Pennsylvania’s Department of Education said this week it has developed an app to help housing-insecure students and their families find resources and services.
The app, Finding Your Way in PA, is available for free in the Google Play and Apple App stores and also as a website. It offers list and map views, a chatbot for assistance and a list of crisis hotlines.
“Through this innovative new resource, Pennsylvanians can access free help 24 hours a day, seven days a week on a mobile phone or a desktop computer,” acting Secretary of Education Eric Hagarty said in a statement announcing the launch.
Funding for the app came from the Homeless Children & Youth program, part of the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA.
“Finding Your Way in PA supports educational stability and strives to foster positive education outcomes so that students and families experiencing housing instability can succeed in school, work, and life,” the Education Department said.
Individuals without cell phones can continue to access services through community centers and libraries, Hagarty said.
