The Challenge
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) manages a vast ecosystem of public health information across multiple websites, applications, and Missouri senior services for millions of residents. Over more than a decade, content had grown significantly, resulting in thousands of pages, outdated PDFs, inconsistent navigation, and complex user journeys that made it difficult for citizens to find critical health information and services. Following an initial citizen journey mapping effort, DHSS sought a partner to lead the next phase of its digital transformation: rebuilding its public-facing websites on Drupal while improving usability, accessibility, transparency, and content governance. The project required migrating and restructuring large volumes of content, modernizing the information architecture, meeting accessibility standards, and creating a sustainable platform that could support the department’s long-term mission.
Because GovWebworks was already an approved vendor under Missouri’s IT services contract, DHSS was able to move directly into project planning and delivery, reducing procurement complexity and allowing the department to focus on improving citizen access to critical health information.
Our Approach
Working through Missouri’s pre-qualified IT services contract vehicle, GovWebworks partnered with DHSS to deliver a large-scale Drupal modernization initiative using an agile, sprint-based approach. Our team collaborated closely with department stakeholders to translate research, content strategy, user experience designs, and technical requirements into a modern Drupal platform. Over 16 development sprints, GovWebworks implemented a flexible content architecture, custom Drupal components, media management tools, user roles and workflows, advanced navigation, publication management capabilities, and topic-based search powered by Fusion. We also integrated external systems, implemented analytics tracking, developed a homepage decision tree to guide users based on their needs, and established a structured content migration process. Thousands of pages and documents were reviewed, rewritten, and transformed into accessible web content, replacing legacy PDF-based information with mobile-friendly, WCAG-compliant experiences, including a number of conversions of PDF manuals to webpages using the Drupal Book module. Throughout the project, our team provided detailed project management, bi-weekly migration reporting, writing workshops, and ongoing collaboration with DHSS subject matter experts.
The Result
The new DHSS Drupal platform creates a stronger digital front door for Missouri’s senior residents, making health information easier to find, understand, and access. The modernized site features intuitive navigation, persona-based user journeys, improved search capabilities, streamlined content management workflows, and accessibility-focused design that supports ADA, Section 508, and WCAG requirements. By replacing outdated infrastructure and transforming thousands of pages of content into a scalable, user-centered platform, DHSS is better positioned to deliver critical public health information, improve citizen engagement, and maintain content quality over time. The project established a sustainable foundation for ongoing digital modernization while empowering DHSS staff with the tools, workflows, and governance needed to manage one of the state’s largest and most complex public-facing websites.
