Tier-1, Turn-Key Suite of Programs

We provide mental health programs and resources school social workers can use to educate students, educators and families about mental health, depression and suicide awareness. Our resources are the tools schools need to promote inclusive school cultures around mental health.

Educate & Empower Students

Educate students through our turn-key, authentic and free classroom programs. Empower them to take charge of their mental health.

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Engage Families

Turn-key workshops, workbooks, resources and guides that can support families in normalizing conversations, promoting good mental health and assisting with help-seeking if their child is in need.

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Train & Equip Educators

Train staff around mental health, depression and suicide while equipping them with turn-key resources they can leverage daily in their schools and classrooms.

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You Are Not Alone

We believe in a multidisciplinary approach where the whole school comes together to support your work.

By working with other professionals in your building, you can meet your school’s mental health needs through a robust, universal program. Tier-1 programming can:

  • Educate Empower your students to reduce stigma, normalizing conversations, promote help-seeking and manage their own mental health.
  • Train and equip educators to identify warning signs, manage classroom-based crisis and support student mental wellbeing in every classroom, everyday.
  • Engage families to continue the conversation at home, support their child’s mental health, and be prepared if their child experiences mental distress.
  • Together, you can promote an inclusive school culture that will reduce the need and time for Tier 2 and 3 interventions.
Tier 1 Works

“I want you all to know that our suicide attempt rate as measured by the YRBS, went down from 14.3% to between 5.4-7.2% since using your videos and the messages from your curriculum.  We continue to be very impressed by your videos, website, and curriculum.”

Mental Health Coordinator, Wisconsin

Meet Your School’s Needs with Our Suite of Programs

“I want you all to know that our suicide attempt rate, as measured by the YRBS, went down from 14.3% to between 5.4-7.2% since using your videos and the messages from your curriculum.  We continue to be very impressed by your videos, website, and curriculum.” -Mental Health Coordinator, Wisconsin

Erika’s Lighthouse has identified four pillars that are essential aspects of every school community. When each program pillar is active in a school we believe students will experience a more inclusive school culture around mental health.

These program pillars impact every partner throughout a school community – students, families and staff.  Districts, schools and classrooms can leverage these programs as comprehensive, integrated, tier-1 initiatives or standalone efforts that work seamlessly with existing school-based programs.

Depression is real, common, serious and treatable. Help students develop help-seeking skills and know that they are not alone.

The heart of Erika’s Lighthouse and the foundation for change is education. Through our Classroom Programs we are driven to offer valid and reliable resources that educate and empower. 

We offer three video-based classroom programs for grades 4-12 that are designed to educate and raise awareness around mental health and depression.

Learn more about Classroom Education today >

Teens have the power to change the world by shifting their school’s culture to be more positive, inclusive and empathetic on issues surrounding mental health. Erika’s Lighthouse Teen Empowerment Clubs and Awareness into Action Activities are designed as easy, flexible, and turn-key opportunities to:

  • Raise awareness
  • Reduce stigma
  • Allow teens to lead peer-to-peer activities about good mental health, depression and other mental health challenges

Our team is here to help you every step of the way in making positive changes in your school building.

Learn more about Teen Empowerment Clubs today >

Many families don’t know the signs of teen depression or where to turn for help. Erika’s Lighthouse regularly hears from educators and teens of the need to educate and engage families. Erika’s Lighthouse has designed information, resources, workshops and more to equip school communities to better interact with families around depression and mental health.

Learn more about Family Engagement today >

Ensure your school is prepared to cultivate an inclusive school culture around mental health through positive school policies, training, educator support, staff engagement and self-care. These offerings will help build a strong foundation for effective and meaningful conversations that promote good mental health, early identification and intervention.

Learn more about School Policy & Staff Development today >

Bring your community together and support Erika’s Lighthouse and depression education with community awareness activities and events.

You can demonstrate the power and passion behind mental health awareness by hosting a community event. Erika’s Lighthouse provides tools, resources and support to host a walk or another fundraising event. Bringing your community together in support of positive teen mental health, reducing stigma and raising awareness are amazing opportunities to mark special occasions or memorialize someone or something.

Learn more about hosting an event >

Benefits of Using Erika’s Lighthouse Resources

Our materials are free and ready to use. We believe everyone should have access to tools to help teens learn about depression.

Fighting adolescent depression requires compassion, empathy, and education. Our depression education programs provide teachers with youth-oriented materials that raise awareness, encourage conversation, promote early identification and prevention, and help show adolescents that they are never alone.

Erika’s Lighthouse suite of programs are designed to be integrated throughout a school community and impact every partner. We work with hundreds of school social workers around the country to offer prevention-based programs that support both self-management of mental health and early identification.

A few of the highlights include:

  • Streamlined and progressive curriculum levels from grades 4 through 12 for district-wide use.
  • Teen Empowerment Clubs and activities that promote peer-led conversations to reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking.
  • Family Engagement resources that are available for on-demand use or to host your own learning events.
  • School Policy & Staff Development resources and trainings to ensure every staff person is prepared to be a trusted adult.
  • A Four Pillar Implementation Strategy for schools to collaborate and share responsibility that promote an inclusive school culture around mental health.
  • 1-on-1 support from our multi-disciplinary Education Team.
  • All at no-cost, made available by generous donors.

Taking the stigma out of adolescent depression is our passion and our expertise.

You’re the experts on your students. We’ll meet you where you are, and can empower adolescents to Get Depression Out of the Dark, together.

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Working With Educators To Get The Most Out of Our Depression Education Programs

We don’t believe anyone should be alone when dealing with adolescent depression. You won’t be on your own when teaching it.

We don’t think you need to be a mental health professional to encourage awareness about mental health. We can support you to make our free and accessible programs easily usable by anyone at any school. Our goal is to get you the tools and resources you need to Get Depression Out of the Dark

We Support You to Make the Program Your Own

Remote Support

Connect with our staff from wherever you are. Ask questions and get ideas on how to adapt your program. We’re only a few clicks away.

Professional Development

We offer on-demand webinar trainings that can be completed as a group or self-guided. Coupled with our other supports for schools we are strong partners in your mental health initiatives. All are available for free on the Resource Portal.

Conference Presentations

Find us at educational conferences around the country to get a look into our programs and so that we can connect with you.

White Paper: Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention: Implementing Effective Prevention Strategies

The Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention: Model Language, Commentary, and Resources is the recognized policy for effective district-level engagement for suicide prevention in schools around the country. Developed by thought leaders in education and suicide prevention, it is the policy Erika’s Lighthouse has supported and shared since its creation.

Erika’s Lighthouse depression education programming is uniquely qualified to assist in meeting not only suicide prevention recommendations but go beyond suicide prevention to embrace school mental health. Depression education is a more upstream, suitable alternative for many schools implementing programs because it seeks to educate, support and empower all students, including those struggling with mental health conditions and suicidal ideation.

Read the full White Paper.

Working With You

Your students are unique. Your classroom is unique. Your needs are unique. Once you commit to using our programs in your school or community, we provide complimentary support to help you:

  • Personalize the program for your building
  • Personalize the program for your students
  • Adapt the program to your time constraints
  • Adapt the program year by year
  • Find the discussion questions that work best for you
  • Fit our program into non-traditional classroom structures

Create an account to learn more about how our free videos, lessons, and activities are the right match for your school.

Taking the stigma out of adolescent depression is our passion and our expertise.

You’re the experts on your students. We’ll meet you where you are, and can empower adolescents to shine a light on depression, together.

Create An Account