Hope Finder
A responsive web app for Spanish Fork City, Utah, that helps people with suicidal thoughts know where to begin to get the help they need.
Team project
The problem
Spanish Fork City ranks seventh in Utah for deaths by suicide. Despite the city's awareness efforts, people who needed support still didn't have easy access to it.
The solution
A responsive web app that brings suicide-prevention resources together in one place: maps to the nearest help, a crisis text line, and a section for people supporting a loved one.
Verified outcomes
- The project files were handed off to Spanish Fork City.
How it works
A web app that brings Spanish Fork City's suicide-prevention resources together in one place, with a simple design that works on phones and desktops.
The goal
Provide content that helps people with suicidal thoughts know where to begin to get help, and so help reduce the suicide rate in the city.
The current state
The city had already worked on suicide prevention: social media campaigns, coordination with local churches and school districts, ads in local theaters, public service announcements, and advocating gun safes. These efforts had some positive impact, but suicide remained a problem, and people who needed support didn't have easy access to it.
How the project supports the city's strategy
The app gives residents easy access to suicide-prevention information. The better informed people are, the more of them get the help they need, which raises public wellness.
Gap analysis and solution
The gap was that people who needed support didn't know where to start. We designed an app that brings the resources together: maps to the nearest help, a crisis text line, a section for family and friends, and a flowchart-driven design that's easy to understand from the first visit.
Implementation and deployment
- Application: an ASP.NET dynamic web application developed in Visual Studio
- Responsive layout: adapts to screen size using Bootstrap's column classes
- Maps: Google Maps API for location services and the map
- Hosting: an AWS Lightsail virtual machine while testing user profiles
Key features
- "Find locations near me": maps to resources and the nearest help, via Google Maps
- Information on low-cost counseling sessions
- A crisis text line for people who aren't comfortable talking on the phone
- The "Be The One" campaign: a section for people who want to help a loved one who is struggling
- A simple, intuitive design built from clear flowcharts
- A layout that adapts to screen size on phones and desktops