The Ohio Benefits system will be unavailable from 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 22, through 8 a.m. on Tuesday, April 27, so that a major technical upgrade can be completed. If you need to apply, recertify or renew your benefits for cash, food or Medicaid assistance during this time, you can submit a paper application to your County Department of Job and Family Services. County staff will not have access to data about your case while the system is offline. If you submit a paper application, it will be screened to see whether you need expedited food assistance, but it will not be processed until after the system is back online. If you need food while the system is unavailable, please contact your local food pantry. Your local county agency also can provide referrals to other services if you need them. You can find your local county agency at https://County Directory ohio.gov). We apologize for this inconvenience.