This app is a platform for SMS-based eligibility screeners similar to mRelief. It allows people to determine eligibility for assistance programs by answering questions via text message.
SMS integration is through Twilio.
The app is currently running on Heroku, although it only has example screeners and no real functionality. SMS functionality is not connected but the app can be used via the test console.
- Supports multiple programs through separate screeners. Each screener operates on the same profile (identified by phone number), so they can share info and avoid asking the same question twice.
- Easy to add new screeners. Helper methods to avoid boilerplate and easily define eligibility rules in code.
- Supports multiple languages. The app as a whole, and each individual screener, can be easily translated to multiple languages.
- Test console. The main page of the app is a test console that simulates an SMS conversation via the web.
There are a few control commands:
hello- displays a welcome message. Choose a language by saying 'hello' in that language (for instance,hola).reset- clears profile data for the current phone number and resets the language to English.delete- deletes all profile data for the current phone number.list- lists all the screeners that are available and how to access them.
A screener is selected using the screener's name (as shown by the list command). Once the screener is active, it will begin asking questions until enough information is known to make an eligibility decision; it will then display the resulting message.
If an answer has already been given through a previous screener, it will not be asked again unless the profile is reset.
If a language other than English is active, the user can use the delete and list commands and the screener names that have been translated in to that language. For instance, the food stamp screener is accessed by texting food in English but comida in Spanish.
(Note: An easy way to avoid dealing with setting up local dependencies is to use Nitrous.io, which gives you a nice pre-baked box you can use. To use Nitrous with this app, create a new Ruby on Rails box on Nitrous.io https://www.nitrous.io/app#/boxes/new Then all the below steps will be in your Nitrous box.)
Here's how you set up this sample app:
Clone the app:
git clone https://github.com/codeforrva/eligibility-screener.git
Go into the app directory:
cd eligibility-screener
Install dependencies with bundle (this may take a few minutes):
bundle install
Create, migrate, and seed the database:
rake db:create
rake db:migrate
rake db:seed
Run the app:
rails s
Or to allow it to be accessed from the Internet:
rails s -b 0.0.0.0
You can simulate sending a text message to the app using cURL if cookies are enabled. For example:
curl -X POST http://servername:3000/ -c /tmp/cookies -b /tmp/cookies -d 'Body=hello'
The test console is also available at http://servername:3000/.
- Localize 'Error' and field names
- Tests
- Translations
- Documentation on how to add new screeners, translations, etc