Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has launched a new tool to better connect Pennsylvanians with food, housing, and childcare. 

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh, Find Help Founder and CEO Erine Gray, and Community Action Partnership Lancaster CEO Vanessa Philbert announced the launch of PA Navigate, an online tool that connects Pennsylvanians with community-based organizations, county and state agencies, and healthcare providers, for referrals to community resources that help them meet their most basic needs like food, shelter, transportation and more. 

PA Navigate also allows individuals to refer themselves for services and facilitates greater connection and communication between healthcare providers and organizations that serve shared populations.

"PA Navigate is a groundbreaking resource that will enable greater collaboration between health care and social services organizations by allowing them to more easily and effectively work together to treat and support the whole person. A person's individual situation is complex, and factors like poverty, lack of stable housing, and food insecurity often impact an individual's or family's health," said Secretary Arkoosh. 

"We must consider the whole person when delivering health care, and no one provider or community-based organization can help someone fully address all their needs. PA Navigate will help by making it easier for health and service providers to coordinate and collaborate, easing barriers to care and improving health outcomes to provide a better quality of life for all Pennsylvanians," said Secretary Arkoosh. 

To learn more or find available resources, visit the PA Navigate website.