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Ohio Revised Code Title LI. Public Welfare § 5101.28

Current as of January 01, 2026 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(A)(1) On request of the department of job and family services, the department of children and youth, or a county agency, a law enforcement agency shall provide information regarding public assistance recipients to enable the department of job and family services, department of children and youth, or county agency to determine, for eligibility purposes, whether a recipient or a member of a recipient's assistance group is a fugitive felon or violating a condition of probation, a community control sanction, parole, or a post-release control sanction imposed under state or federal law.

(2) A county agency may enter into a written agreement with a local law enforcement agency establishing procedures concerning access to information and providing for compliance with this section.

(B) To the extent permitted by federal law, the department of job and family services, department of children and youth, and county agencies shall provide information regarding recipients of public assistance to a law enforcement agency on request for use in the performance of the law enforcement agency's official duties.

(C) Information about a public assistance recipient shall be exchanged, obtained, or shared only if the department of job and family services, department of children and youth, county agency, or law enforcement agency requesting the information gives sufficient information to specifically identify the recipient.  In addition to the recipient's name, identifying information may include the recipient's current or last known address, social security number, other identifying number, age, gender, physical characteristics, any information specified in an agreement entered into under division (A) of this section, or any information considered appropriate by the department of job and family services, department of children and youth or agency.

(D)(1) The department of job and family services, department of children and youth, and each department's officers and employees are not liable in damages in a civil action for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from the release of information in accordance with divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section.  This section does not affect any immunity or defense that the department of job and family services, department of children and youth, and each department's officers and employees may be entitled to under another section of the Revised Code or the common law of this state, including section 9.86 of the Revised Code.

(2) The county agencies and their employees are not liable in damages in a civil action for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from the release of information in accordance with divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section.  “Employee” has the same meaning as in division (B) of section 2744.01 of the Revised Code.  This section does not affect any immunity or defense that the county agencies and their employees may be entitled to under another section of the Revised Code or the common law of this state, including section 2744.02 and division (A)(6) of section 2744.03 of the Revised Code.

(E) To the extent permitted by federal law, the department of job and family services, department of children and youth, and county agencies shall provide access to information to the auditor of state acting pursuant to Chapter 117. or sections 5101.181 and 5101.182 of the Revised Code and to any other government entity authorized by federal law to conduct an audit of, or similar activity involving, a public assistance program.

(F) To the extent permitted by law, nothing in this section prohibits the department of job and family services, the department of children and youth, county departments of job and family services, and employees of the departments from reporting to a public children services agency or other appropriate agency information on known or suspected physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent treatment or maltreatment, of a child.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Ohio Revised Code Title LI. Public Welfare § 5101.28 - last updated January 01, 2026 | https://codes.findlaw.com/oh/title-li-public-welfare/oh-rev-code-sect-5101-28/

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