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In This Issue:
Social Media Spotlight
Public Benefits Updates
- Changes to the Elderly Simplified Application Project
- Medicaid Group VIII Coverage Resource Page
Helpful Information & Updates
- Physical or Mental Unfitness Verification Form for SNAP – JFS 00019
- Cuyahoga County Coordinated Taskforces
- Resource Fair Recap & Upcoming East Cleveland Resource Fair
Upcoming Events
- All-Staff Closure – October 28 lines closing at 12 p.m.
Health and Human Services Spotlight
- Hope for the Holidays & Adopt-a-Family
- Division of Senior and Adult Services Annual Advisory Board Meeting
- Office of Child Support Services Free Training
- Medicare Savings Program
Community Resources
Q & A Corner
- Medicaid Changes for Group VIII
Speakers' Bureau
- Take our survey to share which themes you'd like to learn more about
| | Visit our social media for important posts and community resources: | | |
Changes to the Elderly Simplified Application Project
The Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) allows the elderly, and/or disabled with no countable income, to be eligible for 36-month certification periods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and exempts those with 36-month certifications from interim reporting requirements. Ohio was approved to operate the ESAP demonstration project where all adult members are elderly or disabled with no countable earned income.
House Resolution 1 (HR 1), which was signed into law in 2025, increased the age of Able-Bodied Adults (ABA) to require people age 60-64 to complete work activities to receive SNAP benefits.
Due to the changes to the ABA work requirements, Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) formerly known as the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)is revising the terms and conditions of the ESAP approvals to limit those eligible for ESAP to those 65 years and older or disabled with no countable income.
Customers ages 60-64 and who do not have a disability may no longer participate in ESAP. This change will become effective with applications certified on or after Nov. 16, 2026, and when case changes are processed on or after Nov. 16, 2026, for individuals ages 60-64.
To be ESAP eligible, all adult members of the assistance group (AG), must be age 65 or older, or disabled, with no countable earned income in the AG. The AG may include minor children, regardless of disability status.
To read more about this change please click here.
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Medicaid Group VIII Coverage Resource Page
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) has created a webpage dedicated to all Group VIII changes.
This page is the most reliable source for up‑to‑date information, and it will be updated as new details become available.
Cuyahoga Job and Family Services has also developed a Medicaid Changes Fact Sheet to help inform the public and address common questions related to the upcoming changes.
This fact sheet is available on our website.
| | Helpful Information & Updates | | |
Physical or Mental Unfitness Verification Form for SNAP – JFS 00019
The state has rolled out a new form that can be used to verify physically or mentally unfit exemptions for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) work requirements.
This form is to be completed by SNAP recipients and their medical or mental health provider. The medical provider can indicate on the form if the listed customer is physically or mentally unfit for employment. This form may only be used to verify an inability to participate in SNAP work requirements for customers who have been found required to participate in a work activity for 20 hours per week to maintain SNAP benefits. This form may not be used for any other benefit program.
You can find the form online in our form library.
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Cuyahoga County Coordinated Taskforces
In July 2025 Congress passed House Resolution 1, a federal appropriations bill which changed laws governing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. In response Cuyahoga County convened the Hunger Response Team and the Medicaid Access Team to analyze, address, and communicate the impacts of these changes on residents, community partners, and government operations. The Cuyahoga County Coordinated Response Taskforces webpages were created to host information and helpful resources on HR 1 policy changes to Medicaid and SNAP.
Read more here: https://cuyahogacounty.gov/taskforces
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Resource Fair Recap & Upcoming East Cleveland Resource Fair
CJFS held its first of two annual Community Outreach and Resource fairs. The theme of this year is access to workforce in consideration of the federal changes around Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid work requirements.
This event offers a fantastic opportunity to connect members of our community to employment and volunteer opportunities that can assist them with meeting eligibility requirements to maintain public benefits.
Please join us for our second fair taking place Dec. 7, 2026, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Chambers Community Empowerment Center, 14305 Shaw Avenue,
East Cleveland, OH, 44112.
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All-Staff Closure
Our Eligibility Contact Center phone lines will be closing at 12 p.m., Oct. 28, 2026.
Need to manage your case or apply for benefits? Don't worry! You can still do so online through our online self-service portal here.
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Join Us: Hope for the Holidays & Adopt-a-Family
As the holiday season approaches, we invite you to join us in making a meaningful difference for children and families right here in Cuyahoga County. Each year, our Hope for the Holidays and Adopt‑a‑Family programs brighten the season for thousands of young people and caregivers who need our support.
Through Hope for the Holidays, donors help provide gifts for more than 2,000 children and teens in foster care, each hoping to experience the joy of unwrapping a gift chosen just for them.
You can be matched with a specific kid, or choose items directly from Amazon or Target wish lists, or attend community toy drives hosted by partners like Fox 8 Giving Tree, Toys for Joy, or the Cleveland Monsters and Charge. These efforts ensure every child feels valued, celebrated, and seen during the holidays.
Our Adopt‑a‑Family program matches donors with local kinship families — relatives or close friends who have stepped up to care for children when their parents cannot. By adopting a family, you receive a personalized wish list, guiding you as you shop for toys, clothing, and festive items that make their holiday season brighter. Your generosity brings joy and stability to households where resources are stretched thin.
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Collaborate: Register for the Senior and Adult Services Annual Meeting
Connect with professionals and advocates Feb. 20, 2027 at the annual meeting dedicated to expanding opportunities for older adults in Cuyahoga County. Collaborate, share ideas, and help create meaningful change.
Register today here.
| Learn if You Qualify: Medicare Savings Program | |
Free Training: HR and Payroll Professionals
Join the Office of Child Support Services on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 8 a.m. to Noon at Tri-C Corporate College East for a free training tailored to HR and Payroll professionals.
We will cover child support income withholding, medical support requirements, multi-orders, electronic payment methods, and more. A complimentary continental breakfast is included.
Registration is required. Register here.
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Make A Difference
Interested in becoming a family childcare provider? Complete the interest form below.
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Need Help with Utilities?
Find out whether you qualify for the Home Energy Assistance Program.
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Medicaid Changes for Group VIII
Q: I received a letter stating that I will need to participate in Work and Community Engagement activities to maintain my Medicaid coverage. Why is this?
A: Adults enrolled in Group VIII Medicaid, known as the Medicaid Expansion population, will now be subject to new federal requirements. These include participation in Work and Community Engagement activities.
Q: What is the Medicaid Community Engagement Activity?
A: The Medicaid Community Engagement Activity (MCEA) is a new federal requirement that begins January 1, 2027, for certain adults enrolled in Group VIII Medicaid. It requires individuals to complete 80 hours per month of qualifying work, education, job training, or community service activities as a condition of maintaining Medicaid coverage, unless they meet an exemption.
Q: I am in Group VIII. How often will I need to renew my Medicaid coverage?
A: Effective January 1, 2027, individuals in Group VIII will now have to renew Medicaid coverage every six months.
Q: Who is impacted by the MCEA changes?
A: The MCEA requirements will apply to recipients who receive Group VIII Medicaid Coverage (also known as MAGI Adult or Ribicoff Coverage.) The new rules apply only to individuals enrolled in Group VIII Medicaid, generally:
- Adults aged 19-64
- Income at or below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
- Not enrolled in Medicare
Q: I am in Group VIII how can I meet the new requirements?
A: Requirements can be met by:
- Work (paid, unpaid, in-kind, caregiving, self-employment)
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Community Service with a non-profit, government agency, or religious organization. For more information on local volunteer options, visit https://greaterclevelandvolunteers.org
- Work Program Participation (such as OhioMeansJobs)
- Education (half-time enrollment: high school, GED, college, or technical school)
- Any combination of activities totaling 80 hours
Q: How can I be exempted from participating in MCEA?
A: Group VIII Individuals can be exempted from participating if they fall into one of the following categories:
- Parents, guardians and caregivers of children under 14 or disabled individuals
- Current or former foster youth under age 26
- Medically frail individuals
- Veterans with a disability rated as “total”
- Pregnant or postpartum (12 months)
- Individuals in drug or alcohol treatment programs
- Individuals incarcerated or recently released within 90 days
- Individuals in SNAP/TANF meeting work requirements
- Native American/Urban Indian
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2026 Topics: Your Feedback Matters
CJFS is excited to continue its speaker’s bureau series in 2026, and we would love to hear your thoughts on the topics that would be most beneficial for the upcoming year.
We are asking our valued community partners to help guide the content for our 2026 speaker’s bureau sessions. Your input will ensure that we provide the most relevant and impactful sessions.
Please take a moment to complete the short survey below and share the topics or themes you feel would be most valuable to cover.
Your feedback is vital to making these sessions a success, and we truly appreciate your time and contribution. Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
| | CJFS promotes economic self-sufficiency and personal responsibility for families and individuals by providing access to jobs, benefits, and community services. Staff determine eligibility for a range of quality services that include Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC), Child Care Assistance, and Workforce Programs, in accordance with Federal, State, and County regulations. | | This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/cr/fns-nondiscrimination-statement. Cuyahoga Job and Family Services provides access to an interpreter at no charge to customers who are limited-English proficient and individuals with impaired vision and/or hearing. | | Cuyahoga Job and Family Services | | |
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