Erika's Lighthouse Blog

Now Approved: Erika’s Lighthouse Staff Training Added to SPRC Best Practices Registry

Written by Kristina Kins | Jun 1, 2026 1:43:52 PM

For school administrators, counselors, and educators, managing the youth mental health crisis is one of the most serious challenges faced in classrooms today. Fifty percent of all mental illnesses manifest before age 14, and suicide remains the second-leading cause of death for young people.

To turn the tide, school professionals need validated, expert-backed tools. That is why we are incredibly proud to announce that the Erika’s Lighthouse Staff Training on Depression and Suicide Prevention has been officially approved and listed on the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) Best Practices Registry.

This major milestone offers independent, national validation that our training curriculum meets the highest standards of safety, accuracy, and programmatic effectiveness.

What is the SPRC Best Practices Registry?

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) is the nation’s premier clearinghouse for suicide prevention materials, and its Best Practices Registry (BPR) is designed to help organizations choose programs that are safe, effective, and up-to-date. When a program is accepted into the registry, it means that experts have thoroughly reviewed the content to ensure it aligns with industry best practices and can safely make a positive impact in school communities.

For district leaders and administrators looking to meet state-mandated suicide prevention requirements, this registry approval offers ultimate peace of mind. You can confidently adopt a program that has been rigorously vetted at a national level.

Inside the Approved Training: Equipping Your Entire School Staff

Addressing youth mental health requires collective, building-wide action. Our staff training is designed to empower every single adult in your building, from health teachers and coaches to administrators and front-office staff.

The training is broken down into structured, accessible modules that can be taken individually online through a certificate-enabled course, or delivered as a live group presentation:

  • Part 1: Signs & Symptoms of Depression & Suicide: Equips staff with current youth mental health statistics, risk factors, and actionable warning signs.
  • Part 2: Helping a Student: Coaches staff on how to be a trauma-informed, trusted adult," navigate sensitive intervention language, and follow school policy.
  • Part 3: Crisis Intervention: Outlines de-escalation strategies, suicide risk protocols, and vital self-care habits for educators.

School leaders are already seeing the difference. A Head of Student Success and Wellness from California shared that their staff found the training exceptionally practical, noting that educators reported it was "highly valuable and much more related to their work relative to previous trainings."

A Tier-1, Holistic Framework—That's Completely Free

At Erika's Lighthouse, we believe budget shortfalls should never stand in the way of student safety. Our programs are free for one simple reason: because we believe that every student deserves a school community equipped to care for their mental health. There are no "free trials" or bait-and-switch tiers—every video, manual, worksheet, and survey is completely free.

Furthermore, staff training represents a key component of our larger Four Pillar Philosophy, which seamlessly integrates Classroom Education, Empowerment Clubs, Family Engagement, and Policy and Staff Training to change your school’s culture from the ground up.

Erika's Lighthouse Program Pillar

Impact & School Benefit

Classroom Education (SPRC Listed)

Registry-approved skills-based lessons for grades 4–12 that normalize mental health discussions.

Empowerment Clubs

Student-led, positive mental health groups that reduce stigma and build empathy.

Family Engagement

Workshops, workbooks, and templates that make parents active partners in wellness.

Policy & Staff Training (SPRC Listed)

The newly registry-approved modules that cultivate an inclusive, safe school climate.

How to Access the Training Today

We know that school staff plates are full. That is why this program is built to be "out-of-the-box" ready. It takes just a few clicks to bring this nationally recognized, evidence-informed training to your district:

  1. Visit ErikasLighthouse.org.
  2. Click Register for FREE Access or log in to the portal.
  3. Share the registration information with staff for the self-paced individual modules, or download the Facilitator Guides, slides, and videos.

Our dedicated team provides unlimited, one-on-one implementation support to help you match our materials to your unique district framework. Let's shine a light on depression and save lives, together.