On July 7, the Trump administration launched a broad national campaign that focuses on minimizing high suicide rates, acknowledging the impact of stress on people's lives, and urging them to reach others to others, especially during these unprecedented times of an ongoing pandemic.

Dubbed as REACH, the government campaign is an important part of a $53 million, two-year effort initiated by the president in a bid to reduce suicide, particularly among veterans. Starting July 8, digital ads will surface online promoting the key message that "suicide is preventable."

The ad will urge faith-based organizations, nonprofits, schools, and businesses to work hand-in-hand to eradicate the stigma associated with talking about mental health, while empowering people to understand the risk involved, stay in touch with others and talk openly about their problems. Vice President Mike Pence's wife Karen Pence, who serves as a spokesperson for the government effort said that the national tragedy can be ended by working together.

Noting that everyone faces anxieties and isolation at some stage, Mrs. Pence said it was OK to not be OK, adding that the solution is to talk about it more rather than trying to hide it. It is imperative to create an environment where no one is afraid to ask for help, she explained.

Trump formed a federal task force in 2019, assigning it the duty to come up with a way to minimize suicides among veterans. About twenty reservists, guardsmen, and veterans commit suicide each day, which is 1.5 times higher than the rate of those who have never served in the military.

The government claims that nearly 14 of those 20 people were not covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, representing a need for better community outreach. With the coronavirus tightening its grip on people across communities, officials are hoping to help the public through the message of suicide prevention.

Surgeon General Jerome Adams, who is associated with the effort, said it is important to stay in touch with other people via texting, emailing, or even by writing letters to grandparents in case of his kids. He deemed the shame linked to asking help as a much bigger public health threat than cigarettes or coronavirus, Fox News reported.

To reach out to the people who are most in need of help, it is imperative for others to feel comfortable when it comes to offering help without any sort of judgment, Adams said. Referring to the impact of the pandemic, he also offered a different public service message of wearing a mask.