During his 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Patrick fought to end discrimination against mental illness, addiction, and other brain diseases.
He was the lead sponsor of the groundbreaking Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. This law requires insurance companies to treat illnesses of the brain, such as depression and addiction, the same way they treat illnesses of the body, such as diabetes and cancer. In 2013, he also founded The Kennedy Forum, a non-profit organization whose mission is to lead a national dialogue on transforming mental health and addiction care delivery.