<|begin_of_text|><|begin_of_text|><|begin_of_text|>WASHINGTON, Jun 4 2013 (IPS) - President Barack Obama tried Monday to jumpstart a new national discussion on mental health, sponsoring a conference with Vice-President Joe Biden aimed at reducing social stigma around the issue.
The event took<wm> place on the University of Kentucky campus, with the theme "Hope in Our Minds: Building a National Conversation." Mr Obama delivered a key speech, in one year of the US Senate impeachment inquiry into former US Ambassador to the UK, Robert Gates.
Mental illness and suicidal ideation have been rising issues of concern worldwide, with millions suffering from conditions like major depressive disorder, anxiety and schizophrenia. Mental health advocates say President Obama's efforts to reduce stigma were aimed at getting a greater understanding on how to improve</wm> social support and education for these populations. However many felt that his efforts were "big league."
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