By Bart Jansen, CQ Staff

Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy , who has struggled with alcoholism and addiction, announced Friday that he has checked himself into a medical facility for treatment.

The Rhode Island Democrat, who also sought treatment after a car crash three years ago near the Capitol, said in a statement that “recovery is a life-long process and that I will do whatever it takes to preserve my health.” He didn’t disclose where he is being treated.

Kennedy’s father, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy , D-Mass., has been battling brain cancer for more than a year.

Patrick Kennedy, the youngest of Sen. Kennedy’s three children, is a member of the Appropriations and the Oversight and Government Reform committees. But Kennedy was absent from the Appropriations Committee’s voting session Friday on spending bills for the Department of Homeland Security and Legislative branch.

“In consultation with my doctor, I have decided to temporarily step away from my normal routine to ensure that I am being as vigilant as possible in my recovery,” said Kennedy in a statement. “I hope that in some small way my decision to be proactive and public in my efforts to remain healthy can help remove the stigma that has served as a barrier for many Americans reluctant to get the help they need.”

Kennedy’s struggles with drug abuse, depression and bipolar disorder date back to his teenage years. He has spoken of the challenges posed by the Kennedy family name and the accompanying stresses. Sen. Kennedy, the 77-year-old patriarch of the family, has undergone surgery and chemotherapy since being diagnosed with a brain tumor more than a year ago. He has been largely absent from the Capitol for the current session, working on health care reform from outside the Washington area, where he has been receiving treatment.

Rep. Kennedy’s greatest legislative achievement came last fall, with passage of a bill requiring insurers to treat mental and physical illnesses equally. The provision was included in the $700 billion financial bailout (PL 110-343).

The legislative victory came less than three years after a drug-related car crash landed him in the headlines and led him to seek rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic. He advanced the mental-health parity bill with help for former Rep. Jim Ramstad (1991-2009), a Minnesota Republican, who became his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor in 2006.