The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce Economic Club is pleased to announce that Patrick J. Kennedy, former U.S. Representative turned national mental health advocate, will keynote the March luncheon held Tuesday, March 26. Kennedy, 45, is the youngest child of former U.S. Senator Edward Ted Kennedy.Kennedy is being brought to Michigan by the Hope Network to advance the statewide conversation about the importance of integrating mental and physical health. The announcement of Kennedy, who openly discusses his personal struggles with mental illness, coincides with Hope Networks intention in 2013 to advocate for increased public access to mental health care.In his Lansing Regional Chamber Economic Club address, Kennedy will address why mental health care is not only a major social issue, as over 50% of Americans will suffer from mental illness at some point in their lives, but also one of the most important economic issues, as the indirect cost of mental health illness due to lost productivity in Michigan is estimated to be over $4 billion. Kennedy will discuss how healthcare systems in states like Michigan can lead the way in changing how healthcare is delivered.