of his tireless efforts to inform, educate, and inspire the public through his own personal experience with mental illness and substance use disorder.
Kennedy, a former member of the President’s Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, is the founder of The Kennedy Forum, co-founder of One Mind, and author of the New York Times bestseller “A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction.”
In breaking his family’s code of silence for “A Common Struggle,” Kennedy openly challenged the stigma and shame commonly surrounding families trying to cope with mental illness and/or addiction. He continues to share his story with audiences nationwide, connecting with diverse populations and empowering families to fight back against illegal insurance denials for mental health or addiction treatment services through his Parity Registry website.
“I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Patrick Kennedy many times over the years,” said Linda Rosenberg, President & CEO of National Council for Behavioral Health. “He is a tireless advocate whose words and actions have made a tremendous difference for countless individuals and families. You won’t find a more passionate, authentic voice of recovery.”
“Patrick Kennedy combines a powerful lived experience with sharp political acumen in service of our movement,” said Mary Giliberti, CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “He is a civil rights champion and a warm, kind person who inspires the NAMI community and so many others.”
Faces & Voices of Recovery is the nation’s leading recovery advocacy organization promoting policies that are grounded in science, compassion, health, and human rights.
Previous recipients of the Voice of Recovery Award include Kristen Johnston, Emmy-award winning actress; Chris Herren of The Herren Project; Greg Williams of The Anonymous People; Michael Botticelli from The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy; and Jason Wahler, host, actor, and TV personality.
The America Honors Recovery Dinner and Gala will be held on Monday, July 23, 2018 from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
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About Patrick J. Kennedy:
Former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.) is a lifelong mental health advocate and former member of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. He is the founder of The Kennedy Forum, a convening think tank tackling mental health and addiction issues and co-founder of One Mind, a global leader in open science collaboration for brain research. In 2015, he co-authored A Common Struggle, a New York Times best seller, which details his personal journey and provides a roadmap for the future of mental health policy. Mr. Kennedy is pushing for full enforcement of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. He was the lead sponsor of this groundbreaking legislation, which requires health plans cover mental health, eating disorder, and addiction care health benefits the same way they cover physical health benefits. To learn about Mr. Kennedy’s efforts, please visit www.patrickjkennedy.net