NEWS RELEASE

 

For Immediate Release – April 16, 2013Media Contact:  Alicia Steger alicia.steger@ncc.edu516.572.9634ncc.edu/newsreleases

Nassau Community College Presents

“Mental Health Policy and the Gun Control Debate”

Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy

April 29

 

Garden City, NY — Former congressman Patrick Kennedy will speak about “Mental Health Policy and the Gun Control Debate” at Nassau Community College on Monday, April 29, at 11:00 a.m. in the College Center Building.  (Download hi res photo)Patrick Kennedy became the youngest member of the Kennedy family to hold elected office when, in 1988, he won election to the Rhode Island House of Representatives at age 21. Kennedy went on to serve 16 years in the United States House of Representatives, from 1994 to 2011. While in office, he distinguished himself as a leader on issues of mental health, veterans and civil rights, among others.As a founding member of the 21^st Century Healthcare Caucus, the Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus and the Down Syndrome Caucus, Kennedy has been a tireless advocate for access to healthcare and advancements in medical research. He was the author and chief House sponsor of the Wellstone-Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 — an act that expanded access to mental health services to over 100 million Americans. Kennedy also authored and co-sponsored dozens of other bills to increase the understanding and treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.Since leaving office in 2011, Kennedy has been devoting his efforts to promoting research in neuroscience. He co-founded One Mind for Research, a non-profit organization the mission of which is to be the leader in brain research in order to eliminate stigma, transform policy and allocate resources that will help both our understanding and treatment of brain diseases. Kennedy is also an active board member of Best Buddies, Research America and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.For more information about the cultural program “Mental Health Policy and the Gun Control Debate,” which is free, open to the public and accessible to the disabled, call 516.572.7148.Ref: 1670.4/16/13/170About Nassau Community CollegeNassau Community College, part of the State University of New York, is an institution where nearly 23,000 full- and part-time students and almost 15,000 continuing and professional students start and continue their successful journey through higher education. More than 70 fields of study are offered on a 225-acre campus located in the center of Long Island. As the largest single-campus two-year college in New York State, Nassau Community College maintains a national reputation for excellence. For more information, visit www.ncc.edu.