Cuyahoga Job and Family Services (CJFS) has announced the Ohio Benefits system will be unavailable from 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 22, through 8 a.m. on Tuesday, April 27, for a major technical upgrade. This includes the following closures:

• Eligibility Contact Center, which will close at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 22; and

• Online self-service portal at benefits.ohio.gov, which will be unavailable beginning at 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 22.

If a paper application is submitted, it will be screened to see whether you need expedited food assistance, but it cannot be processed until after the system is back online.

If you need food while the system is unavailable, please contact United Way 2-1-1 to find food and other resources near you.  We apologize for this inconvenience.

Access Options

Please submit documents as soon as possible to avoid delays. If you need to apply or submit documents for cash, food or Medicaid assistance during this time, use an option below. Please use one option of submitting verifications to prevent duplicate verifications.

Website

Forms can be downloaded from the website at https://bit.ly/3hxuQgM. Many forms can be completed electronically, saved and emailed as an attachment. There are also forms available in various languages.

Email

Verification documents may be scanned as attachments and to emailed to:

JFS-Cuyahoga-MIPC@jfs.ohio.gov (available for Medicaid, SNAP and TANF cases)

SMBC-Documents@jfs.ohio.gov (for Long-Term Care cases only)

Cuy-PRC-Application@jfs.ohio.gov (for PRC applications and documents only) 

Cuy-Childcare-Assistance@jfs.ohio.gov (for Child Care applications and documents only)

*Do not send documents as embedded screen shot. Include the following information:

• Customers Case Name (not email address)
• Case Number
• Date of Birth
• Current Phone Number

Fax Options

Applications for benefits and verifications can be faxed using one of the fax number options below. All fax numbers are routed to our imaging department.

Fax to us from a local library free of charge

• Cuyahoga County Public Library - Branch Locations
• Cleveland Public Library - Branch Locations
• Shaker Heights Library - Branch Locations

In-Person

CJFS Neighborhood Family Service Center locations have forms available and a Safe and Secure Drop Box that will still be accessible to submit documents such as applications and verifications. To submit applications and documents for the Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC) program and childcare application documents, please use the designated drop box the Virgil E. Brown building. 

*Please choose one method of submitting verifications to prevent duplicate verifications being submitted.

Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC)

The Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC) program application is available online at https://hhs.cuyahogacounty.us/programs/detail/emergency-assistance-prevention-retention-and-contingency-program to download and complete electronically. The form can then be submitted as an email attachment to Cuy-PRC-Application@jfs.ohio.gov.

Important contacts

Child Care Assistance Information Line: (216) 987-6929

PRC Information Line: (216) 987-7392   

Customer Relations: (216) 802-2810 or email CuyahogaCustomerRelations@jfs.ohio.gov

Voter Registration Services

Voter registration services are available on all paper application and reapplication/renewal forms, when using the Ohio Benefits Self-Service Portal, and when calling the Eligibility Contact Center to apply, reapply/renew, or report changes.

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