Erika’s Lighthouse is proud to announce a change to our programs for the 2021-22 School Year. Our Program Realignment initiative will create more integration between our programs to maximize efficiency and effectiveness that supports real cultural change in schools.

We are shifting our programming to be more aligned, more integrated and more comprehensive. We are doing this because we realize there is a very serious need. The pandemic has certainly enhanced the need to address mental health in the school system. We want to empower educators and teens. We want to be the school system’s partner as a Champion for Change!

The Need
  • 36% of teens ages 16-17 report they know who to call and where to report a threat.
  • 42% believe their school is doing its best to create an atmosphere of physical and emotional safety.
  • 55% of teens believe their school leaders thought safety was a priority.
  • 58% thought schools are not spending enough time & money to keep students safe.
  • 68% believe their school is not prepared to handle these issues.
    Source: The Public Safety and Wellbeing Index, January 2021

    We believe that prevention and culture set up schools for success. Our goal is to be proactive, not reactive to mental health and the need to be prepared in schools. Our goals for the future are to offer:

Culture Change

Erika’s Lighthouse was founded on supporting inclusive school cultures around mental health. Our efforts towards program realignment will help us to better achieve those goals.

District Minded

We now offer schools full solutions for grades 4-12.

Flexible

New options allow educators more flexibility about how, where and who receives appropriate programming based on the needs of each school.

Comprehensive

We offer interconnected and aligned programming that engages educators, students, families and the whole school community towards changing attitudes about depression and mental health.

We believe that an inclusive school culture will focus on universal prevention, education, and awareness. We will leverage our four main programs to do this.

  1. Classroom Education
  2. School Policy, Training and Engagement
  3. Family Engagement
  4. Teen Empowerment

We are proud to introduce our new and enhanced programming, which now introduces a level for upper elementary students. Our ultimate goal is to provide educators across the globe with more flexibility with what is appropriate for their school and their system. These programs can be utilized together or stand-alone and are all skills-based meeting national health education standards. They will all utilize the same best practices to offer consistency across the grades.

Level I | Ideal for grades 4-6, fully bilingual

We All Have Mental Health

Introduction to mental health by understanding everyday feelings vs. overwhelming feelings with a strong focus on help-seeking and good mental health.

Level II | Ideal for grades 5-9, mostly bilingual

Depression Awareness

Introduction to depression by recognizing signs and symptoms with a strong focus on help-seeking and good mental health.

Level III | Ideal for grades 8-12, mostly bilingual

Depression Education & Suicide Awareness

Introduction to depression and suicide along with a strong focus on help-seeking and good mental health.

We pride ourselves in the fact that our programming is comprehensive and effective. We do so by offering:

Best Practices

Leveraging tools and guiding educators on how to best implement our programs through a cohesive, single document that will most effectively impact students.

Cross-Promotion

A more accessible Resource Portal, shared documents and worksheets, and cross-referencing materials to better promote a comprehensive strategy.

Multi-Purpose

Ways to maximize existing resources – such as:

  • Awareness into Action Activities as classroom components
  • Teen Empowerment Clubs to advocate for more resources
  • Awareness into Action Activities for staff cultural change
  • Resource worksheets for schools to distribute to families

Support in schools and multi-tiered evaluations to encourage interdepartmental cooperation and generate cultural change

Universal Resources

All resources are aligned to complement each program and work as interconnected supports to facilitate change.

We are really excited at the advancements our programs are making and will continue to make to help educators, parents and teens understand mental health and how to help yourself or someone you identify that may need help. We are determined to increase the number of schools we serve through Classroom Education, Teen Empowerment Clubs and Family Engagement efforts.

The best part of all of this, we are committed to continuing to offer all of our outstanding, evidence-informed materials FREE. Join us today in our mission to Get Depression Out of the Dark. Sign up for your Free Resource Portal Account today.