“The stories of real families dealing with the messy, awful impacts of mental health and substance use are raw and unvarnished.” –
@tvkatesnow
HUGE thank you to Kate for hosting me on
@NBCNews
to speak about
#profilesinmentalhealthcourage
!
Watch here:
Today, I remember my uncle Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., who died at age 29 serving our fighting Nazi fascism.
Today, we honor the brave women and men of our armed forces still fighting and dying for the rights and lives of all American citizens & to protect our country for democracy.
For decades, people with symptoms like chronic pain and unexplained fatigue have struggled in our health care system. This doesn’t bode well for the millions of Americans with long-COVID.
Pleased to hear that
@RepJoeKennedy
's CHIP Mental Health Parity Act passed the House floor this afternoon! This bill ensures that children and pregnant women receiving coverage through CHIP plans will have access to mental health and addiction treatment services.
#ParityProgress
The recovery community lost a founding father today. My cousin, Chris Lawford, passed away from a heart attack yesterday evening. To the world he was an author, actor, & activist, but to the recovery community he was a pioneer – living proof that long-term recovery was possible.
Saoirse’s sincere account of her depression is a powerful reminder of how so many people suffer alone and feel isolated. I am proud Saoirse was able to be open and tell her story. I encourage everyone to read her words.
Not everyone has a lion for a father. The legacy my father left this country inspires me every day. I am forever grateful for his example and his love.
Happy Father’s Day!
What an honor to spend St. Patrick’s Day afternoon at the
@WhiteHouse
with friends, family, and world leaders
@POTUS
, His Excellency
@LeoVaradkar
and many cousins - Smiths, Shrivers, and Kennedys!
We are blessed.
Thank you,
@JoeBiden
, for addressing an issue last night that affects so many American families: the disease of addiction. Now let’s all do what it takes to increase access to evidence-based treatment and ensure equal insurance coverage of care.
60 years ago today on June 26, 1963: After a stop at the Berlin Wall, JFK delivered his now-famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech to a crowd of more than 100,000 people at the Rudolph Wilde Platz in West Berlin.
#JFK60
.
The full speech:
Yesterday after delivering my keynote address at the SNF Nostos 2023 Conference,
@AmyKennedy715
and I met with President Barack Obama. President Obama's Affordable Care Act significantly expanded mental health and SUD coverage – I'm honored to have him as an ally in change!
Today, I mark 13 years sober. I am so grateful for my incredible wife
@AmyKennedy715
and my wonderful children – it is your love and support that makes recovery possible. And thank you to ACYP and my fellow trudgers. We’re in this together!
When I sought treatment for addiction while in office, I felt I had to hide under the cloak of night. After it became public, I faced some calling for my resignation. But in actuality, it made me a stronger leader and politician for my constituents.
Today we celebrate
@PJK4brainhealth
on 12 years of sobriety. Patrick shows up every day as a husband, father, advocate, and so much more. I’m grateful for your partnership and your commitment to yourself and to our family today and every day.
#OneDayAtATime
So grateful for everything these nine years have afforded me, most importantly my loving family. Also thinking of my father today, on what would have been his 88th birthday.
Thanks to the leadership of my cousin,
@TimShriver
,
@SpecialOlympics
impacts more lives than ever, with benefits extending FAR beyond physical achievement. We must walk the walk for students with intellectual disabilities, not undercut programs that work!
We should be increasing access to mental health care during this crisis, not allowing it to dwindle. We need to act now and right the ship by increasing funding and policy support for mental health providers.
Congratulations to my cousin
@joekennedy
for being appointed Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs. His devotion and leadership will serve us well!
@AndrewYang
, I want to personally invite you to the Unite for Mental Health: New Hampshire Town Hall on 12/16. State advocates are anxious to learn more about your plans to address
#mentalhealth
and
#addiction
, and so am I.
Pleased that mental health and addiction were mentioned during last night’s debate. We can't talk about the future of our country without acknowledging the suicide and overdose crisis that is devastating American families. We must continue the conversation!
#MentalHealthforUS
My morning bike ride with Marshall turned into getting out the vote! Proud to be voting for my wife
@AmyKennedy715
. She's a tireless fighter, an incredible mother and a fearless leader!
#VoteWithAmy
🗳
My Aunt Jean leaves behind an immense legacy as a diplomat and advocate for peace. I will always treasure the time I spent with her in Ireland. She will be deeply missed.
@AmyKennedy715
“Many people are suffering, but because many people feel uncomfortable talking about it, no one is aware of the sufferers. This leaves people feeling even more alone.”
.
@AmyKennedy715
and I offer our condolences to
@SenJohnMcCain
's family. His support for equal access to mental health and addiction treatment meant so much to us and countless others. He was a man of tremendous integrity.
Mrs. Carter has long been a north star for me. She took on mental health in the 70s when few else would and stood shoulder to shoulder with me as we fought for Parity in 2008. My thoughts are with President Carter and their entire family.
Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful wife,
@AmyKennedy715
. Our children are blessed to have such a smart, loving role model who works hard to make the world a better place for others.
Feel what she felt. Do whatever you can from your position in life to stop the isolation, the stigma, and the devastating lack of acknowledgement that often leads to tragedy. Families across the nation, including ours, are suffering. We must come out of the shadows.
My condolences to the family of Dr. Aaron Beck, who pioneered the practice of cognitive behavioral therapy and continued to transform the way mental health conditions are conceptualized and treated. His impact on the world is truly immeasurable.
In yesterday's White House Opioids Summit, the administration touted piecemeal programs and funding to address the opioid crisis, but neglected to mention the hundreds of billions of dollars they want to cut from Medicaid – the largest payer of addiction treatment services.
Progress! Rhode Island has shown the rest of the nation that if you treat addiction like the brain disease it is, rather than an acute condition to be "cured" through detox, people have a fighting chance to rebuild their lives.
Let's care for our veterans not only in body, but in mind as well. Join me in advocating for better access to mental health and addiction care for those who have served.
Every day I am inspired by my father’s commitment to health care reform and the many bipartisan efforts he championed. His impact continues to be felt in the lives of those who have been able to now receive health care they otherwise would have been denied.
#emklegacy
#DontDenyMe
Chris had lived in long-term recovery since the mid 80’s and helped countless others along the way. In my own struggle to achieve sobriety, he always encouraged me to stay the course, providing love and guidance when I needed it most.
You’ll hear me on an upcoming episode of Newt’s World with
@newtgingrich
– a podcast that explores history, health, science, and more from a bold new perspective. Subscribe and listen here:
Excited to announce the launch of my new podcast, Newt's World! Each week, we'll cover topics from the past, present, and future to understand where we’ve been and where we're going. Listen & subscribe here:
@WestwoodOne
He gave me strength and inspiration to take that first step, that leap of faith – and join him on the road to recovery in a new life of sobriety that I never thought possible.
Officially, he was an ambassador of recovery for the office of National Drug Control Policy under President Obama, but to me, and many others, he was the absolute voice of recovery – always there to share his experience, strength, and hope.
We are still learning about the consequences of long-COVID, but we do know a few key things. Cytokines cause excessive inflammation in the brain, and the physical and psychiatric consequences can be devastating.
A recent report shows people seeking mental health or addiction treatment have to go out of network 4-5 times more often than those seeking medical care, resulting in higher costs. This is not ok! Learn to fight back:
#ParityIsEquality
The mental health and addiction fallout from COVID-19 isn't just a projection, it's happening. Fatal overdoses increased 11.4% in the first 4 months of 2020. We must prioritize resources for prevention, emergency response, and treatment now.
"Over the past decade, multiple studies have shown that marijuana use in adolescence can be a contributing factor in triggering or worsening the symptoms of serious psychotic mental illnesses, most notably schizophrenia."
“Early intervention is essential to improving long-term outcomes for young people with serious mental illness.”
@NAMICommunicate
is offering Ending the Silence a free program that helps middle & high school students understand mental illness.
#4Mind4Body
NYC is suing Big Pharma. A step in the right direction for the
#opioidcrisis
. Lawsuits can generate resources to fund treatment & prevention efforts. Many contributed to the crisis and it is past time for accountability: pharma, insurance industry, and the federal government.
WATCH: Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy (
@PJK4brainhealth
) shared his journey with addiction ahead of our live mental health show.
Tomorrow on
@CBSThisMorning
, hear from others during our special broadcast,
#StopTheStigma
: A Conversation About Mental Health. 📺 7-9 a.m.