Last updated: May 20, 2026
Urgent help in Ohio
If you or your children are in immediate danger, call 911. If calling could put you in more danger, move to the safest place you can and contact a trusted person or advocate when it is safe.
For domestic violence help in Ohio, use the ODVN program map or call ODVN at 1-800-934-9840. ODVN lists local programs across Ohio, including programs that offer shelter, legal advocacy, support groups, counseling, and housing help.
You can also call the National Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text START to 88788, or use online chat. Use a safer phone or device if someone may be watching your calls, texts, browser history, or location.
Bottom line
Ohio has real help for survivors, but it is not one single program. Start with a domestic violence advocate, then add the right official steps: a protection order if needed, safe mailing address help, emergency benefits, housing protections, legal aid, and victim compensation.
This guide is for general information only. It is not legal advice, safety-plan advice, medical advice, or a promise that a program will accept you. A local advocate or lawyer can help you decide what is safe for your situation.
Where to start today
If you are trying to leave abuse, stay housed, protect your children, or get help after an assault, it can feel like too many doors at once. Start with the door that fits the next 24 hours.
If you need a safe place
Contact your nearest domestic violence program through ODVN. Ask for shelter, safety planning with children, transportation options, and help with a protection order.
If you need court protection
Use Ohio Legal Help and the official court forms. Ask an advocate or legal aid office to review the papers before you file if you can do that safely.
If you need food or cash help
Apply through Ohio Benefits for SNAP, Ohio Works First, Medicaid, and child care help. Tell the county worker if domestic violence makes work rules, child support cooperation, or appointments unsafe.
If your address is unsafe
Ask an advocate about Safe at Home. It can give eligible survivors a substitute address for official records and mail.
For more Ohio help beyond domestic violence services, see ASMOM’s Ohio help guide and Ohio community help for next steps.
Quick reference table
| Need | First step | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate danger | Call 911 if safe | Tell dispatch if there are children, weapons, injuries, or a protection order. |
| Shelter or safety support | Use ODVN | Ask for the closest open domestic violence program and child-safe options. |
| Protection order | Contact court or advocate | Ask about a same-day ex parte hearing and required local forms. |
| Private address | Ask Safe at Home | Ask for a certified Application Assistant, not a regular online form. |
| Food, Medicaid, cash, child care | Apply at Ohio Benefits | Ask about expedited food help and domestic violence waivers if rules are unsafe. |
| Crime costs | Use victim compensation | Ask what documents are needed for counseling, medical bills, lost wages, or repairs. |
Ohio domestic violence programs and hotlines
ODVN is the best statewide starting point because Ohio services vary by county. Its directory includes shelters, legal advocacy, support groups, counseling, safety planning, and housing referrals.
| Area | Program | Phone listed by source |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide | ODVN directory | 1-800-934-9840 |
| Central Ohio | LSS CHOICES | 614-224-4663 |
| Southwest Ohio | Women Helping Women | 513-381-5610 |
| Cleveland area | Journey Center | 216-391-4357 |
| Dayton area | YWCA Dayton | 937-222-SAFE |
If your county is not listed, use the ODVN directory. A nearby program may serve your county, but shelter space and transportation help can change by day.
ODVN’s reports page lists fatality summaries. The 2024-2025 summary reported 157 domestic-violence-related fatalities from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. Treat that as a reason to contact trained help, not as a prediction for your case.
Protection orders in Ohio
Ohio has different protection orders. The right one depends on your relationship, what happened, and whether the case involves domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or a sexual offense.
For domestic violence and dating violence CPOs, Ohio law says an emergency ex parte hearing must happen the same day you file. The full hearing is usually within 7 or 10 court days, depending on the temporary order. Read R.C. 3113.31 before relying on a deadline.
For a stalking or sexually oriented offense order, Ohio law says the ex parte hearing must be held as soon as possible and no later than the next court day. The full hearing is set within 10 court days after that hearing. Read R.C. 2903.214 before relying on a deadline.
| Order type | May fit when | Important reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Violence CPO | The person is a family or household member, spouse, former spouse, co-parent, or other covered person. | Bring facts about recent threats or violence. Ask about child-related terms if your children need protection. |
| Dating Violence CPO | The person is someone you are dating or dated recently as defined by Ohio law. | Dating relationship facts matter. Ohio Legal Help can help you sort the form. |
| Stalking or sexual offense order | The person may not be a household member but is stalking or sexually abusing you. | The form and proof needs can differ from a domestic violence CPO. |
Before you file
A protection order can be an important tool, but filing may also change risk. Talk with an advocate or lawyer before filing when possible. Ohio Legal Help warns that filing does not guarantee safety, and it can help to plan for the period before the other person is served.
For legal help, start with Ohio legal help. If a regular legal aid office cannot help, ask an advocate about ODVN legal services for referrals.
Keep your address safer with Safe at Home
Ohio’s Safe at Home program is an address confidentiality program for eligible survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, rape, sexual battery, or stalking. It can give a substitute address for some official records.
You do not apply alone through a normal online form. The Ohio Secretary of State says participants must apply through a certified Application Assistant. That assistant helps complete and submit the forms safely and confidentially.
Safe at Home may help with voter registration, government mail, and some official records. It does not erase every old address from private websites or past records. Ask an advocate about court papers, school records, medical portals, and benefits mail.
Money, food, health coverage, and child care
Leaving abuse can affect rent, work, child care, food, transportation, and medical care at the same time. Ohio Benefits is the main online door for SNAP, Ohio Works First, Medicaid, and child care help. You can also work through county Job and Family Services.
SNAP food help
SNAP helps eligible households buy food. For the 48 states and D.C., the FY 2026 SNAP table lists maximum monthly allotments effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. Maximums include $298 for 1 person, $546 for 2, $785 for 3, and $994 for 4. Your actual amount may be lower based on income and deductions.
If you need more details for Ohio, see ASMOM’s Ohio SNAP guide.
Ohio Works First cash assistance
Ohio Works First is Ohio’s TANF cash assistance program for some very low-income families with children. Rules are strict and county processing can be stressful. The important domestic violence point is this: Ohio’s rule on OWF domestic violence says the county must tell applicants that waivers may be available, screen for domestic violence, refer people to support services, and waive requirements when those requirements would make it harder to escape abuse.
Read the rule at OAC 5101:1-3-20. For a simpler program overview, use ASMOM’s Ohio TANF guide for details.
WIC for pregnancy, babies, and young children
WIC helps eligible pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children under age 5 with nutrition support. Ohio WIC says applicants must live in Ohio, meet income rules, and be determined by health professionals to be at medical or nutritional risk. For the 2025-2026 WIC income period, USDA lists the monthly income limit for a household of 4 as $4,957.
Start with Ohio WIC or ASMOM’s Ohio WIC guide for details.
Child care help
Ohio child care help may help pay a provider while you work, go to school, train, or take part in an approved activity. Ohio’s Department of Children and Youth explains the state’s child care programs and licensing information on its child care help page.
If abuse affects work, court, or child care stability, tell the county worker only what is safe and needed. Ask whether your case can be handled by phone, upload, or a safe mailing address. See ASMOM’s Ohio child care guide before you apply.
Health and counseling support
If you or your child need medical care, Medicaid may be part of your Ohio Benefits application. You can also ask an advocate for counseling referrals, trauma-informed clinics, and help replacing documents. For broader options, see ASMOM’s Ohio health care guide and Ohio mental health guide.
Housing rights if you receive HUD-assisted housing
If you live in public housing, have a Housing Choice Voucher, or live in many HUD-assisted properties, the Violence Against Women Act may protect you from being denied housing, evicted, or losing help because of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. HUD explains these protections on its HUD VAWA rights page.
Ask your landlord, housing authority, or property manager for the VAWA notice, the certification form, and the emergency transfer plan. If that feels unsafe, ask a domestic violence advocate or legal aid attorney to help you make the request.
For local housing steps, see ASMOM’s Ohio housing help and Ohio emergency help for backup steps.
Crime victim compensation
Ohio Crime Victim Compensation can reimburse some eligible out-of-pocket costs from a violent crime, such as medical expenses, counseling, lost wages, crime-scene cleanup for personal security, and some other costs. The Ohio Attorney General says the maximum total payments are limited to $50,000, and several expense types have caps.
Start with the Attorney General’s victim compensation page. The Court of Claims explains that the Attorney General reviews the initial claim and the Court of Claims handles judicial review if there is an appeal.
Tip
Ask your advocate to help you apply. Compensation rules can require a police report, cooperation with law enforcement, and proof that expenses are not covered by another source.
Documents and information checklist
You may not have every paper. Do not let that stop you from calling for help. Ask the program what can be replaced later and what can be submitted by photo, upload, fax, mail, or in person.
| For | Helpful items | If missing |
|---|---|---|
| Protection order | Photo ID, dates, texts, photos, police reports, medical notes, witness names, child safety facts. | Ask court staff or an advocate what is required to file today. |
| Benefits | ID, Social Security numbers, pay stubs, rent, utilities, child care costs, school or work schedule. | Ask for a document checklist and a safe way to upload later. |
| Safe at Home | Information requested by the certified Application Assistant. | Do not send forms on your own; ask for an assistant. |
| Victim compensation | Police report, bills, receipts, insurance letters, lost wage proof, counseling records. | Ask whether you can start the claim and add documents later. |
For a general list of papers that help with assistance applications, use ASMOM’s documents checklist before applying.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting because you do not have every document. Call first. Many offices can tell you what can wait.
- Using an unsafe device. If someone monitors your phone, use a library, work phone, shelter phone, or trusted person’s device when possible.
- Assuming a protection order solves every safety issue. It is one tool. Ask an advocate about the safest next step before and after filing.
- Not telling benefits staff about abuse when rules are unsafe. You do not need to share every detail, but you can ask about domestic violence waivers or good cause.
- Changing child support or custody steps alone. These issues can affect safety and legal rights. Start with legal aid or an advocate.
If you are denied, delayed, ignored, or overwhelmed
Ask for the denial or delay reason in writing. Keep screenshots, letters, names, dates, and call notes. If it is a benefits problem, ask for a supervisor and ask how to appeal. If it is a court or housing problem, contact legal aid quickly because deadlines may be short.
For appeals and benefit problems, use ASMOM’s benefits problem guide for next steps. For rent, deposits, shelter, and utility stress, use Ohio utility help and rent help resources for bills.
Backup options
If one door does not open, try a second door the same day.
- Call the National Hotline if you cannot reach a local Ohio program.
- Dial 211 or use Ohio 211 for food, shelter, transportation, diapers, legal referrals, and local nonprofits.
- Ask your child’s school counselor or family resource center about safe pickup notes, clothing, food, and emergency contacts.
- Ask your health clinic about a social worker, victim advocate, or safe referral.
- Use ASMOM’s Ohio baby items guide if you need diapers, formula support, clothing, or children’s basics.
Phone scripts
Calling a domestic violence program
“Hi, I am a single mother in Ohio and I need help with domestic violence. I may need shelter, safety planning with children, and help understanding protection orders. Is it safe to talk now, or can we set up a safer call time?”
Calling the court clerk
“I want to ask about filing for a domestic violence or dating violence civil protection order. What forms does this county require, where do I file, and can I ask for an ex parte hearing today?”
Calling Job and Family Services
“I need to apply for food, medical, cash, and child care help. Domestic violence is affecting my safety and my ability to meet some requirements. How do I ask for good cause or a domestic violence waiver?”
Calling a housing office
“I receive HUD-assisted housing and I need to ask about VAWA protections and an emergency transfer. What forms do you use, and can I send them through an advocate or legal aid office?”
Resumen en español
Si usted o sus hijos están en peligro inmediato, llame al 911 si es seguro hacerlo. Para ayuda por violencia doméstica en Ohio, puede llamar a ODVN al 1-800-934-9840 o usar la Línea Nacional de Violencia Doméstica al 1-800-799-7233.
Un programa local puede ayudar con refugio, planificación de seguridad, órdenes de protección, transporte, vivienda, comida, beneficios, y ayuda legal. Si alguien revisa su teléfono o computadora, use un dispositivo más seguro cuando pueda.
Este artículo es información general. No es consejo legal ni un plan de seguridad. Hable con una defensora, abogado, corte, o agencia oficial antes de tomar decisiones importantes.
FAQ
What should I do first if I am in danger in Ohio?
Call 911 if you or your children are in immediate danger and it is safe to call. If you need domestic violence support, contact ODVN at 1-800-934-9840 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.
Can I get a protection order the same day in Ohio?
If you request an ex parte domestic violence or dating violence civil protection order, Ohio law says the court must hold the ex parte hearing the same day you file. A full hearing is usually set within 7 or 10 court days, depending on the order.
Can a protection order include my children?
It may. Ohio Legal Help says a domestic violence CPO can include child-related issues in some cases. Bring facts about why the children need protection and ask an advocate or lawyer for help before the hearing.
How can I keep my address private in Ohio?
Ask about Ohio Safe at Home. Eligible survivors apply through a certified Application Assistant and may receive a substitute address for official records and government mail.
Can domestic violence affect Ohio benefits rules?
Yes. Ohio’s OWF domestic violence rule says counties must screen and may waive requirements when compliance would make it harder to escape domestic violence. Ask your county worker about good cause or domestic violence waivers.
Is there help with medical bills or counseling after abuse?
Ohio Crime Victim Compensation may help with some eligible out-of-pocket costs, including medical expenses, counseling, lost wages, and some safety-related costs. The program has rules, caps, and documentation requirements.
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified May 20, 2026, next review August 20, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.