Whitley County Health Department launches new app

The Whitley County Health Department has added a new way to share information about resources available to the community.

The health department has launched an app, which is free from Google Play or the App store and can be downloaded by searching “Whitley County Resource Guide”.

The app, which was built by thepublichealthapp.com, lists health department services as well as community resources, how to contact them and directions to get there.

Content on the app is available in English and Spanish, and most content is available offline if someone has to limit their data use or has connectivity issues.

“I first heard the idea of a community resource app on a national call with other community leaders, and I thought it was a great idea,” said Public Health Director Marcy Rein.

She said, the health department has maintained a printed resource guide for years.

“Our staff often need to look up and provide information to those we serve about where to find different services in the community. It’s challenging to keep up with changes in a printed guide,” said Rein. “We know it’s pretty much outdated the minute it goes to the printer. An app seemed like the perfect place for us to have access to needed information and update it as we go.”

Rein said that most people have smartphones, but one issue is having good connectivity or enough data to use specific applications.

“It was important to us that people be able to access most features when they are offline,” said Rein.

The app includes an “Add or Change a Listing” feature under Contacts to allow community members to help inform the health department when information needs to be changed.

“We also know there are other great resources out there, so we built a way within the app for people to share those with us or let us know if a phone number or something is outdated,” said Rein.

She said, “Health impacts everything, and everything impacts health. You cannot be healthy if you have trouble accessing housing, food, transportation, safety, and things like that. We are very excited to provide another tool for the community to help move us toward being a healthy Whitley County.”