Ombudsman - Montgomery County, Ohio

05/21/2026

Several weeks ago, a woman contacted the Ombudsman because she had been the victim of fraud. The woman receives Supplemental Food Assistance for her family of four in the amount of just over $500 per month. In that month, all her benefits were taken through online fraudulent activity. All her benefits were spent at midnight at a large grocery corporation in the state of Arizona.

She received another EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) card the next day and filed a police report. When she contacted the Department of Job and Family Services about the event, she was told to get a new card and to go to a food pantry. The replacement of SNAP benefits ended at the close of 2024 because the government did not approve funding beyond December 2024.

The victim of such fraud is to report the fraud, request a new card, and lock their card until they want to use it. Recipients are encouraged to select the “lock card everywhere option” until they use the card to reduce the risk of benefits being stolen.

Fortunately, our county has numerous sources for our neighbors to obtain food in such an unfortunate circumstance as the family defrauded of their food assistance benefit. The Ombudsman Office was able to make referrals and then followed up with the family.

The Ombudsman column is a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints that summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area.

Contact the Ombudsman by writing to 11 W. Monument Ave., Suite 606, Dayton, OH 45402, call 937-223-4613, or by email ombudsman@ dayton-ombudsman.org.

05/21/2026

05/14/2026

Last month a woman called the Ombudsman to complain about her high water bills. She stated that, as advised by the water department, she had several plumbers come to her home to check her residence for leaks, and none were found.

She said her bills are normally $157 per quarter. Then she received a bill for $445, then the next one was almost $700. The woman is 89-years-old and cannot continue to pay the increasing bills.

The Ombudsman requested the account history for the property. The quarterly usage was normally eight CCF or so. Then it increased to 56 CCF, then 46 CCF and most recently 81 CCF. A CCF, or centum cubic feet, is a unit of measurement for water usage on utility bills, representing 100 cubic feet of water. It is equivalent to 748 gallons. The water department agreed to send a representative out to check the reads and the meter.

The Ombudsman helped arrange a day and time for the representative to visit the woman’s home. When the visit took place, the woman informed the representative that she had the toilets repaired when the plumbers she called came out to inspect.

Toilets are frequently the cause of such water usage increases.

The representative said when water travels down the sanitary drain, there is no credit given for the usage. The woman was relieved to know that the excess water usage and accompanying high bills would cease.

Posted in Dayton Daily News on 5-14-26
The Ombudsman column is a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints that summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area.

NEED SUPPORT? CONTACT THE OMBUDSMAN
Postal mail: 11 W. Monument Ave., Suite 606, Dayton, OH 45402
Phone: 937-223-4613
Email: [email protected]

05/12/2026

One of our interns at the Ombudsman Office handled a recent case for a Navy veteran. The man received a notice that his Medicaid benefits would stop in the following month, and he did not understand the reason.
The man was truly frightened at losing his health-care coverage because he is recovering from Stage 3 lung cancer and related health problems. The VA will cover his immunotherapy for another year, as well as his oxygen. But he will be losing his home health aides and some other vital services if his Medicaid is not restored.

After receiving the man’s documents, it could be determined that significant sources of the man’s income were missing from his recertification paperwork. This led to the determination that he was no longer eligible for Medicaid coverage.
He was able to turn in income documents within the 90-day period so his case could be reopened, and he did not have to reapply. The man was grateful for the quick assistance.

The Ombudsman column is a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints that summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area.

04/28/2026

Dayton Daily News Column 4-27-26

This week’s Ombudsman case was investigated and resolved by one of our interns serving a practicum in our office from one of our area universities. We welcome the involvement of volunteers and interns in our office to assist in our work. It is one of our mandates “to provide an opportunity for constructive public service for volunteers,” and their help assists us in resolving our many cases. We view this as an activity through which we can contribute to educating young people in the practice of complaint resolution.

A man recently contacted our office with a concern about an odor in the apartment he rents from Greater Dayton Premier Management. The man is suffering from cancer and a heart condition, and the smell in his apartment is giving him headaches and stomach aches. He has contacted the agency several times and has put in a work order. All he is seeking is the elimination of the odor in his apartment.

The Ombudsman contacted the manager at the agency who agreed to send a staff person out to investigate. The maintenance supervisor went out to investigate but did not locate the source of the problem. The decision was made to have an air quality test done to ensure there was no mold or anything else that could cause any issues.

After the air quality test results, the agency decided to remove the carpet in both rooms and to install hardwood floors instead. The man was most pleased with the resolution of the problem and thankful for the Ombudsman’s intervention.

The Ombudsman column is a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints that summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area.

04/21/2026

LOCAL ADVOCACY Dayton Daily News April 19, 2026

Ombudman’s office helps woman provide proof of income

Our neighbors who utilize services for low-income people must prove on a regular basis that their income remains low to remain eligible for services. Special barriers and challenges can arise when attempting to provide such proof of income.

A woman trying to recertify for her subsidized housing benefit asked the Ombudsman Office for assistance in obtaining information from the Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services. In this woman’s case, she needed proof that she did not receive any other benefits from that department other than Medicaid. She had attempted to obtain this information herself, but on one occasion was told that the computers at the agency were temporarily down. On another attempt she was referred to the Self-Service Portal of the Ohio Benefits website, where one can print out one’s benefits.

Since the woman does not have a computer and internet service, she was referred to the public library system for assistance in using the benefits website. In order to help the woman meet her recertification deadline, the Ombudsman had her benefits statement mailed to her.

In addition, the Ombudsman provided instructions on how to set up an account ON the Self-Service Portal website at ssp.benefits.ohio.gov, and the help desk number for the portal, 844-640- 6446.

As more of our government services move online, the responsibility remains for government agencies to make services available to those who do not have the technology to participate online or the knowledge and experience to do so with confidence.

The Ombudsman column is a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints that summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area.

04/13/2026

Plan now to attend tonight's DATV program from 7-8 pm to learn more about about our Long Term Care programs and Volunteer Opportunities.

Joining Program Director, Chip Wilkins, will be Veterans Ombudsman, Jimmy Gillespie and Volunteer Coordinator, Dotty Young. This call- in show will allow you to ask your questions to get the information you need to make good choices for the care of your family members.

04/07/2026

Dayton Daily News Column April 5, 2026

Ombudsman’s office helps local woman with missing mail

A woman who said she was not receiving mail contacted the ombudsman’s office for assistance. She was receiving email alerts from her insurance company and other companies inquiring whether her mailing address had changed.

She went to the local post office to try to find out what was happening but could not discover what the problem was. She completed a change of address to her own address in the hope of fixing the problem.

The ombudsman went to a supervisor at the USPS and requested an investigation.
After investigating, it was learned that the mail had been mishandled but it has now been corrected. The woman was advised to register for “informed delivery.”

After that intervention, the mail was delivered promptly.

Need assistance? Contact the Ombudsman by writing to 11 W. Monument Ave., Suite 606, Dayton, Ohio 45402 or call (937) 223-4613, or email [email protected].

The Ombudsman column is a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints, summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area.

04/01/2026

Ombudsman’s office helps homeowner after home was hit by garbage truck

LOCAL ADVOCACY By Diane Wellborn – Dayton Ombudsman
Dayton Daily News Column March 26, 2026

On occasion, government procedures make resolution of a problem so complicated that the average person resigns himself or herself to the situation. Such was the case with a Montgomery County man whose home was hit by a municipal trash collection vehicle. The supervisor presented the man with a card which admitted the driver had an accident and acknowledged the damage. The homeowner estimated damage of $200-$300. At the time, he was told that someone would come out to look at the damage, but no one ever came.
His repeated calls were not returned so he contacted the Ombudsman.

The ombudsman intervened on the man’s behalf, and he was sent moral obligation paperwork to complete. He was grateful and reported that he would keep the Ombudsman Office posted on the progress. He said that we got more done in two days that he was able to accomplish in 10 months.

However, the homeowner continued to be frustrated at the paperwork requirements needed to complete the claim. The process required two estimates, which presented a challenge to the man to obtain because the repair needed was so small. In addition, the paperwork was required to be notarized, which was also a challenge to the man. He found that he was required to pay a fee in order to have the document notarized. In the end, this homeowner found the process to obtain two estimates and payment for the notarized copy was more trouble than help in his situation. The man decided to repair the damage himself. Unfortunately, these complications leave a bad feeling by the man for his local municipality.

The Ombudsman Column, a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints, summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area. Contact the Ombudsman by writing to 11 W. Monument Ave., Suite 606, Dayton, OH 45402, call (937) 223-4613 or email [email protected].