WASHINGTON — Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, a public face of recovery from addiction since an automobile accident spurred him into rehabilitation three years ago, has entered an undisclosed medical facility for treatment.

Sean Richardson, a former aide to Kennedy who has remained a close friend, said the Rhode Island Democrat is out of Washington but not, strictly speaking, away from work because he is in continual contact with his congressional office and keeping track of such legislative priorities as health care.

Richardson said he could not spell out how long Kennedy will be at the out-of-town medical facility. But he hinted at a range: Kennedy will probably be gone for more than a few days, returning in time for the hoped-for debate on a national health-care overhaul later in the summer.

While close friends of Kennedy gave few details of what the congressman called a temporary “step away from my normal routine,” they stressed that this chapter in his recovery was not prompted by any sort of accident, injury, or trouble with the law.

Three Kennedy intimates said in separate interviews that they either did not know or would not discuss whether he has had an episode of drinking or drug abuse.

“As Patrick’s friend, I am very happy to see him prioritize his long-term health and recovery,” said former Minnesota Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad, who spoke in a telephone interview after Kennedy issued a statement describing his decision in the most general terms.

Ramstad, a recovering alcoholic of long standing, has helped Kennedy on the road to sobriety since soon after the Rhode Island Democrat had a highly publicized car crash on Capitol Hill on May 5, 2006.

Ramstad and Dr. Ronald E. Smith, another Kennedy friend who is an addiction and mental health expert at Bethesda Naval Hospital, both said that alcoholics and addicts sometimes seek “preventive maintenance” at a clinic or a spiritual retreat even if their struggles have not actually led them to take a drink or use illicit drugs.

On that point, both men specified that they were speaking in general terms about the disease, not hinting one way or another at the nature of Kennedy’s current situation.

Smith said medical research has found increasing evidence that in early recovery, which he defined as two to three years, it is essential for addicts to recognize when they face “stressors” such as fatigue or illness or family problems. “You have to go back, take a couple of days off and renew your sobriety,” he said.

Here is the text of the statement that Kennedy released through his office Thursday:

"I have always said that recovery is a life-long process and that I will do whatever it takes to preserve my health. 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. 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 office declined to elaborate or answer questions about the statement or the congressman’s health.

Kennedy has long acknowledged that he suffers from a serious mental illness and from dual additions to alcohol and prescription pain drugs. For his bipolar disorder — also known as manic depression — Kennedy takes prescribed medicine that is non-addictive. (He has declined to say which drugs he takes.)

His program of recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction, by contrast, requires him to abstain strictly from drinking and from pain pills.

Richardson said he could not discuss whether Kennedy’s stay in the medical facility is related to an episode of depression or mania, or to drinking, or to a use of addictive drugs.

“I’m his friend, not his doctor,” he said.

But Richardson said he has detected no outward signs of addictive relapse.

After police reports about his accident in 2006, Kennedy entered Mayo Clinic’s addiction center in Minnesota, where Ramstad — theretofore only an acquaintance in the U.S. House — visited him and offered his help.

“I am confident that Patrick will return to Congress healthier and stronger than ever,” Ramstad said.

jmulligan@belo-dc.com