MHA Butler Website Redesign Proposal

http://www.mhabutler.org
Fill the Missing Piece Campaign

Proposal:
Goals:
The main goal of this site is to inform potential and current participants about the Butler County Mental Health Association and the programs that it
offers and maintains. The current design attempts to appeal to the audience by providing them with all the information they could possibly want with a
simple and clean layout. Since the target audience of MHA Butler is mainly individuals ages 18 and up, getting the information across in a quick, clean, yet
visually appealing manner is of great importance. A potential participant may find the current site design too simple and the navigational elements a bit
complicated to understand.
With this in mind, this design proposes an easier to navigate information architecture for the average adult that may know nothing about the organizations
services before heading to the MHA website. They may have heard about the Butler MHA from a health care provider, but finding out specific information
about its programs and services and how to get involved will be their main objective when visiting the site. The vistor needs to know what programs fit his
or her needs and what it takes to be become a part of those programs within the shortest amount of search time.
Navigation:
The current navigational elements of the site are rather confusing and too comprehensive. Without previous knowledge of the programs, one would not
know what navigational elements were the programs and services the Butler MHA offers versus the general information about the organization. This is
important because a potential participant is more than likely to want immediate access to information about the kinds of programs that are offered and do
not want to be clicking page after page to determine which elements are potential programs or organizational information.
The current navigational elements of the site are Home, Compeer, Educational Advocacy, Guardianship, NAMI PA of Butler County, Ombudsman,
Representative Payee Program, and News: Resources. There is also a utility Donate button in the header and footer that appears on all pages of the site as
well as a mail envelope in the header which should be linked to an email account or contact information, but is not clickable.
Through further assessment, all of the information and programs featured on the current site are neccesary, but should be condensed and less
comprehensive. The proposal for improved navigational elements would be Home, Programs and Services, Staff , News and Resources, Testimonials, and
Contact Us with the specific program links located in a drop-down menu under the Programs and Services element. This would rid the initial confusion
between which pages on the site are specific programs offered versus the organizational information while still offering all the neccesary information for
those who are interested in becoming a participant with the Butler MHA.
Design:
The current design of the site is very simplistic and to-the-point. Though simple and clear and very good elements to have in mind with website design,
the content should also be visually appealing to potential publics. With that in mind, the current site is very text-heavy and lacks any images other than the
header. Making use of images on your website would not only help to add visual appeal to the site but also to provide additional interest for the viewer to
read the text content located on your pages.

For example, the Staff page would be more appealing to viewers if the board members were visually respresented either by individual photos or
a group portrait, as well as the rest of the Butler MHA staff. Another place that photos would bring additional appeal would be the creation of a
Testimonial page where current participants in the programs offered by the Butler MHA could be featured stating how they have been helped by the
program. This would offer those who are interested in part of the programs a credible review of the program by another individual like them.
In terms of the design of the navigational elements of the site, the navigation bar is currently located on the left side of the screen, which may seem
slightly awkward to the viewer. Moving the navigational element to the top of the page, just underneath the header would create a visual flow of the
content while also providing the navigational elements immediately.
Additionally, the footer of the current site is the only location on the site which presents any contact information for the organization. If an individual
is interested in the Butler MHA programs, one of the first things they are going to look for is the contact information of the individuals that run the
programs that they are interested in being a part of. The Contact Us page should including general contact information for the organization as well
as specific contacts for the specific programs offered. The footer also includes a News & Info section which could just be featured on the News and
Resources page. The only other information that a footer might include should be social media information.

Information Architecture
Donate

Email

Home

Programs & Services

Compeer &
CompeerCORPS
Educational Advocacy
Guardianship
NAMI PA of Butler
County
Ombudsman
Respresentative Payee
Program

Staff

News & Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

Home Page
Working Together for Healthier Minds

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Email

Donate

Staff

News &Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

National MHA Logo

What is the Mental Health Association?

Butler MHA Logo

The Butler County Mental Health Association

Programs & Services Page

Working Together for Healthier Minds

Donate

Email

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Staff

News & Resources

List of programs and services with links to specific pages

Testimonials

Contact Us

Testimonail Page
Preview and Link

Staff Page
Working Together for Healthier Minds

Email

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Donate

Staff

News & Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

List of board members names and position titles in order of

how they are photographed

Board Members Group Photo

Emlpoyee Photo

Emlpoyee Photo

Emlpoyee Photo

Emlpoyee Photo

Name
Title

Name
Title

Name
Title

Name
Title

Testimonials Page
Working Together for Healthier Minds

Email

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Donate

Staff

News & Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

Participant
Photo

Participant
Photo

Participant
Photo

Participant
Photo

Name
Program

Name
Program

Name
Program

Name
Program

Testimony

Testimony

Testimony

Testimony

News & Resources Page

Working Together for Healthier Minds

Email

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Donate

Staff

News & Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

Link to Monthly Events Calender

Press Materials

Human Services Guide

Family-to-Family Education
Classes

Peer-to-Peer Education
Program

Press Release links, brochure

and flyer links, fact sheet
links

Link to download Quick

Guide of Human Services

Link to download Familyto-Family Education Classes

info and schedule

Link to download Peer-toPeer Education Program

info and schedule

Contact Us Page
Working Together for Healthier Minds

Donate

Email

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Staff

News & Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

Butler MHA General Contact Info

Map to get to Butler MHA
Specific Program Contact Info

Specific Program Contact Info

Specific Program Contact Info

Specific Program Contact Info

Social Media Links

Compeer and CompeerCORPS Page

Working Together for Healthier Minds

Donate

Email

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Staff

News & Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

What is Compeer?

What is CompeerCORPS?

Compeer Contact
Info

Where is it provided?

Where is it provided?

CompeerCORPS
Contact Info

Resources

Resources

Educational Advocacy Page

Working Together for Healthier Minds

Email

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Donate

Staff

News & Resources

What is Educational Advocacy?

Where is it provided?

Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

Educational
Advocacy Contact
Info

Guardianship Page
Working Together for Healthier Minds

Email

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Donate

Staff

News & Resources

What is Guardianship?

Where is it provided?

Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

Guardianship
Contact Info

NAMI PA of Butler County Page

Working Together for Healthier Minds

Email

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Donate

Staff

News & Resources

What is the NAMI PA of Butler County?

Where is it provided?

Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

NAMI PA Butler
County Contact
Info

Ombudsman Page
Working Together for Healthier Minds

Email

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Donate

Staff

News & Resources

What is an Ombudsman?

Where is it provided?

Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

Ombudsman
Contact Info

Representative Payee Program Page

Working Together for Healthier Minds

Donate

Email

Header Image

Logo

Programs & Services

Staff

News & Resources

What is the Representative Payee Program?

Where is it provided?

Resources

Testimonials

Contact Us

Representative
Payee Program
Contact Info

Proposed Website Home Page

What is the Mental Health Association?

The Mental Health Association is a non-profit organization of dedicated volunteers and staff who are interested
in and concerned about the issues of mental health and those who struggle with mental illness. The organization
began in the early decade of the 20s in the mind of a former mental patient, Clifford Beers. Having spent some
time himself in the wards of a mental hospital, Beers was painfully aware of the stigma and powerlessness that
accompanies mental illness. Having recovered and rejoined his community, he raised his voice to speak on
behalf of other patients who were still hospitalized. Beers invited others to volunteer to advocate on behalf
of those with no voice to be heard and was joined by countless others across the nation. Thus began the
movement, which later became known as the Mental Health Association. The charge of the organization was to
provide advocacy for those who could not speak for themselves and public education to the community-at-large.
The mission of the Association is:
To promote public awareness of mental health and acceptance of mental illness.
To promote public recognition of mental health disorders and reduce stigma.
To assist person with mental illness and their families to enrich their lives in the hospital and in the
community.
To serve as advocates for those with mental illness.

Mental Health Association of Butler County

The Mental Health Association in Butler County began operations in 1956, from the vision of Charles and
Pamela Grabe. For almost six decades MHA of Butler County has been providing services to individuals with
mental illness and their families. In its early days, the agency was composed entirely of volunteers. In the
mid 1960s, the MHA of Butler County employed its first paid staff members, and in the years following, the
organization continued its work with only an Executive Director, and a secretary. Since the mid-1980s, MHA
of Butler County has continued to grow as more programs have been added. Currently, MHA of Butler County
employs full-time staff including the Executive Director and eight part-time staff.
Understanding its role as that of a catalyst to guide others into understanding and accepting those with mental

The Mental Health

Bell
The Mental Health Bell, the symbol
for Mental Health America, made
its debut on April 13, 1956, being
cast from the shackles and chains
that once bound individuals
detained in asylums across the
country. Today that bell holds
the hope of eliminating stigma
and discrimination of individuals
suffering from mental illness.
Cast from shackles which bound
them, this bell shall ring out hope
for the mentally ill and victory over
mental illness.

Current Website Home Page