Local offices and phone numbers for moms, dads, grandparents and anyone raising a child in Franklin County. County seat: Columbus. 7 local listings so far.
Your county Job and Family Services office takes applications and answers questions about your case.
Franklin County
Applications and case help for food assistance (SNAP), cash assistance, Medicaid, emergency assistance and publicly funded child care. Opportunity Centers: Northland (1721 Northland Park Ave.), East (1055 Mount Vernon Ave.) and West (314 N. Wilson Road).
Next step: Call, or visit an Opportunity Center. The main office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 5:00.
1721 Northland Park Avenue, Columbus, OH 43229
Open a case, establish paternity, or ask about payments.
Franklin County
Opens child support cases, establishes paternity, and collects and reviews support orders.
Next step: Call or visit Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 5:00.
80 E. Fulton Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Report a concern about a child, or ask about kinship care, foster care and family support.
Franklin County Children Services
The county's public children services agency. Takes reports of child abuse or neglect and supports kinship and foster families.
Next step: Call the 24-hour child abuse hotline. If a child is in danger right now, call 911.
Call 614-229-700024 hoursWebsite
WIC food benefits, shots, car seats, birth certificates and home visits for new babies.
Columbus Public Health
Food benefits, formula help, nutrition checks and breastfeeding support for pregnant and postpartum women, babies and children under 5 who live in Franklin County.
Next step: Call to find the closest clinic and make an appointment. Walk-ins are not being accepted.
Free home visiting during pregnancy and early childhood, and free early intervention for children under 3.
We have not confirmed a local listing for Franklin County yet. Start with the statewide contact below.
Ohio Department of Children and Youth
Ohio's free early intervention for children under 3 who are behind or have a disability. It is in all 88 counties, and visits usually happen at home. Parents can sign up their own child.
Next step: Call or fill out the online form, and a local coordinator will call you. If your child is almost 3, call now. This program ends at age 3, and the school district takes over.
Call 800-755-4769800-755-GROWWebsite
The county board decides eligibility and plans services, including Medicaid waivers.
Franklin County DD
Decides eligibility for developmental disability services and serves children from infancy through the school years and adults.
Next step: Call the Intake Office to start. The main number is 614-475-6440.
Intake Office: 1600 Watermark Drive, Columbus, OH 43215
Call 614-342-5490IntakeWebsite
Local advocates, shelter and help with protection orders. Shelter addresses are never listed here.
Free and private. (it does not erase your history).
Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio
Shelter, counseling and other domestic violence services in Franklin County.
Next step: Call the 24-hour crisis line. Do not use the website contact form for shelter requests. It is not monitored for them.
Call 614-224-466324 hoursWebsite
Heating and electric help, shelter, and food pantries.
We have not confirmed a local listing for Franklin County yet. Start with the statewide contact below.
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
HEAP helps households at or below 175% of the federal poverty level pay utility bills. Crisis programs can help when you have a shutoff notice.
Next step: Call to be connected to your local energy assistance provider, who can take your application by phone or in person. The state's online application works on a computer only, not on a phone or tablet.
Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO)
Each Ohio county has one front door for shelter and housing help. COHHIO lists the right number to call for every county.
Next step: Open the Ohio housing resource guide and choose your county. If you are fleeing abuse, call a domestic violence program first.
Custody, divorce, eviction, benefits and protection orders.
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio
Free civil legal help for people with low incomes in Franklin and Madison counties.
Next step: Call the intake line Monday to Friday between 9:30 and 1:30, or apply online at lasco.org.
1108 City Park Avenue, Columbus, OH 43206
Call 888-246-4420IntakeWebsite
People who know what is available in this county right now.
We have not confirmed a local listing for Franklin County yet. Start with the statewide contact below.
Pulls agencies together into one plan when a child needs help from more than one of them.
We have not confirmed a local listing for Franklin County yet. Start with the statewide contact below.
Ohio Family and Children First
When a child's needs involve several agencies at once, such as school, mental health, the county board of DD or children services, your county council can bring everyone to one table to make one plan. Some councils can also help pay for things like respite or mentoring.
Next step: Call your county's Family and Children First Council and ask for service coordination. Families can ask for it themselves.
Playgroups, support groups, church and library groups, and anyone who helps parents in Franklin County.
We are building this list now. Run a group or know a good one? Tell us about it and we will add it.
Hotlines, benefits, disability and neurodiversity resources and single-parent support that work in every county are on the Find help pages.