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Home ▸ Departments ▸ Job and Family Services

Public Assistance

Report Suspected Child/Elder Abuse or Maltreatment
(Reportar sospecha de abuso o maltrato de niños/ancianos)

The Public Assistance Division assists adults and families with minor children through a variety of financial assistance programs.  These include Ohio Works First cash assistance, SNAP (Food Assistance), Prevention, Retention and Contingency (PRC) benefits, and an array of medical programs including: Medicaid for residents of Nursing Homes, community based medical benefits and health insurance for low income families and children. Eligibility requirements vary according to the program.  The division also subsidizes child care and certifies professional and parent/provider inspected child care home providers.

Have a question? Email us: [email protected]

  • Child Care Eligibility Questions: 440-918-4273
  • Child Care Provider Hotline: 440-350-4248 or 440-918-4248
  • Non-Emergency Transportation Inquiries: 440-350-4212 or 440-918-4212
  • Report Welfare Fraud:  440-350-4227 or 440-918-4227
  • Report Fraud in Ohio

Apply for Benefits

Online: Apply, Renew, or Report a Change to your benefits at benefits.ohio.gov.

Phone (Medicaid Only): 1-800-324-8680

Print and send us your application. Make sure your application is signed and dated:

Call Us to Have an Application Mailed to you: 440-350-4483 or 440-918-4483

Program Enrollment and Benefit Information

Inscripción al programa. Información sobre beneficios

(information you should know as an applicant or recipient of assistance):

Upon receipt of your application, we will contact you for an appointment (if necessary) or mail you a list of required documents that we will need to determine your eligibility for these programs.  Please be sure to include an accurate address and the best phone number to reach you on your application.

If you have no income, you may be eligible to receive help with food within 24 hours.  In most other cases we will make an eligibility determination within 30 days.

Applications for Nursing Home, Home Care, and those applicants requiring translation services are scheduled by appointment only.  We will schedule you to meet with one of our caseworkers on a specific date and time so we can ensure your needs are met by an appropriate staff member.

For questions regarding public assistance programs, individual case inquiries, or to report a change, please contact our customer service hotline at 440-350-4011. The call center is open from 8am – noon and 1pm – 4:15pm each business day.

To submit your documents or applications for public assistance by email: 

  • be sure to include your case number
  • allow 10 days for processing

[email protected]

Your Civil Rights

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, it’s Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits.  
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.  
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a  program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (AD-3027) found online at: https://www.ascr.usda.gov/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-cu and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. 

To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992.  Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
Mail:U.S.
Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410
Fax:  (202) 690-7442; or Email:  [email protected]
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
FNS Nondiscrimination Statement http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns-nondiscrimination-statement