Advocacy
What We Learned Traveling to Advance Youth Mental Health Education
Over the past month, I have traveled across the country to represent Erika's Lighthouse. My goal was to observe new developments in mental health technology, share our...
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Empowering Youth Mental Health: Joining the Erika’s Lighthouse Professional Community Ambassador Program
In the world of youth mental health, awareness is only the first step. The real work lies in action, education, and community-building. For professionals who are...
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Stronger Together: How Strategic Alignments are Revolutionizing School Mental Health
What are S trategic Alignments? Strategic Alignments are purposeful partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to youth wellness. Whether...
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Erika’s Lighthouse ’23-’24 Program Report
Erika’s Lighthouse releases an annual program report to highlight the impact that our programs have made in schools nationwide with our Level II and Level III...
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Enlighten Learning Management System
Erika’s Lighthouse Enlighten Learning Management System is preparing school communities around mental health. We offer a variety of course selections and hope that...
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Memorials
Erika’s Lighthouse was founded following the loss of a 14-year-old girl who lost her life to her depression. When Erika died, her family and friends felt that the...
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Self-Referral Cards
One of the important aspects of a tier 1 program according to Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) is that it connects students to support and offers a referral...
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Spreading Kindness with Erika’s Lighthouse Compliment Poster
Erika’s Lighthouse is a non-profit organization that provides mental health education and resources to schools and communities. One of their many resources is the...
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Empowerment Clubs
What programs or resources are included in Erika’s Lighthouse Empowerment Clubs? We offer opportunities for students to take on leadership roles in their schools...
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Family Conversations: “Let’s Talk” During the Holiday Season
The holidays can be a busy and sometimes stressful time for families, especially for children and teens. There are often long days and lots of changes in routine which...
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The Impact – End of Year Giving
In February 2023, the CDC reported that an alarming 22% of young people said they had seriously considered suicide and stated, “The data make[s] it clear that...
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Holiday Market Supporting Mental Health
Join us in support of Erika’s Lighthouse this holiday season! Adolescent depression lives in the shadows. Young people facing it feel isolated and dangerously...
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State Expansion Through Community Ambassadors
“I am extremely satisfied with Erika’s Lighthouse Program. As a new school social worker, I find their provision of numerous free resources to be invaluable,...
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Depression Education is Suicide Prevetion
Depression is a common mental illness that affects millions of people worldwide. It can cause a wide range of symptoms, including sadness, hopelessness, fatigue,...
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Staff Training Pillar
What programs or resources are included in Erika’s Lighthouse School Policy pillar? Erika’s Lighthouse offers school communities robust resources around school...
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How Using New RECHARGE Program Can Support Student Learning
In today’s fast-paced world, it can be difficult for students to focus for long periods of time. They are constantly bombarded with stimuli, both in and out of the...
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Empowerment Club Sponsorship
One in five teens experiences a mental health disorder each year. That’s a lot of young people who are struggling in silence. Erika’s Lighthouse is a non-profit...
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As Funds Expire, Equity & Sustainability Are Key
As Funds Expire, Equity & Sustainability Are Key A flurry of recent articles has raised the reality that federal COVID-19 relief funds are set to expire, and their...
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Erika’s Lighthouse 2022-2023 Program Report
Erika’s Lighthouse is a nonprofit dedicated to providing free turn-key resources to educators to create inclusive school cultures around mental health. Every...
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Mental Health is School Health
The American School Health Association (ASHA) is a national, multidisciplinary professional association that collaborates with Erika’s Lighthouse and others on a...
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Parenthood
A Heart on the Outside of the Body That is what it’s like having children. That’s what we’re told and we accept that as how it is. However, I am sitting here...
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Mental Health Awareness Month: Take the Positivity Pledge
Access Programs The end of the school year is right around the corner and it brings an exciting time for change and new chapters in students’ lives. Erika’s...
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Promoting Student Thriving by Connecting SEL and Mental Health
Access Programs Where It Begins For many districts, the path they follow into a more systemic approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) begins with...
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Why Educators Must Focus on Student Mental Health
Access Programs Erika’s Lighthouse at SHAPE Florida I heard an amazing presentation on Erika’s Lighthouse curriculum at a conference hosted by SHAPE...
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Schools Can Address Mental Health Smarter, Better, Easier
Access Portal Another study. Another confirmation that our youth are struggling with their or their peers’ mental health. In fact, student mental health...
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The Importance of Reaching Out to a Trusted Adult
Access Programs Trigger Warning: Suicidal Ideation My Story I have always been someone who is afraid of reaching out for help. However, that had to...
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Utilizing Tier 1 Universal Supports and Practices to Provide Mental Health Education to All
Nancy Watson (LCSW, CADC) is a psychotherapist at Lake Forest Wellness (Lake Forest, Illinois) specializing in working with children, adolescents, and...
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The Power of Programs with Impact Part IV:School Policy & Staff Development
Does the school policy at your school account for students who may be experiencing mental health challenges? Do staff know how to be trusted adults? How do your...
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SEL and Mental Health Education Build on One Another
Access Programs Serving Students with SEL During a recent conversation with a colleague who is in charge of social-emotional learning (SEL) for a large...
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Educators Speak Out for Erika’s Lighthouse
New Professional Community Ambassadors program is up and running! Our newly launched Professional Community Ambassadors (PCA) program brings together volunteers...
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How Culture Affects Mental Health
Patricia Voloschin-Weiner, LCPC has been working as a therapist with children, adults, and couples for the past 30 years and has addressed a variety of...
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Strategies to Take Care of Your Mental Health
Access Programs The Basics “You’re not alone,” a phrase so simple yet it’s the hardest to grasp when struggling with mental health. It’s what I like to...
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The Power of Programs with ImpactPart III: Family Engagement
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...
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The Power of Programs with ImpactPart II: Teen Empowerment
When you look at the teens at your school, do you see empowered students who know they can build the school culture they aspire to thrive in? When given the right...
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Reframing the Narrative – Empowering Youth
Access Programs We have heard so much about everyone’s declining mental health – particularly our young people. In our effort to bring attention to this...
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RESOURCE HIGHLIGHT: Shared Vocabulary
At Erika’s Lighthouse, we understand that discussing depression can be a challenging topic. As an educator or social worker, you are considered a trusted adult to the...
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