Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Program

Federal law allows States to implement a temporary program called Pandemic-Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT), which provides eligible children with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formally known as food stamps) benefits. The program is administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Department is partnering with the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to ensure eligible children receive this important benefit. Prior to school year 2022-2023, students enrolled in virtual schools or who where homeschooled were not eligible for P-EBT.

2. Are children enrolled in a virtual school or who are home schooled eligible for P-EBT?

For school year 2022-2023, children who are currently enrolled in virtual schools or are homeschooled must meet certain eligibility requirements in order to receive P-EBT benefits. The requirements are:

Current enrollment in a virtual school or home school with a homeschool plan on file with the child's local school district;
Enrollment in virtual school or home school occurred between January 27, 2020 to January 20, 2023 due to COVID-19 concerns;
Prior to enrolling in a virtual school or homeschooling, the child was enrolled in a traditional "brick and mortar" school that participated in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) (there is an exception for children who are in kindergarten through second grade who never attended a traditional brick and mortar school. The household will need to indicate this on the application; and
The child's household must meet the income eligibility requirements for the NSLP program. For the income guidelines, go to Child Nutrition Programs Income Eligibility Guidelines (2022-2023) | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov)

Please note some schools have online instruction for remote learners and children learning this way are not considered to be enrolled in virtual school for this purpose. If your child is not considered a virtual school or homeschool student, please see the Questions and Answers Document for School Students School Year 2022-2023 at Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Program | Office of Family Assistance | Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

3. What is considered a virtual school?

For information on what is considered virtual school, please go to E-schools | Ohio Department of Education.

4. What is considered homeschool?

For information on what is considered home schooling, please go to Home Schooling | Ohio Department of Education.

5. How do I apply for P-EBT benefits?

To apply for benefits, please go to https://www.ohio-k12.help/pebt-portal/pebt-eligibility-application/.

The application will be available beginning February 20, 2023 and close on May 31, 2023. After May 31, 2023, no more applications will be accepted for the program.

Please note that only virtual school and homeschooled students are required to apply for benefits. If you have a child in a traditional "brick and mortar" school, please see the Questions and Answers for School Students at https://jfs.ohio.gov/ofam/p-ebt.stm

6. How do I verify my child's eligibility?

When you fill out the application, you will be required to list the reason your child left the traditional "brick and mortar" school to enroll in virtual school or homeschool, and list the household income and upload verification/proof of income.

If your child receives SNAP and/or Ohio Works First (OWF), you will be asked to provide the SNAP or OWF case number. Receiving SNAP or OWF makes your child automatically income eligible for P-EBT.

ODJFS and ODE will work with the child's previous and current schools to verify/confirm:

Your child's previous enrollment in a traditional "brick and mortar" building that participated in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP); and
Your child's current enrollment in virtual school, or that there is a homeschool plan on file with the child's local school district, and that the enrollment or homeschooling began between January 27, 2020 and January 20, 2023.

Because there are multiple organizations who have to verify your child's eligibility, it may take up to 90 days to receive a decision on your child's eligibility. You will receive an email telling you if your child is approved or denied. The P-EBT customer service line will not have information regarding your household's virtual or homeschool application until the application is approved or denied.

7. How much will an eligible child receive?

The benefit is $147.24 per month for each eligible child from August 2022 to May 2023, as long as the child remains enrolled in the virtual or is homeschooled through May.

8. How are P-EBT benefits issued?

If the child is a current SNAP recipient:

The P-EBT benefits may be added to the account on which the child is active
If the child was unable to be matched to his or her active SNAP account, you will be sent a P-EBT card in the child's name.

If the child is not a current SNAP recipient:

A pre-loaded EBT card will come in the mail

The card will be in the child's name, not the parent or guardian's name. Each eligible child will get a P-EBT card; benefits of siblings are not grouped onto one card.
Instructions on how to activate the card will be included (also see instructions below).
You must keep this new card as it will be used for any future P-EBT benefits your child is eligible for.

Please note that if your child has previously received P-EBT at a traditional "brick and mortar" school since February 2021, benefits will be loaded to that card. You will not automatically get a new card. If you need a replacement card, please call 1-866-386-3071.

The benefits are used just like SNAP benefits. Go to https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items for a list of eligible food items that can be bough with SNAP benefits.

9. How often will this benefit be issued?

Once an application is approved, eligible children will receive an initial benefit that includes benefits for August 2022 through the month of application approval. After the initial benefit, you will receive a monthly benefit by the end of each month until either the month the federal public health emergency ends or May 2023, whichever comes first.

If your application is approved after the school year or public health emergency ends, you will receive all benefits at one time.

I n order for local grocery stores to be better stocked, P-EBT benefits are issued over multiple days in the last two weeks of the month rather than on a single day. Your child's benefit will be issued on a certain day based on the first letter of their last name. for example, last names beginning with A-D may receive their benefits on the 20th of the month, then E-G on the 21st, etc. This day will vary each month.
Please note, not every child will receive the P-EBT benefits on the same day, but every child will receive their benefits by the end of the month.

10. How long will it take to receive a decision on my application once I submit it?

It may take up to 90 days to receive a decision. If you call prior to the 90th day, we will not have information on your application.

11. How long will a family have access to the P-EBT benefits?

The P-EBT benefits will be available for 9 months. If after 9 months the P-EBT benefits have not been spent, they will be removed (expunged) from the account. Current SNAP households will still have access to their remaining SNAP benefits.

12. Who should a family contact if they have questions regarding P-EBT?

For general program questions, questions about your child's benefits, please call the P-EBT customer service line at 1-866-244-0071 Option 1.

P-EBT for Children Under 6 on SNAP, not in school

1. What is Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) and how is a child on SNAP and under age 6 eligible?

Federal law allows States to implement a temporary program called Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), which provides eligible children with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) benefits. Preschool (Pre-K) through 12th grade students within eligible school buildings who are eligible for fee or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) may be eligible for P-EBT benefits. Children on SNAP, under the age of 6 who are not in school, are eligible for P-EBT benefits based on monthly reduction of meals provided to children at childcare centers across the state in month. P-EBT is a separate benefit in addition to a family's normal monthly SNAP benefit.

The program is administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Department is partnering with the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to ensure eligible children receive this important benefit.

2. How much will an eligible child receive?

Each eligible child will receive $8.18 per day (the combined daily federal reimbursement rate for breakfast, lunch, and a snack for school year 2021-2022) for the number of eligible P-EBT days in the month. The number of eligible P-EBT days is based on the statewide average number of days representing the reduction in meals at childcare centers. This number could vary each month for August 2022 through May 2023. The amount for August - December 2022 is 3 days, totaling $24.54 per month.

3. How are P-EBT benefits issued?

For each month a child is eligible for P-EBT, ODJFS will issue the P-EBT benefits to the SNAP account the child is currently receiving benefits on. The benefits are used just like SNAP benefits.

4. How often will this benefit be issued?

If your child meets the P-EBT eligibility criteria in a month, benefits will be provided as follows:

The August, September, October, November and December 2022 and January 2023 benefits will be issued and available by th end of February 2023. You may receive some of your benefits earlier in the month, and some later in the month. It may also vary for each child.
February benefits will be issued by the end of March 2023.
March benefits will be issued by the end of April 2023.
April benefits will be issued by the end of May 2023.
May benefits will be issued by the endo of June 2023.

In order for local grocery stores to be better stocked, P-EBT benefits are issued over multiple days in the last two weeks of the month rather than on a single day. Your child's benefit will be issued on a certain day based on the first letter of their last name. For Example, last names beginning with A-D may receive their benefits on the 20th of the month, then E-G on the 21st, etc. This day will vary each month.

5. Can a family apply for P-EBT benefits?

No. P-EBT does not have an application for children on SNAP, under the age of 6, not in school.

6. How long will a family have access to the P-EBT benefits?

7. Who should a family contact if they have questions regarding P-EBT?

For general program questions, questions about your child's benefits, please call the P-EBT customer service line at 1-866-244-0071 Option 1.

P-EBT School Year 2022-2023 School Students Questions and Answers

1. What is Pandemic EBT (P-EBT)?

Federal law allows States to implement a temporary program called Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P_EBT), which provides eligible children with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) benefits. Preschool (Pre-K) through 12th grade students within eligible school buildings who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School breakfast Program (SBP) may be eligible for P-EBT benefits. The program is administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Department is partnering with the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to ensure eligible children receive this important benefit.

2. How does a school qualify for P-EBT?

Due to COVID and for at least 5 consecutive days, a school must be closed, operating remote learning, operating with reduced attendance or hours (includes hybrid schedules) or at least one student sick with COVID-19 or quarantined. COVID sick days and quarantine days are based on your child's school policy, for identifying COVID sick days and whether a child has to quarantine and remain home

Once the school P-EBT criteria has been met, the school must look at each child's potential eligibility for P-EBT.

Please note some schools have an online school for remote learners; however, not all online schools meet P-EBT requirements because they do not offer the NSLP or SBP to students. if your child is enrolled in virtual school or homeschooled, please see the Questions and Answers Document for Virtual and Homeschool Students that will be available in mid-February 2023.

3. How is a child in school eligible for P-EBT if the school qualifies?

A Free or reduced-price meal eligible child in school may receive P-EBT benefits for the days he or she does not attend school in person due to remote learning, sick quarantine because of COVID, or attends school in person but does not receive a meal at school to eat at school because of reduced hours. Children are not eligible for P-EBT benefits for days they attend school in person and receive meal(s) at school.

4. How much will an eligible child receive and when will the benefit be issued?

Each child will receive $8.18 per day (the combined daily federal reimbursement rate for breakfast and lunch school year 2022/2023) for each day the child does not receive free or reduced-price meals at the school because the school is closed, operating remote learning, is operating with reduced attendance or hours due to COVID-19. This also includes days a child is not at school in-person because they are having to quarantine due to COVID-19. Weekends, holidays, or school breaks are not included.

The summer benefit will be issued in two payments. The first payment will be issued by the end of June in the amount of $191.70 (27 days of benefits). The second payment will be issued by the end of July in the amount of $198.80 (28 days of benefits).

5. How are P-EBT benefits issued?

If the child is a current SNAP recipient:

The P-EBT benefits may be added to the SNAP account on which the child is currently active on.
If the child was unable to be matched to his or her active SNAP account, you will be sent a P-EBT card in the child's name.

If the child is not a current SNAP recipient:

If the child has received a P-EBT card since February 2021, benefits will be loaded to the card. If you need a replacement card, please call 1-866-386-3071.
If the child has not received a P-EBT card since February 2021, you will receive a preloaded P-EBT card in the mail.
- The card will be in the child's name, not the parent or legal guardian's name.
- Instructions on how to activate the card will be included (also see instructions below).
- You must keep this new card as it will be used for any future P-EBT benefits your child is eligible for.
- Each child will receive a P-EBT card; benefits of siblings will not be grouped onto one card.

The benefits are used just like SNAP benefits. Go to https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items for a list of eligible food items than be bought with SNAP benefits.

6. How often will this benefit be issued?

If your child meets the P-EBT criteria, benefits for August, September, October, November, and December 2022 will be issued by the end of January 2023. After January, benefits will be issued to eligible children by the end of the following month. For example, benefits for January will be issued by the end of February, February will be issued by the end of March, etc.

In order for local grocery stores to be better stocked, P-EBT benefits are issued over multiple days in the last two weeks of the month rather than on a single day. Your child's benefits will be issued on a certain day based on the first letter of their last name. For example, last names beginning with A-D may receive their benefits on the 20th of the month, then E-G on the 21st, etc. This day will vary each month.

Please note, not every child will receive the P-EBT benefits on the same day, but every child will receive their benefits by the end of the month.