Senior benefits in Shelby County, Ohio

Shelby County emergency aid: (1) Shelby County Job and Family Services for Ohio Works First (TANF), Prevention, Retention and Contingency (PRC) emergency assistance (TANF-funded; usually requires a minor child in the home), and Ohio Medicaid; (2) Tri-County Community Action Commission of Champaign, Logan, and Shelby for HEAP/PIPP+/Winter Crisis utility help; (3) Area Agency on Aging PSA 2 for senior case management, Title III meals, and PASSPORT enrollment (937-223-4357); (4) the county hospital FAP + Ohio HCAP for healthcare safety-net; (5) Catholic Social Services / Salvation Army / St. Vincent de Paul; (6) regional food bank; (7) Ohio 2-1-1 for general referrals.

Estimated bill savings: $200–$3,000 a year

Ohio HEAP for Shelby County residents: Tri-County Community Action Commission of Champaign, Logan, and Shelby is the HEAP/PIPP+/Winter Crisis administering agency for Shelby County (a 3-county agency). Income limit: 175% FPL (~$27,930 single). Apply via energyhelp.ohio.gov, by calling 1-800-282-0880, or at the local administering agency. PIPP+ (ongoing 6%-of-income utility plan) + Winter Crisis Program (Nov-March emergency tier) layer on top.

Estimated bill savings: $200–$1,500 a year

Shelby County hospital safety net: Shelby = Wilson Health (Sidney, INDEPENDENT not-for-profit) — county anchor in Honda/automotive country. Ohio's Hospital Care Assurance Program (HCAP) requires hospitals receiving HCAP funds (essentially all Ohio acute-care hospitals) to provide basic, medically necessary hospital-level services free of charge to Ohio residents at or below 100% FPL; each hospital's own Financial Assistance Program (typically sliding to 200-400% FPL) layers above HCAP. Apply at the hospital financial counseling office or at https://www.wilsonhealth.org/patients-visitors/financial-assistance. Phone: Patient Financial Services 937-498-5331; hospital main line 937-498-2311.

Estimated bill savings: $500–$30,000 a year

In this county: Shelby: Shelby = Wilson Health (Sidney, INDEPENDENT not-for-profit) — county anchor in Honda/automotive country. Ohio HCAP guarantees free basic hospital-level care at or below 100% FPL; each hospital's own FAP slides above that.

Shelby County AAA = Area Agency on Aging, PSA 2 (Dayton), which serves nine west central Ohio counties. Older Americans Act services include congregate and home-delivered meals, the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, transportation, personal care, housekeeping, adult day service, home repair, legal help, and caregiver support. The agency also handles PASSPORT, the Medicaid waiver for care at home for people 60 and older. In Shelby County, Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley runs the in-home assessment and home care programs: call 800-521-6419. For other questions, call the Area Agency on Aging at 937-223-4357 (937-223-HELP).

Estimated service value: $1,500–$6,000 a year

Shelby Public Transit (City of Sidney) — demand-response, origin-to-destination public transportation in Sidney and throughout Shelby County, with connecting service to Miami County. Reduced senior fares. Ohio counties operate independent transit systems — fare structure varies. Call Shelby Public Transit at 937-498-8117 to schedule; request the reduced senior fare. Rides to or from anywhere in the county cost $5; the reduced rate for seniors and riders with a disability is $2.50.

Estimated service value: $200–$2,000 a year