Patrick Kennedy Away from Congress for 'Recovery'

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), a veteran congressman and son of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), announced today that he will be away from Congress while he seeks additional help in his recovery from addiction.

In a statement released by his office this morning, Kennedy said, "I have always said that recovery is a life-long process and that I will do whatever it takes to preserve my health. In consultation with my doctor, I have decided to temporarily step away from my normal routine to ensure that I am being as vigilant as possible in my recovery.

"I hope that in some small way my decision to be proactive and public in my efforts to remain healthy can help remove the stigma that has served as a barrier for many Americans reluctant to get the help they need."

Kennedy's office did not elaborate on where the Congressman is, nor when he will return to Congress. He has long struggled with alcohol and drug addiction and sought treatment at the Mayo Clinic in 2006 for those addictions, as well as bi-polar disorder.

A recent profile of the Congressman in The Washington Post detailed his legislative victory last year on a bill requiring health insurance companies to give the same coverage to mental illness as they give to physical illnesses. He was quoted then as saying his own struggles gave rise to the bill. He also said, "I was so ashamed of my own mental health problems...and the fact that in my family, which is so competitive and prides itself on its 'strength' in so many ways, that I fell short of my family's ideal."

Kennedy was granted legal guardianship of his mother, Joan Kennedy, in 2005, due in part to her own struggle with addiction. His father is still undergoing treatment for brain cancer.