Chapter 5101:9-32 | Food Stamps

Rule 5101:9-32-01 | County SNAP payment error review process.

• Effective: April 5, 2026
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

In accordance with section 5101.546 of the Revised Code, the Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS) is to develop a methodology and technical system to determine supplemental nutritional assistance program (SNAP) payment error rates per county. This rule and its supplemental rule describe the methodology for determining a county agency's payment error rate and administrative standards county agencies will follow to ensure compliance with the SNAP rules for determining eligibility and benefit amounts.

(A) How is a county agency's payment error rate calculated?

(1) ODJFS will establish the monthly number of cases to be reviewed by each county agency. The number will be published in a food assistance change transmittal letter available on the ODJFS website. Each month, ODJFS will select a random sample of cases from a county's caseload for review by the county agency. The random sample of cases reviewed by the county agency will form the basis of its payment error rate.

(2) The county agency will conduct its review consistent with the mandates of this rule and its supplemental rule, as well as any guidance provided by ODJFS. Once complete, case review results are transmitted to ODJFS; and ODJFS may then complete a secondary review of the results.

(3) The county's payment error rate is calculated by dividing the total amount of benefits determined to have been issued in error in the county-reviewed cases, by the total amount of SNAP benefits issued for those county-reviewed cases.

(a) The amount of benefits issued in error is the difference between the benefits that were authorized for the review month and the benefits that should have been authorized for the review month. This includes both overissuances (when the assistance group received more than it was entitled to receive) and underissuances (when the assistance group received less than it was entitled to receive).

(b) Errors below the annual threshold published by the food and nutrition service (FNS), within the United States department of agriculture, must be reported to ODJFS, but are not included in the rate calculation, unless the assistance group was completely ineligible for SNAP. In that case, the full amount is counted as an error regardless of the dollar value.

For federal fiscal year (FFY) 2026, the threshold is fifty-eight dollars. Beginning in FFY 2027, the rate will be published in a food assistance change transmittal letter.

(B) What are the administrative standards that are to be followed when determining a county agency's payment error rate?

Each county agency will:

(1) Designate one or more individuals as a county payment error rate reviewer who is permitted to conduct and certify the results of case reviews on behalf of the county agency.

The reviewer will:

(a) Not be the individual who took an eligibility action on the case assigned for review. When staffing limitations prohibit such an assignment, the county agency shall ensure at least one other individual agrees with the results of the review prior to the results being certified to ODJFS.

(b) Have undergone training provided by ODJFS before conducting a review;

(c) Be authorized by the director or administrator of the county agency to submit and certify the results of a review to ODJFS; and

(d) On no less than a quarterly basis, provide the county agency director or administrator with updates on the county's payment error rate.

(2) Utilize the county payment error review system as directed by ODJFS, including making timely requests to provision and remove system access.

(3) When a case is found to be in error (regardless of amount), initiate either the restoration or claims processes described in Chapter 5101:4-8 of the Administrative Code.

(C) What county will be responsible for an error when the case has been transferred between counties?

(1) The county agency whose eligibility worker (EW) last saved and accepted (or should have saved and accepted) an eligibility determination and benefit calculation (EDBC) result in the Ohio benefits integrated eligibility system is responsible for the error. This is true regardless of why or when EDBC was last saved or accepted. In order to prevent itself from inheriting errors committed by other counties, it is critical that county agencies establish internal controls for thoroughly reviewing the case record when a case is transferred into the county pursuant to rule 5101:4-7-01.1 of the Administrative Code.

(2) ODJFS will provide the results of the review to that county within seven calendar days of certification of the results. The county found to be responsible will have fourteen calendar days to notify ODJFS if it either accepts responsibility for the error or request reconsideration by ODJFS.

(D) When will a county agency complete a corrective action plan?

Each county should maintain a county payment error rate below six per cent and is to administer the SNAP program consistent with federal and state laws and regulations.

(1) On a quarterly basis, any county agency with a cumulative county error rate at or above six per cent for the FFY will enter into a corrective action plan and will have to update the plan quarterly.

(2) ODJFS may mandate that a county agency enter into a corrective action plan when it finds that a county agency's reported results are not consistent with statewide trends in types or amounts of reported errors or the county agency is found to be applying policy in a manner that is not consistent with federal and state laws and regulations. At the discretion of the director, corrective action may include, but is not limited to:

(a) Mandatory training (asynchronous, virtual or in-person) for county agency staff;

(b) Mandatory root cause analysis for each deficiency and a plan of action for reducing errors;

(c) Ongoing engagement with ODJFS technical assistance staff, which may include on-site observation and independent case reviews.

Last updated April 7, 2026 at 7:47 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 5101.22
Amplifies: 5101.22, 5101.546
Five Year Review Date:

Rule 5101:9-32-01.1 | County case review and certification process.

• Effective: April 5, 2026
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

This rule describes the methodology that each county agency will follow when conducting a payment error review of a supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) case. Every review shall be conducted in accordance with this rule and with the guidance provided by the Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS).

(A) What is the county payment error reviewer's responsibility when conducting a case review?

(1) Determine if the case is subject to review. When a reviewer identifies a case as not being subject to review, that case will be replaced to ensure the correct number of cases are reviewed each month.

A case is not subject to review when:

(a) The assistance group (AG) is listed in error as being an active case;

(b) The AG received SNAP in the review month because it was certified under disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) procedures;

(c) The AG was in receipt of fair hearing benefits during the review month;

(d) The AG has been referred for an intentional program violation (IPV) investigation and the investigation is scheduled to begin within five months of the case being selected, is under active fraud investigation or has a pending administrative or judicial IPV hearing;

(e) All AG members have died or moved out of state;

(f) All adult AG members have been hospitalized, incarcerated, or placed in an institution and are expected to remain there for one-hundred fifteen days after the end of the review month;

(g) The AG did not participate in the review month. The AG is considered to have not participated in the review month if SNAP benefits were either not posted to the EBT system or the AG has not initiated activity that affects the balance of its account (such as a purchase or return), in a ninety-one-day period, which includes the review month. The ninety-one-day period may be any combination of months that must include the full review month, so long as they run consecutively for ninety-one or more days;

(h) The AG was not in the county the month the case was distributed for review.

(2) Determine the full amount of the review month's benefits. This includes the monthly SNAP allotment, as well as any supplemental payment for the review month that was issued during or prior to it. The amount of supportive services provided through the SNAP employment and training program are excluded from the error calculation, but may be subject to overpayment if the assistance group (AG) is found to be ineligible as a result of the review.

(3) Review the case record for documentation to support the determination of eligibility and benefit amount in the review month. This includes identifying the actions taken and that should have been taken between when the AG applied and the review month, and ensuring that:

(a) The case record includes a complete application for the most recent certification action (i.e., initial certification or recertification);

(b) Any changes reported by the AG (or that should have been reported by the AG) and any information known to the agency (including data matches and alerts) that were acted upon in accordance with rule 5101:4-7-01 of the Administrative Code; and

(c) All verifications required from the AG pursuant to rule 5101:4-2-09 of the Administrative Code, as well as the documentation of any supporting actions taken to make the determination of eligibility determination has to be able to readily determine at a minimum, the following from the case record:

(i) The type of each verification used (documentary, collateral contact, client statement or home visit), which eligibility factor it applied to, the time period(s) it applies to and which AG members it applies to;

(ii) That the best possible source of information was relied upon to make the eligibility determination and when the best source was not available, a justification for using an allowed alternative;

(iii) There is a clear and correct explanation about any calculations made by the eligibility worker (i.e., income conversion, averages, deductions, proration, budgeting, etc.); and

(iv) The resolution of any conflicts across data sources are clearly explained.

(4) Determine if there is an error.

(a) When the case record can withstand third-party review and supports that the determination of eligibility and the benefit amount for the review month were determined in accordance with the rules in division 5101:4 of the Administrative Code, the case is correct.

(b) When the case record cannot withstand third-party review or is otherwise incomplete or conflicting with the determination of eligibility and benefit amount for the review month, the reviewer may:

(i) Attempt to complete verifications using information available to the county agency, including consulting with the eligibility worker who determined the AG's eligibility or benefit amount.

(ii) Request verification of the applicable eligibility factor(s), income source, and/or income deductions that had to have been provided by the AG pursuant to rule 5101:4-2-09 of the Administrative Code, by issuing a JFS 07105, "Verification Request Checklist" to the AG. The JFS 07105 will identify the specific documentation to be provided, the date on which it is to be returned, and allow the AG ten days to respond.

(c) Using the information included in the case record and any additional verifications or clarifications obtained through the review process, the reviewer will only use verified information to determine if there is an error.

(i) When a required eligibility factor cannot be verified, the reviewer is to assume the eligibility factor is not met. Generally speaking, the following has to be verified in accordance with rule 5101:4-2-09 of the Administrative Code to establish eligibility:

(a) AG gross income;

(b) Social security number for each AG member;

(c) Citizenship for each AG member;

(d) AG residency;

(e) Identity of the applicant;

(f) Physical or mental disability for an AG member claiming a student exemption for that reason;

(g) Income from an AG member who is a student;

(h) Able-bodied adult (ABA) work hours;

(i) ABA countable months in another state; and

(j) AG composition.

(ii) When a verification for an income deduction cannot be verified, the reviewer will not consider the expense when calculating the amount of benefits an eligible AG was entitled to receive in the review month.

(iii) If the reviewer finds that the AG was not eligible in the review month, the case is not correct, and the error amount is equal to the benefit amount in the month of review;

(iv) If the reviewer finds that the AG was eligible, but based on the verified information, there was an overissuance (the AG received more than it was entitled to receive in the review month) or an underissuance (the AG received less than it was entitled to receive in the review month), the case is not correct and the error amount is equal to the overissuance or underissuance.

(5) Determine which county agency is responsible for any case determined to be in error.

(B) What is the process for a county payment error reviewer to certify the results of a review?

A reviewer shall certify all of the following to be true when transmitting the results of a case review to ODJFS:

(1) The review was performed consistently with the mandates of this rule;

(2) Based on the results of the review, there is information in the case record to support the determination of eligibility and benefit amount in the review month and the information can withstand the review of a third-party; and

(3) If the case was found to be in error, that it was referred to county agency staff for review to determine appropriate action pursuant to the rules in Chapter 5101:4-8 of the Administrative Code.

(C) What if ODJFS returns a case review for further action?

When ODJFS returns a case to the county determined to be responsible for the error for further action, the county agency has two options:

(1) Take the action(s) required by ODJFS to amend the results of the review and recertify the case to ODJFS; or

(2) Request reconsideration of the case by the ODJFS state quality control reviewers. The finding from the state quality control is final and the case review will be updated accordingly.

(D) What are the timeframes associated with the county payment error review process?

(1) Each month, ODJFS will provide the monthly sample of cases to a county agency by the fifth of the month. When the fifth of the month falls on a holiday or weekend, the cases will be provided by no later than the next business day following the holiday or weekend.

(2) Each case review is to be completed and certified by the county agency no later than the end of business on the fifth of the month following the month the case was provided. For example, cases made available by ODJFS on the fifth of March are to be certified by no later than the fifth of May. When the fifth of the month falls on a holiday or weekend, the cases will be due no later than the next business day following the holiday or weekend.

(a) In the event of a delay in the transmission of cases by ODJFS, the due date will be extended by the same amount of time.

(b) Cases not certified by the due date will be considered to be in error for the entire amount of SNAP benefits in the review month.

(3) ODJFS will complete any secondary review by the last day of the month the review was due for certification to ODJFS. If a case is returned to a county agency pursuant to paragraph (C) of this rule, the county agency will have fourteen calendar days to make the requested change or request a review by state quality control staff.

(4) State quality control staff have fourteen calendar days to make a final determination based on a request from a county agency.

Last updated April 17, 2026 at 10:40 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 5101.22
Amplifies: 5101.22, 5101.546
Five Year Review Date:

Rule 5101:9-32-03 | Food assistance: quality assessment findings.

• Effective: February 25, 2022
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

Upon completion of a food assistance quality assessment review, as described in rule 5101:9-32-01 of the Administrative Code, any review findings are transmitted by the Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS) to the county department of job and family services (CDJFS) on the JFS 04194, "Quality Control Case Finding." Either box A or box B will be checked on the JFS 04194 indicating the type of information being conveyed to the CDJFS.

(A) Box A is checked to report to the CDJFS any error affecting review month eligibility or erroneous negative action discovered in the quality assessment review. Listed on the form will be errors found, an explanation of how the conclusions were reached, and the manual citation being used in the determination of each error.

(B) Box B is checked to report to the CDJFS any pertinent case information other than an error finding that was discovered during the review process. Box B will also be checked when reporting to the CDJFS reviews not completed due to erroneous selection, or to report the CDJFS use of improper procedures in processing the case. Box B is also used to report to the CDJFS those reviews that have not been completed due to the inability to locate the client or the client's unwillingness to cooperate with the review.

Last updated February 25, 2022 at 8:34 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 5101.22
Amplifies: 5101.22
Five Year Review Date:
Prior Effective Dates: 10/1/2006 (Emer.), 10/9/2006, 10/10/2017

Rule 5101:9-32-10 | Food assistance: federal incentives or sanctions as a result of the quality assessment review.

• Effective: February 25, 2022
• Promulgated Under: 111.15

(A) Incentive distribution process

If Ohio's food assistance quality assessment payment error rate results in Ohio being the recipient of a United States department of agriculture (USDA) bonus payment or incentive, then the bonus payment or incentive may be distributed to the county department(s) of job and family services (CDJFS) in accordance with the quality assessment review process established in rule 5101:9-32-01 of the Administrative Code.

(B) Sanction distribution process

If Ohio's food assistance quality assessment payment error rate exceeds standards prescribed in 7 C.F.R. 275.23 by the USDA food and nutrition service, the state is subject to a federal sanction. If a federal sanction liability is imposed on Ohio, the sanction liability may be distributed by the Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS) to each CDJFS that, in accordance with the quality assessment review process established in rule 5101:9-32-01 of the Administrative Code, is identified by ODJFS as being solely or partially responsible for the federal sanction liability.

Last updated February 25, 2022 at 8:35 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 5101.22
Amplifies: 5101.22
Five Year Review Date:
Prior Effective Dates: 10/9/2006