To find a civil legal aid provider, call

1.866.LAW.OHIO (1.866.529.6446)



For the hearing impaired:
Use this site to find the local
Ohio legal aid provider in your
area. Then, call the Ohio Relay
Service at 1-800-750-0750 and
ask the service operator to
connect you to the provider
you are trying to call.


The information in this site is
not intended as legal advice.

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Reentry Resources : Reentry Resources and Community Information

What resources are available in Ohio?

Call 2-1-1 for help with food, housing, employment, health care, counseling, and more.  2-1-1 is available in about 80% of Ohio's counties.  You can learn more about your local 2-1-1 here. 

Apply for public benefits and register to vote at an Ohio Benefit Bank site near you.

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections' M.U.S.C.L.E. Guide lists many available resources and local agencies by county.

Cuyahoga County has its own reentry resource guide, Going Home to Stay.

Citizen Circle can be a way to make connections with community members and build a support system.

How can I find help getting a job?

There is an Ohio service called Hard2Hire which may be able to help you find a job.  The Hard2Hire job service specializes in helping ex-offenders find work.

Education is one way to overcome employment barriers.  The Ohio Ex-Offender Reentry Coalition has created a list of educational resources for ex-offenders.

How do I get my state ID card, Social Security card, and birth certificate?

To get a state ID card, take your inmate ID card (or birth certificate and Social Security card) to a BMV office and trade it for a state ID card.  The cost for a state ID card is $8.50. 

To get a duplicate Social Security card, go to the Social Security local office for your area and order a free duplicate card.  It will take two weeks for your card to be mailed to you, so ask for a Social Security number print out to use in the meantime.   

To get a copy of your birth certificate, fill out this form and mail it to Department of Vital Statistics.

If I have a criminal record, can I vote in Ohio?

Yes.  There are only two circumstances where you can lose your right to vote in Ohio because of a criminal record:

    1)  If you are currently incarcerated for a felony conviction.  You become eligible to vote on the day you are released from prison.

    2) If you have been convicted twice of felony violations of Ohio's election laws.  In this case, you will be permanently barred from voting in Ohio.

For more information about voting in Ohio, visit the Secretary of State's Voting Rights Institute.


 The information in this site is not intended as legal advice.
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