Financial Assistance

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Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services offers a wide range of assistance. This includes unemployment compensation, health care, cash assistance, food assistance, child care, child support enforcement and administration, and employment and training assistance.

The Center for Infants and Children with Special Needs at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center provides information to help families and health care providers identify sources of financial assistance.

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services provides a variety of financial assistance programs including:

Child Care Subsidies are available for low-income working parents or parents participating in an approved employment or training program.
Food Stamps assist eligible low-income individuals and families purchase food and food products.
Ohio Works First provides financial assistance to eligible individuals with an emphasis on self-sufficiency and employment through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Program is a supplemental nutrition program that helps income eligible pregnant women, women who recently had a baby, and children up to 5 years of age.

Applications for Ohio Job and Family Services financial assistance programs are available on their web site. You can also find a directory of county offices.

Families who want to apply for Medicaid only do not have to go to the Job and Family Services office:

Simply print and fill out the Healthy Start / Healthy Families application located on the web site.
Fax it to 513-946-7474 and keep the fax receipt.
Within 20 days you will be given a checklist of items that must be submitted.
You should receive a decision within 45 days of submitting the application.

Families who want to apply for benefits in addition to Medicaid, such as food stamps, cash assistance or Medicaid for the Disabled will need to go down to their local Ohio Job and Family Services county office and wait to see a caseworker, Monday through Friday, 7:30 am - 12:30 pm. Appointments are no longer being made by mail:

You can print and fill out the Request for Cash, Food Stamps and Medical Assistance application ahead of time, but this is not required.
You will be given a checklist of items that must be returned within 10 days. If you need more time, you must request an extension or your case will be denied. Keep receipts identifying any items you submit.
You should receive a decision within 30 days of your interview.