Filing for Disability in Ohio | SSDI and SSI

Although Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are federal programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), there are differences in certain aspects of the process between the individual states.

Below you'll find information specific to applying for disability benefits in Ohio.

How Do I Apply for and Get Disability Benefits in Ohio?

You apply for disability benefits online or through a local Social Security field office. There are 57 Social Security Administration field offices in Ohio. You can locate the one closest to you by using Social Security's field office locator.

At the field office (or over the phone), a claims representative will review your application to make sure you've met all of the technical requirements for benefits, including the work history requirements for SSDI or the income limits for SSI.

If you meet the technical requirements, the claims rep will send your application to a claims examiner at the Ohio Division of Disability Determination (DDD), a state agency, for a medical decision to be made on your records.

Where Is Ohio's DDD Office?

The Division of Disability Determination (DDD) is managed by the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) program. The DDD office is located at:

Ohio OOD, Division of Disability Determination
150 E Campus View Blvd
Columbus, OH 43235
Telephone: (800) 282-2695
Fax: (614) 438-1504

You can contact OOD for an update on the status of your application. OOD also can assist you in obtaining job training and rehabilitation services.

How Does Ohio's DDD Decide if I Qualify for Disability?

The claims examiner at DDD will use a step-by-step process involving five questions to determine if you have a qualifying disability. The five questions are:

1. Are you working too much to be considered disabled?
2. Is your condition "severe"?
3. Is your condition found in the list of disabling conditions?
4. Can you do the work you did previously?
5. Can you do any other type of work?

What Happens If My Disability Claim Is Denied?

If the claims examiner at Ohio's DDD denies your claim, you can ask that a different claims examiner at DDD reconsider your claim (this is the first level of appeal). You start this appeal by filing a reconsideration request.

If the DDD denies your claim again, you can request a hearing by filing a request for a hearing with an administrative law judge. The DDD will then send your claim to the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO), a branch of Social Security with offices in Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo, where a judge will decide your case at a disability hearing. Contact information for these offices is at the end of this article.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Decision on a Disability Claim in Ohio?

It takes about four to six months to get an initial decision from Ohio's DDD. If your claim is denied, you will have to wait at least another three to five months to get an answer on your request for reconsideration.

If the DDD denies you a second time and you have to go to a disability hearing, you're less than halfway done. In 2023, it's taking an average of 17 months to get a hearing date, from the time you file a request for hearing until the date the case is decided by an ALJ.

What Are My Chances of Approval of Disability Benefits in Ohio?

Unfortunately, the Ohio DDD only approves benefits to around 39% of those who apply for disability in Ohio at the initial application stage. And at the reconsideration stage, 12% of the initially denied claims are approved.

At the next stage of appeal, the hearing, over 56% of disability applicants in Ohio are approved for benefits, and this percentage is higher for applicants who are represented by a disability lawyer.

Here is a table displaying Ohio's approval rates and hearing wait time, compared to the national averages.

Source: ALJ Disposition Data Fiscal Year 2023 and Average Wait Time Until Hearing, June 2023 (Social Security).

Does Ohio Have a State Supplement to SSI?

If you're approved for SSI or SSDI in Ohio, the State of Ohio may add a supplement to your monthly payment, depending on your living situation. Any supplement given by the state will be in addition to the federal disability payment, which, for an individual in 2023, is $914 monthly.

In Ohio, the supplemental payment is called the residential state supplement (RSS), and it's mostly for SSI recipients living in special living situations. The majority of the RSS payment is applied to "rent" at a facility, and the amount is determined by your income and current living situation as well as other factors.

You have to apply for the state supplement separately from Social Security disability or SSI. The RSS program has income and asset limits that are stricter than the limits for the SSI program. Information on how to apply and eligibility can be found on Ohio's Mental Health and Addiction Services website.

Ohio exempts 100% of Social Security benefits and SSI benefits from a resident's tax liability. That means the state doesn't tax SSDI or SSI payments. For people with higher incomes, the federal government will tax a portion of their SSDI benefits. But the IRS does not tax SSI benefits.

Does Ohio Have Resources to Help Me Return to Work?

Individuals who are disabled may face special struggles when trying to return to work. In Ohio, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disability (OOD) manages the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR). This department handles vocational services and works to place individuals with disabilities in jobs.

To apply for vocational rehabilitation services in Ohio, you can apply online. If you need help throughout this process or have any questions regarding vocational rehabilitation in Iowa, you can contact one of the OOD offices using their office locator.

Where Are Ohio's Disability Hearing Offices?

All Social Security disability hearings are conducted at the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO), part of the federal Social Security system. Ohio's OHO offices are located in the following Ohio cities:

Akron

121 South Main Street, Suite 400
Akron, Ohio 44308-1426
Telephone: (866) 708-3209
Fax: (833) 676-0109

Cincinnati

John W. Peck Federal Building, Suite 4-510
550 Main Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Telephone: (877) 405-7672
Fax: (833) 619-0569

Cleveland

Skylight Office Tower, 5th Floor
1660 West Second Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
Telephone: (877) 402-0822
Fax: (833) 694-0061

Columbus

401 N. Front Street, Suite 400
Columbus, OH 43215
Telephone: (888) 397-6870
Fax: (833) 559-0768

Dayton

10 N Ludlow Street, Suite 300
Courthouse Plaza SW
Dayton, Ohio 45402
Telephone: (888) 450-4590
Fax: (833) 635-0630

Toledo

One Seagate, 13th Floor
Toledo, Ohio 43604
Telephone: (866) 782-7304
Fax: (833) 702-0716

Before your hearing, you may want to check for address and phone number changes with Social Security's hearing office locator.

Get More Information on Filing for Disability

If you'd like to find out more about getting disability benefits and what to expect during the application process, check out these articles:

• What's the Difference Between SSDI and SSI?
• Do You Qualify for Disability Benefits? (Take our quiz.)
• How to Get Financial Assistance While Waiting on Disability

Other Sources:
_{Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2021
Annual Statistical Supplement, 2022}