WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Novant Health Reads kicks off its 2017 book selection with A Common Struggle by former congressman Patrick Kennedy. In his own words, Kennedy openly shares his struggles with bipolar disorder and addiction. He addresses the stigma associated with mental illness and shares how these brain diseases have impacted both his professional career and personal relationships. Kennedy will visit Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center Wednesday, Oct. 4, to share his story.
“Because I was trained in both internal medicine and psychiatry, I have seen the important connection between mind and body and have come to believe that they can't really be separated,” said Dr. Charles K. Dunham, Novant Health behavioral health service line leader, specializing in psychiatry and internal medicine. “Good mental health impacts the body and vice versa. People should view treatment for anxiety, addiction or depression as routine and normal as treatment for diabetes, pregnancy and immunizations. This is where education and advocacy come together.”
In recent years, Novant Health has become one of the largest providers of behavioral health services in this market. In just the last year, Dunham says Novant Health has been able to coordinate care for more than 20,000 patients with behavioral health illness in its emergency rooms and reduce the ER length of stay for patients with behavioral health illness by 70 percent compared to the state average.
By allowing all clinical care providers, particularly those in family medicine and emergency medicine as well as all Novant Health employees and community members to hear Kennedy speak, Novant Health continues its commitment to encourage acceptance and inclusion for all men, women and children who have the right to ask for behavioral health assistance without the fear of judgment. With this in mind, Novant Health has already established plans to expand its behavioral health services to better serve even more children, the elderly and adults with addiction or depression. This comes in direct response to the outpouring of requests Novant Health has received from across the health care community.
“As the title to Kennedy’s memoir suggests, behavioral health issues are not unique to the Kennedy family but are a common struggle. We hope that this book will encourage, educate and equip team members as they courageously face these issues in their personal lives, as well as provide care for patients facing these challenges,” said Dunham.
Kennedy will speak at the Novant Health Conference Center, located on the campus of Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, beginning at noon Wednesday, Oct. 4. The event will be livestreamed for all Novant Health providers and employees.
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