Increasing Findability on SAMHSA.gov

Client

US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Goal

Allow users searching for behavioral health information find it quickly and easily.

Problem

How do we quickly get consumers, healthcare providers, and researchers to the mental health and substance use content they need?

After: Topic-based mega menu Substance use mega-menu option on SAMHSA.gov allows users to directly find the most searched for information	Before: Menu based on organizational structure Programs menu option on SAMHSA.gov encompassed nearly all of SAMHSA's initiatives, but the naming and IA left them nearly unfindable.
After: Options for users to get help are immediately surfaced Find Help and Support mega menu option on SAMHSA.gov allows users to immediately get the information they need.	Before: Limited view of the help options provided by SAMHSA The previous menu only surfaced a small fraction of the programs aimed at people in need of immediate help.
After: Redesigned technical assistance directory Previously, users had no way to search and filter for the technical assistance options offered by SAMHSA, making key content extremely difficult to find.	Before: Static page for finding technical assistance options In the previous organization of SAMHSA.gov, users had to scan a full page of boxes and descriptions to identify content that may be helpful to them.

Solution

Using moderated and unmoderated user research methods with a variety of audiences and analyzing website metrics, create a topic-based information architecture and mega-menu to organize 1300+ web pages, maximize SEO, and improve AI results on behavioral health questions.

Services Provided

Team and Contractor Management, Presenting to Executives and Stakeholders, Information Architecture, SME Review Process, User Research, Project Management, SEO

Results

The new information architecture and mega-menu launched in January 2025. While waiting for the metrics to come, the initial reaction across SAMHSA staff and partners has been overwhelmingly positive. This has also allowed SMEs to see the content gaps and begin working on new, needed information.

Check It Out

SAMHSA.gov

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After: Topic-based mega menu

Substance use mega-menu option on SAMHSA.gov allows users to directly find the most searched for information

Before: Menu based on organizational structure

Programs menu option on SAMHSA.gov encompassed nearly all of SAMHSA's initiatives, but the naming and IA left them nearly unfindable.

After: Options for users to get help are immediately surfaced

Find Help and Support mega menu option on SAMHSA.gov allows users to immediately get the information they need.

Before: Limited view of the help options provided by SAMHSA

The previous menu only surfaced a small fraction of the programs aimed at people in need of immediate help.

After: Redesigned technical assistance directory

Previously, users had no way to search and filter for the technical assistance options offered by SAMHSA, making key content extremely difficult to find.

Before: Static page for finding technical assistance options

In the previous organization of SAMHSA.gov, users had to scan a full page of boxes and descriptions to identify content that may be helpful to them.