Patrick and Amy Kennedy will speak at Penn State at 8 p.m. on March 22 at Eisenhower Auditorium, thanks to SPA partnering with UPUA and CAPS. The Kennedies have dedicated their lives to improving policy surrounding mental health and wellness by founding The Kennedy Forum, which aims to change the way mental healthcare is provided.

Patrick spent 16 years representing Rhode Island in the House of Representatives, working on dozens of bills to increase the understanding and treatment of mental health conditions. He’s current board member of Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, EMK Institute, IAVA, In Search of Justice, International Bipolar Foundation, Joseph P Kennedy Jr. Foundation, and National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. Patrick is also a New York Times Bestselling Author of “A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction.”

Amy serves on the board of Mental Health America, an advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. “focused on giving a voice to all people with mental health conditions and addictions.” Amy is also the education director for The Kennedy Forum, focused on promoting “the importance of social and emotional learning in the development of mental wellness for children and adolescents,” according to her biography on Kennedy’s website.

Tickets will be available to students starting March 1 at all CPA locations (Eisenhower Auditorium, the HUB Ticket Desk, the BJC, and the Downtown Theatre). One week later on March 8 the general public will have the opportunity to acquire any remaining tickets at the same locations.