What is a State Hearing?
If you think there has been a mistake or delay on your case, you may want to ask for a state hearing. You can ask for a hearing about actions by either the state department of job and family services or the local agency. Local agencies include the County Department of Job and Family Services (CDJFS), the County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), and agencies under contract with them.
A state hearing is a meeting with you, someone from the local agency, and a hearing officer from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). The person from the local agency will explain the action it has taken or wants to take on your case. Then, you will have a chance to tell why you think the action is wrong. The hearing officer will listen to you and to the local agency, and may ask questions to help bring out all the facts. The hearing officer will review the facts presented at the hearing and recommend a decision based on whether or not the rules were correctly applied in your case.
How to Ask for a Hearing
To ask for a hearing, call or write your local agency or write to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Bureau of State Hearings, PO Box 182825, Columbus, Ohio 43218-2825. If you receive a notice denying, reducing or stopping your assistance or services, you will receive a state hearing request form. Fill out the request form and mail it to State Hearings. You may also fax your hearing request to State Hearings at (614) 728-9574.
We must receive your hearing request within 90 days of the mailing date of the notice of action. However, if you receive food assistance, you may request a hearing on the amount of your food assistance at any time during your certification period.
If someone else makes a written request for you, it must include a written statement, signed by you, telling us that person is your representative. Only you can make a request by telephone.
How to Request a Telephone Hearing
If you cannot attend the hearing at the scheduled location as a result of not having transportation, child care, medical limitations, etc., you can call 1-866-635-3748 and choose to participate by telephone. If you participate by telephone, the hearing officer assigned to your appeal will call you on the day of your hearing at the scheduled time for your hearing at the telephone number you provide.
Continuing Assistance or Services
If you receive a notice that your assistance or services will be reduced, stopped, or restricted, you must request a state hearing within 15 days of receiving that notice in order to continue receiving your benefits until your hearing decision is issued.
In the food assistance program, your benefits will not continue if you were denied or if the certification period has expired. After the certification period, you must reapply and be found eligible.
If your assistance or services have been changed without written notice, or if the change was made even though you requested a timely hearing, you can call the Bureau of State Hearings, to inquire if you should receive continuing benefits. Call us, toll free at the following number: 1-866-635-3748, and choose option number one from the automated voice menu.
If your assistance is continuing and you lose the hearing, you may have to pay back any benefits that you were not eligible to receive.
The continuing assistance provisions described in this section do not apply to the child support program. If you request a hearing about child support services, your hearing request will have no effect on your receipt of services while your hearing is pending.
County Conference
An informal meeting with a person from the local agency may settle the issue without the need for a state hearing.
Often this is the quickest way to solve a problem. At this meeting your case will be reviewed with you. If a mistake has been made, it can be corrected without the need for a state hearing. You can set up a county conference by asking your county worker. If you are not satisfied with the results, you can still have a state hearing.
You do not have to have a county conference to have a state hearing. Asking for a county conference will not delay your state hearing.
When Will the Hearing be Held?
After your request for a hearing is received, the Bureau of State Hearings will send you a scheduling notice giving the date, time and place of the hearing. This notice will be sent to you at least 10 days before the hearing. The notice will also tell you what to do if you cannot come to the hearing as scheduled.
Where are Hearings Held?
Hearings are usually held at the local agency. If you are unable to go there, the hearing may be held some other place that is convenient to you and to the other people involved. If you want the hearing held somewhere other than the local agency, be sure to tell us that in your hearing request.
Postponement of the Hearing
If you cannot come to the hearing as scheduled, or if you need more time to prepare, you can ask the hearings section for a postponement. In the food assistance program, postponement is limited to 30 days from the date of the first scheduled hearing. In all other programs, you must have a good reason to postpone the hearing.