Who We Are
The Hamilton County Department of Job and
Family Services (HCJFS) administers state, federal and local programs designed to help those in need.
Several major government programs come under our roof including:
Leadership
Moira Weir became the
agency's director on July 1, 2007. For Weir's bio, and that of the
other Operations Team members, please see
agency leadership.
Where We Are
HCJFS has one primary location:
(click the addresses for maps):
Other business sites:
Main telephone line: (513) 946-1000
Web sites:
Employees
HCJFS has about 950 employees.
Vision
and Mission
For HCJFS to be the center
of a collaborative effort that:
- Draws together and leads
social service agencies, businesses, governments, families and other
community stakeholders in the fight against social issues, such as
poverty and child abuse.
- Guides, supports and values those who have chosen
to make a difference in the lives of Hamilton County’s families and
children.
- Delivers cost-effective services in a compassionate, caring and
non-judgmental manner to Hamilton County’s families and children.
We, the
HCJFS staff, provide services for our community today to enhance the quality of
living for a better tomorrow.
History
HCJFS has been part of Hamilton County
government for more than 60 years.
County Commissioners passed a resolution on
October 4, 1947 establishing the Department of Welfare. The new agency opened a month later
at 411 Lincoln Park Drive (now Ezzard Charles Drive) in the West End with
Frederick
A. Breyer as its first director.
In 1987, the agency changed its name to the Hamilton County
Department of Human Services. In July 2001, the organization took its current name to reflect the
state's merger of the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services with the Ohio
Department of Human Services into the Ohio Department of
Job and Family Services.
Today, HCJFS is Ohio's largest combined
public services agency, comprised of these major program areas:
Governance
HCJFS administers a variety of federal programs from the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(food assistance) and other agencies. At the state level, the Ohio Department of Job
and Family Services oversees these programs for all 88 counties. Locally, we are
the largest department of Hamilton County government and report to the Board of
Hamilton County Commissioners.
Financial
HCJFS programs receive federal, state and local funding. This includes operating
funds as well as payments to consumers in welfare, Medicaid and other benefits.
The only
local funds to HCJFS come from the Children’s Services tax levy, which provides
about $41 million annually to help cover costs of child protection services.
Programs
Children’s Services – Legally responsible for responding to reports of
child abuse, neglect and dependency (241-KIDS); acting to protect child victims;
and recruiting foster and adoptive parents
Child Support Services – Child Support is money required by law to be
paid by one parent to another parent to help cover the costs of raising their
children. HCJFS Child Support establishes and enforces child
support orders; establishes paternity; modifies child support orders; enforces
spousal support; and performs other customer services.
Family and Adult
Assistance includes:
Cash Assistance – monthly check to eligible low-income families with
minor children at home. Called Ohio Works First (OWF). Families may receive
assistance for up to 36 months.
Food Assistance – a monthly benefit given to eligible families to help buy
food. Known as the Ohio Direction Card. (Formerly called Food Stamps)
Medicaid – State and federally-funded health care coverage for
income-eligible parents and their children up to age 21; pregnant women; older
adults; and people with disabilities.
Child Care
- covers part of the cost of child care for eligible low and
moderate-income families. Parents choose from a list of more than 1,500
home providers and centers that have contracts with HCJFS.
Other services:
Adult Protective - abuse, neglect and
exploitation of the elderly (421-LIFE)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Case Management - applications and appeals
Workforce Development - helps
people join the workforce and move up the economic ladder.
Visit the
Online Service Center
Customers
HCJFS serves hundreds of thousands of Hamilton
County residents each year.
In an average month during 2008:
-
One in 48 Hamilton County
residents received cash assistance (same as 2007--and a decline of nearly 60 percent decline
since the mid-1990s when welfare reform was implemented)
-
One in 11 residents received food stamps (unchanged)
-
One in 7 was covered by Medicaid (1
in 6 in 2007)
-
One in 15 children used a public voucher for child care
(1 in 16 in 2007)
-
One in 4 residents was involved in a child support
case (unchanged)
-
One in 12 children had contact with Children’s Services
(unchanged)
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