Skip to content

Blogs

Medicaid Managed Care & Youth Mental Health | MHPA26 Takeaways

At the MHPA26 conference in San Antonio last week, Executive Director Brandon Combs and I had the privilege of representing Erika’s Lighthouse as exhibitors. Standing at our...

Read More

What Are the Main Differences Between Top School Mental Health Programs?

Selecting the right youth mental health program is one of the most critical decisions K–12 administrators, school social workers, and counseling teams make. With adolescent...

Read More
diverse group of students walking down a hallway together happily.

Introducing Erika’s Lighthouse’s New K–12 Positive Relationships Curriculum

Healthy relationships aren’t just a nice-to-have, they are a cornerstone of student mental health. From a kindergarten student learning to identify a trusted adult, to a...

Read More
A female educator sitting in a circle with middle and high school students in a well-lit classroom, leading a collaborative mental health awareness and help-seeking discussion.

How Erika's Lighthouse Programs Fulfill State Suicide Prevention Mandates and ESSA Tier 2 Requirements

School administrators, district leaders, and student services professionals face a complex regulatory landscape. Across the country, state legislatures have passed laws...

Read More
A school counselor and a diverse group of middle and high school students sitting in a circle discussing learning activities using laptops and tablets in a classroom.

Implementing K–12 Mental Health & Wellness Standards: A Complete School Guide

Youth mental health in America has reached an undeniable turning point. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), 50% of all lifelong mental health...

Read More

What Should a Tier 1 School Mental Health Approach Include?

What Should a Tier 1 School Mental Health Approach Include? A strong Tier 1 school mental health approach includes universal strategies that promote mental health literacy...

Read More
A smiling school counselor guiding a diverse group of middle and high school students around a brightly colored

What Is Mental Health Literacy for Students? A Guide for K–12 Schools

What Is Mental Health Literacy for Students? Mental health literacy is the knowledge, understanding, and skills students need to recognize mental health challenges, reduce...

Read More
A high school student and a counselor having a supportive conversation in a bright room, demonstrating help-seeking in schools.

7 Ways Schools Can Encourage Student Help-Seeking

Why Student Help-Seeking Matters Young people spend a significant portion of their lives at school, making schools an important setting for mental health education,...

Read More
Teacher talking with a elementary aged student in a school hallway.

How to Help School Staff Become Trusted Adults for Students

For many students, having a trusted adult at school can make it easier to ask for help when they are struggling with their mental health. But being a trusted adult is about...

Read More
A group of middle school students sitting in a circle in a school library, actively having a conversation with a supportive female teacher.

Students Are Ready for the Conversation: What Educators Are Seeing in Schools Today

Students may be more ready to talk about mental health than many adults realize. That was one of the strongest themes to emerge during a recent Erika's Lighthouse webinar...

Read More
Kindergarten students happy to express feelings.

Why Teach Mental Health Education in Kindergarten Through Grade 3? Introducing "We All Have Feelings"

Every educator who has ever stood at the front of a Kindergarten through Grade 3 classroom knows the scene. A standard Tuesday morning can instantly pivot when a missing...

Read More

Erika's Lighthouse Receives Largest Gift in Organization's History

$540,335 award from the Scripps Family Impact Fund will expand free, evidence-informed mental health education for K–12 schools nationwide.

Read More