Promoting inclusive school cultures around mental health

Through our four pillars – Classroom Education, Teen Empowerment, Family Engagement and School Policy & Staff Development – any school can start a meaningful conversation about mental health.

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Classroom Education focused on mental health, depression and suicide

Impacting grades 4-12, programs raise awareness, reduce stigma, promote good mental health and encourage help-seeking. Every child deserves good mental health.

Educate Students Today

Empowered teens can change the world

Give them the tools they need to engage in meaningful discussions around mental health through turn-key, peer-led initiatives.

Empower Teens Today

Family Engagement that can positively impact home

Schools do not operate in silos. Engaging families, parents and caregivers is key to ensuring every child has a trusted adult.

Engage Families Today

School Policy & Staff Development to prepare schools

Align policies, prepare educators and staff and ensure students have the resources and information to succeed.

Align Your Policies & Staff Today

Our four pillars work together to give educators the tools to
promote inclusive school cultures around mental health

Adolescent depression lives in the shadows. Young people facing it feel isolated and dangerously alone. We help schools provide their students with the skills needed to talk to each other, to their parents, to their teachers and to counselors. Our resources raise awareness, reduce stigma, educate students, promote good mental health and encourage help-seeking.

Classroom Education

Our free, easy-to-use and accessible programs put the student at the center, talking to them in a language they understand.

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Teen Empowerment

We believe teens can change the world with the right tools. You can set up Teen Clubs, peer-led campaigns and fundraisers in your school.

Mobilize TEENS

Family Engagement

We have designed information, resources, workshops and more to equip schools to better interact with students and their families.

Support FAMILIES

School Policy & Staff

We have developed videos, staff trainings, frameworks, templates, best practices and more to align your policies & staff.

Align policies

Our donor-funded, no-cost, tier-1, universal programs are designed to impact every child in every school. They promote good mental health and the prevention, early identification and early intervention of youth mental health issues.

From Tragedy, Hope

Erika’s Lighthouse: A Beacon of Hope for Adolescent Depression was founded in 2004 by Virginia and Thomas Neuckranz after their daughter Erika lost her life to depression. In order to avoid another loss in the community, they founded Erika’s Lighthouse with the goal of creating educational materials to Get Depression Out of the Dark.

With help from the community, and from donors nationwide, we’ve grown and expanded our mission across the country. We know that working together, we can save lives.

Read the story about Erika’s Lighthouse

Erika's Lighthouse Programs Are Near You

Our evidence-informed, depression awareness education programs are spreading around the world. See if a school or organization near you is utilizing Erika's Lighthouse Classroom Programs.

Help us reach students in your community by becoming a Community Ambassador today >

Erika's Lighthouse Works in Schools Across the Country

"Our school has partnered with Erika’s Lighthouse for several years, and I am always impressed with the quality of materials that they produce. Talking about depression can make both teachers and students uncomfortable, but the Erika’s Lighthouse programs are designed to decrease the negative attitudes of depression. The programs provide an opportunity for conversations about how students can contribute to a positive mental health culture in their school and community."
Health Educator, Illinois

"The videos are well done. The kids find them authentic and, because of the diversity, can see a face they recognize. The materials are affordable, well thought out and easy to use. They’re flexible and have no rigidity about how they’re to be used. Erika’s Lighthouse supplies resources offering an easy way to talk to kids about how to stay mentally healthy. No one is putting out these kinds of materials right now, and trying to create them on my own would be impossible."
School Counselor, Washington