ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The Megan Meier Foundation opened a new counseling and support center in St. Charles on Wednesday to address bullying, cyberbullying and youth mental health.

In 2006, Megan Meier committed suicide due to cyberbullying on MySpace, igniting a nationwide discourse on online safety and suicide prevention.

The center, named in Megan's honor, has been in development for a year and a half, providing free mental health counseling to youth from elementary school to age 19, with no waiting list.

“We’re trying to educate parents on how they can support their kids when they’re online and learn about the technology that their kids are on, right? And so we have so much more we can do if we stop and realize it’s step-by-step… that we can’t fix the overall thing in a moment," said Tina Meier, Megan's mother.

The center spans three connected buildings and includes therapy offices, administrative space, a conference room for community programs, an art room, and a game and reading area.

“It’s getting them to be able to talk in a place where there is no judgment for them. They don’t have to worry about what these therapists think of them, right? That they can talk. They can open up and learn some coping skills, then be able to learn how to communicate those ways—the proper ways," Tina said.

The Megan Meier Foundation emphasizes that the center is free and open to the public, providing walk-in resources for parents and youth. The center says this noteworthy opening is just the beginning in their mission to end bullying.

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