Sutter Mental Health Services
Scout
_SECTOR: PUBLIC HEALTHSutter Health is one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the United States. Since 2019, Emergence has developed brand positioning for Sutter Mental Health and worked across multiple divisions to advance their work and story. In collaboration with the Sutter Design and Innovation team, we also developed Scout – a tool to support young people living with depression and anxiety.
Emergence writes and provides creative direction for all of the content for Scout, based on in-depth human-centered design research, clinical collaboration, and findings from youth advisory panels. Additionally, Emergence works with various digital partners to bring Scout to life. The pilot version of Scout was launched in May 2020 in Northern California and was included on Fast Company’s list of “World Changing Ideas” for 2021. Scout officially launched to the public in October 2023.
Branding | Copywriting | Graphic Design | Public Relations | Research | Strategy | Video Production | Web Design | UX & UI_THE CHALLENGE
Amid a national mental health crisis, young people face unique challenges with depression and anxiety. Sutter Health identified the need for a dedicated mental health platform to support this demographic. The goal was to create a resource that not only provided information but also engaged young users and their caregivers with practical, evidence-based tools for managing mental health.
_SEARCHING FOR THE SIGNAL
Emergence embarked on an extensive research initiative from 2018-2022 with Sutter Health to understand the landscape of youth mental health. Through collaborative exploration and co-creation sessions with youth and clinical advisors, we created a content framework, identified technological requirements, and developed an engaging brand identity that resonated with young audiences and their support networks.
_EMERGENCE
Drawing on the insights from the research phase, Emergence and Sutter's Design & Digital Innovation Team collaborated to bring Scout to life. In partnership with Sutter Health clinical advisors, Emergence led the creation of an extensive content library tailored for young users and their caregivers, and worked closely with Sutter’s technical partners to ideate app functionalities and UX/UI design.
With over 100 pieces of content—ranging from educational activities to interactive tools—Emergence ensured each element of Scout was engaging, empathetic, and clinically sound, guided by Sutter's rigorous research and best practices in mental health and substance use.
_EVOLUTION
After a successful pilot period, Scout launched in October 2023 as a beacon of support for youth mental health – and is currently being used in all 50 states. Emergence’s role has been pivotal in shaping a platform that promises to be more than just informational; Scout is designed to be a safe, supportive environment fostering resilience. Scout’s evolution remains dynamic, with plans to continue refining and expanding its resources to address the ever-changing landscape of youth mental health.
