Ohio Kinship Benefits Denied? How to Request a State Hearing and Appeal

You Have 90 Days — But 15 Days Matters More

When your county CDJFS denies, reduces, or terminates an OWF child-only grant, SNAP benefits, or Medicaid for a child in your care, the official Notice of Action arrives by mail. From the mail date on that notice, you have 90 calendar days to request a state hearing through the ODJFS Bureau of State Hearings.

But here's the critical timeline: if you file your hearing request within 15 calendar days of the notice's mail date, your cash or food benefits continue at the current level while the appeal is pending. This is called Aid Paid Pending. Miss the 15-day window and you can still appeal, but you may not keep cash or food benefits at the current level while you wait for a hearing.

One warning: if the hearing officer upholds the agency's decision, you may have to pay back the benefits received during Aid Paid Pending. For most families, the risk of an overpayment is worth having food and cash during the process. But it's worth knowing going in.

How to File the Hearing Request

You can request a state hearing:

• In writing to the ODJFS Bureau of State Hearings
• By phone to the Bureau
• Through your county CDJFS office (they're required to forward the request)

Keep it simple. State your name, the child's name, the type of benefit, and that you disagree with the decision. You don't need a lawyer to request a hearing, and you don't need to explain your legal argument yet.

The date matters. Postmark, fax timestamp, or in-person delivery date — document whichever one you use. Informal conversations with your caseworker do not extend or pause the formal 15-day or 90-day deadlines. Only a written or phone hearing request counts.

What Happens at the Hearing

State hearings are conducted by impartial hearing officers from the ODJFS Bureau of State Hearings, not by your county JFS. Before the hearing, you have the right to:

• Inspect the agency's case file and records
• Request copies of any documents the agency plans to use
• Ask for a free interpreter if English isn't your first language
• Request disability accommodations

At the hearing itself, you can present your own evidence, bring documents, and call witnesses. If the county miscoded your case — for example, treating it as a full-household OWF case instead of child-only, which caused your pension to be counted — bring proof that the child-only rules should apply.

Common Kinship Denial Reasons

The most frequent reasons kinship caregivers get denied are fixable:

• Your income was counted when it shouldn't have been. For OWF child-only, only the child's income matters. If the county included your pension, Social Security, or paycheck in the calculation, that's a processing error.
• Missing documentation. The county may deny for failure to verify, when you actually provided documents that were misfiled or never logged. Bring copies of everything you submitted, with any receipts or confirmation numbers.
• Wrong program category. Your application may have been processed under the wrong program code. Child-only OWF, full-household OWF, and TANF adult cases have different rules.

Which Programs Allow State Hearings

Not all kinship programs have the same appeal rights:

• OWF, SNAP, Medicaid, and PFCC — full state hearing rights through the ODJFS Bureau of State Hearings
• KPI and KGAP — subject to PCSA administrative review and state hearing rules
• KSP — no state hearing rights (eliminated by HB 96 in late 2025). Disputes go through informal review with the placing PCSA only
• PRC — county-level appeal only, no state hearing

Get Help Before the Hearing

Free legal aid organizations across Ohio can represent kinship caregivers at state hearings at no cost. Contact Legal Aid Society of Columbus, Southeastern Ohio Legal Services, or Legal Aid Society of Cleveland depending on your county. OhioKAN (1-844-644-6526) can also connect you with local legal resources.

The Ohio kinship financial help guide covers the appeal process in detail, including the documents to bring and the deadlines to mark on your calendar.

See more Ohio guides →