By Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz
We are approaching the one-year anniversary of the launch of Erie Path, a free smartphone app that assists parents and caregivers in addressing the mental and behavioral health challenges faced by children and adolescents.
To say the launch and implementation of the app has been a success would be an understatement. The latest figures show that since the app was launched in October 2023, it has been downloaded over 1,300 times, there have been approximately 175,000 unique visitors who have accessed the app, and there have been over 15 million total visits to the Erie Path page on the county website using the app in less than one full calendar year.
With the beginning of a new school year, I do want to remind readers that Erie Path is a valuable resource to connect individuals with the specific mental health resources that they are looking for. Erie Path is intended to provide users with a self-guided set of questions that direct them to the specific type of mental health assistance they are looking for.
The Erie County Department of Mental Health designed the app as a search tool for local resources when individuals call and ask for assistance, especially for youth mental health matters. It is frequently used within academic settings as a way for education and school employees of all types to have access to treatment options and share them with their community. It is viewed by our employees as county government’s contribution to the space of knowledge is power in helping to foster strong communities.
Erie Path also provides access to information about service availability and locations. The app also offers opportunities to explore resources for parents and caregivers, shares details about available community resources, as well as pathways to connect with our peer community. This digital resource is making a difference in the lives of countless county residents. This includes adults needing mental and behavioral health services, people seeking information about available housing options, assistance with learning about local employment opportunities, and how to locate and access items from nearby food pantries. Information can also be obtained about available childcare services as well as the latest information for medical care, social services and senior citizen programming that can benefit adults.
The app is available for Android and iPhone devices and all of the content can be viewed in multiple languages. More information is available online by visiting www.erie.gov/mentalhealth/erie-path or by calling 716-858-8530.
We have an incredibly strong network of mental health services who are here to help. The Erie Path app helps to take some of the stress and confusion away from identifying services and providing information. I thank our many community partners for coming together to help create a healthier and happier Erie County.