When Amy Gladman began teaching mental health education in rural Ohio, her goal was simple: help students understand their mental health before they reached a crisis point.
Today, that work is helping thousands of students build the knowledge and confidence to recognize signs of depression, support their peers, and seek help when they need it.
Meet Amy
Amy Gladman is a Community Educator with The Counseling Center in Columbiana County, Ohio. Each year, she delivers mental health programming to approximately 6,500 students across 12 school districts.Her work focuses on social isolation, depression education, and suicide prevention.
Why this Work Matters
In 2023, Ohio passed House Bill 123, requiring annual mental health and suicide prevention education for students in grades 6–12. School districts suddenly needed effective, evidence-informed resources that could help them meet state requirements while supporting student well-being.
For educators in rural communities, the challenge was even greater.
Without the resources and support systems often available in larger cities, many students were struggling with isolation and finding it difficult to talk openly about their mental health.
A Curriculum Students Can Trust
Amy turned to Erika's Lighthouse to help meet the new state requirements.
She implemented Erika's Lighthouse's Classroom Education curriculum and Staff Training resources across the districts she served.
The curriculum provided a free, state-approved solution that could be delivered consistently across 12 districts while remaining age-appropriate and emotionally safe for students.
Over three years, Amy delivered lessons to more than 18,000 students.
Only four students ever needed to leave a lesson because of emotional discomfort.
Amy says the curriculum has proven to be both effective and appropriate for students.
Within the last three years, I've had only four students out of more than 18,000 leave a lesson because it was emotionally triggering. Erika's Lighthouse's curriculum is accurate, understanding, and presented in a way that students can handle."
— Amy Gladman, Community Educator, The Counseling Center
The Moment That Changed Everthing
The true impact became clear when one seventh-grade student recognized signs of depression in a friend after participating in the program.
The student noticed that her friend was self-harming. Using the skills and language she learned through Erika's Lighthouse, she went home and shared her concerns with her mother.
Her mother immediately contacted the friend's family. The friend was taken to the hospital and received life-saving medical intervention.
For Amy, moments like this are why mental health education matters.
If it saves one life, my job is done."
— Amy Gladman, Community Educator, The Counseling Center
Building a Culture of Support
The seventh-grade student's actions weren't an isolated moment.
Survey data showed that students retained critical knowledge about recognizing the signs of depression and identifying trusted adults. Students openly discussed mental health, wore "Crisis Line 988" bracelets, and thanked Amy for helping them learn how to talk about their feelings.
What began as a requirement to meet a state mandate became an opportunity to build a healthier, more supportive school culture throughout Columbiana County.
Bring Mental Health Education to Your School
Every student deserves access to trusted, age-appropriate mental health education.
Learn how Erika's Lighthouse helps schools meet state requirements while building safer, more supportive communities.
Explore the Programs Behind the Impact:
Learn more about the programs, tools, and research that support schools and communities in building cultures of belonging and promoting youth mental health.