Ohio Works First (owf) | Geauga County Job And Family Services
Provides time-limited cash benefits and supportive services to low-income families. Supportive services include transportation allowances and job search and placement assistance. Recipients are required to participate in a combination of developmental activities (parenting classes, life skills training, counseling) and/or work/training activities to remain in the program. These work activities may include community work experience, job search, training, education, and other types of developmental experience that will assist the applicant with overcoming barriers to employment. Many families receiving cash assistance are also entitled to receive food assistance and Medicaid. Once participants become employed and are no longer eligible for cash benefits, they may continue to receive Medicaid and child care benefits for up to one year or until their income exceeds allowable limit. In addition, clients who transition to work may still be eligible for food assistance (depending on income).
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211 Cleveland
Physical Address
12611 Ravenwood Dr., Ste. 150, Chardon, OH 44024
Hours
M-F: 8:00am-4:30pm
Voice
Fax
(440) 285-7086
Website
Application process
Clients may begin the application process, renew, and/or update their case information by calling the Contact Center: M-F: 8:00am-4:30pm. May also apply, renew, and/or update case information through website anytime (client must have an email address to do this). In most cases, any interviews can be done through the Contact Center. If applying by phone, the interview may be done during the phone call; if applying via website or paper, the agency will schedule an over the phone interview (client will be given a day and time frame to call in). Agency can look up most supporting documents through an electronic records search - the client will be notified if they need to supply any extra supporting documents. If preferred, may also pick up and drop off paper applications and submit documents on-site: M-F: 8:00am-4:30pm. Starting March 28th, 2025: Clients using the online benefits portal will need to either create or sign into an OHID account. After they have created their OHID and logged into it, they will be asked to set up Multi-Factor Verification (a security feature to protect against identification theft). Those who need help navigating the set up process can phone the Contact Center M-F: 8:00am-1:00pm.
Fee
Free
Eligibility
Low income Geauga County households with at least one child under the age of 19 may qualify. Clients are required to participate in employment activities (either have a job or working with Ohio Means Jobs to seek employment); be pursuing college or technical education; or participating in the Aspire program (if under the age of 20) to attain their high school diploma. Failure of the client to complete their assigned work, education, or Aspire requirements will result in the household being sanctioned from the Ohio Works First Program. OWF benefits are time limited to 36 months in a lifetime. Under certain extreme conditions, households can exceed this 36 month limit. If the client is on strike for reasons other than “unsafe working conditions” they are not eligible for this program.
Service area
Geauga County, Ohio
Agency info
Geauga County Job And Family Services
Government agency that promotes self-sufficiency and family stability by providing emergency financial assistance, employment services, child and adult protective services, child support services, Medicaid, food assistance (SNAP), child development programming, and a wide variety of social services.