Youth mental health has declined in the last decade. Five kids in a class of twenty-five will likely experience depression before adulthood. The latest reports on youth mental health showed that currently, 1 in 3 youth experience poor mental health and almost half felt persistently sad or hopeless. Schools have been and will continue to be a crucial part of the solution. Erika’s Lighthouse provides skills-based, teacher-led programs for grades 4-12 that educate students about adolescent depression, encourage conversations to reduce stigma, and teach help-seeking skills while meeting National Health Education Standards. This session will describe how utilizing these programs can have a positive impact on your students and your school’s mental health culture and school climate. Participants will learn how to immediately access and implement these free turn-key programs along with other resources available for staff and families.
