Erie Path
A mobile app connecting Erie County families to mental health resources through guided, trauma-informed navigation.
CLIENT
Erie County, NY - Dept. of Mental Health
Services
Information architecture, UX design, Mobile UI design Accessibility strategy
Team
Product Designer UX Researcher
Date
June 1, 2023
Many Erie County families struggled to find youth mental health resources quickly, especially during moments of stress. They needed a simple, stigma-free way to connect to the right services without having to understand the system first.
Designing with Community
• Conducted community-based research through focus groups and surveys • Designed a logic-based decision tree using AIRS taxonomy • Built a mobile-first, trauma-informed, accessible interface • Applied inclusive language and visual design grounded in real-world feedback
A Path Forward
• Final design selected for development and public launch by Erie County • Community testers praised clarity, tone, and emotional accessibility • Established a scalable foundation for future advocacy and crisis features • Helped reframe the product from “mental health tool” to “family support hub”
Public Sector, Accessibility, and Trust
• Designed within public-sector constraints and real deployment considerations • Prioritized accessibility, emotional safety, and plain-language navigation • Balanced clinical accuracy with stigma-free, human communication
Designed with empathy. Built for clarity.