Do the family members of your district have the tools and knowledge they need to recognize signs of depression? Are they trusted adults who can address mental health? Do they know where to get help for their students or other teens in the community?Â
Who We Are
Erika’s Lighthouse is a non-profit organization founded in 2004 that is dedicated to educating teens and raising awareness surrounding depression and mental health. Our programs are tailored to our mission of making sure no young person feels alone in their depression. Erika’s Lighthouse strives to help teens create an inclusive school culture and eliminate the stigma of mental health. Erika’s Lighthouse evidence-informed programs not only bring awareness to young people about depression and mental health; they build a structure for them to thrive and survive, even when they might be experiencing depression.
How We Work
Erika’s Lighthouse offers Four Pillars for school communities to use to promote an inclusive school culture: Classroom Education, Teen Empowerment, Family Engagement, and School Policy & Staff Development. The Four Pillars categorize resources specific to the group they’re appropriate for. They allow schools the opportunity to deliver school-wide programming to promote a culture of inclusivity around mental health. Our Four Pillar Implementation Guide makes it easy for schools to utilize and implement our programs school-wide.Â
The Impact
Although educating students and empowering teens is one of Erika’s Lighthouse’s focuses, we also highly encourage schools to implement the Four Pillars so that they can use our Family Engagement resources. Many families don’t know the signs of teen depression or where they can turn to for help. Our staff often hears from teens and educators that there’s an increased need to educate and engage families. Additionally, addressing students’ mental health needs can improve their overall health and support their education. Many barriers to seeking help begin at home due to a lack of understanding from families and caregivers.
This past school year, 7% of students reported not having a trusted adult in their lives.
Erika’s Lighthouse designs resources and workshops to better equip school communities to interact with families around depression and mental health. Resources like the Family Handbook on Childhood and Teen Depression are guides that contain ideas that are helpful should a family be dealing with a difficult time in their life.
76% of students can identify a trusted adult at home.
When families and caregivers are better educated about teen mental health, they can offer better support to a child who may be experiencing mental distress. Erika’s Lighthouse strives to make mental health easy to talk about. All of our resources are designed to be ready to use by any family member that needs them at no cost. When students receive education in the classroom, empowerment through clubs, and support from family members they thrive in an environment where they can talk to people they trust about their mental health. Want to add these free resources to your school community?Â