In case you haven’t noticed, Heartland’s website, www.heartlandcollaborative.org, has a brand new look. We’ve added new resources and functionality for Collaborative members, work groups, families, researchers, and the public. Our new site is designed to be more family friendly, with a section specifically for families. Resources geared towards families include the new, searchable Clinical Services Directory, and the Support Group Directory. Both provide an easy way to access information on regional services. In addition, educational opportunities designed for families are also available in the Education section. For collaborative members, we now have a password protected area where documents and files not appropriate for public dissemination can be accessed, as well as Heartland Evaluations. An on-line Collaborators Directory has also been created and will be on line shortly, allowing easy access to information on our active members. These are a few of the new features and expanded capabilities of our new web site. And, this is just the first step in our strategy to give Heartland the strongest possible online presence.
Some “Numbers”
Size alone never tells the whole story. But our new website’s numbers are worth noting:
58 pages
110 digital images
275 PDF and Word documents
two searchable databases (clinical genetic services and support & advocacy organizations), with a third (collaborative members) on the way.
A Collaboration In Itself
This was a true team effort. The new website was developed by a regional volunteer ad hoc committee with input from the Advisory Board, Lay Advocate Work Group, and many other collaborative members. Our RC staff member leading the project was Kyna Byerly.
“We’re excited to now have password protected areas for work groups, so they’ll be able to work collaboratively on projects and documents before they’re ready for wider circulation,” says Lori Williamson, Heartland’s Project Director. “And our new eNewsletter [which you are reading] is another tool that should make it easier for all of us to stay informed and connected to the work of the Collaborative.”
Lori Williamson also has kudos for our web development partner, IlluminAge Communication Partners, www.illuminAge.com, and its design team leader, Christian Halsell. IlluminAge, part of Caresource Healthcare Communications, is a web services firm that specializes in academic, government, non-profit, and association websites in the fields of health care and aging services.
We Want Your Input
The expanded role of our new website has just begun. We expect to make frequent improvements based on member feedback. Please visit our new website, and then share your ideas for making it even better. Please email your comments and suggestions to Shona Whitehead, shona-whitehead@ouhsc.edu.
