Free senior care guidance for Greater Cleveland families. No cost to you, ever.
Call (216) 483-7940
Cleveland Senior Advisor

Ohio's PASSPORT Waiver, Explained

PASSPORT is Ohio's flagship in-home Medicaid waiver. It keeps people at home; it does not pay for assisted living.

Get matched freeCall (216) 483-7940
Home›Ohio Rules›Ohio's PASSPORT Waiver, Explained
Short answer

Ohio's flagship home and community-based services (HCBS) Medicaid waiver, designed to keep Medicaid-eligible seniors who need nursing-facility level of care at home instead of in an institution.

What PASSPORT covers

Personal care, home-delivered meals, adult day care, minor home modifications, personal emergency response systems, medical transportation, and, added in October 2024, Structured Family Caregiving.

PASSPORT does not pay for assisted living room and board, anywhere. PASSPORT is an in-home program; it does not pay for room and board anywhere, including assisted living. Families sometimes assume PASSPORT can subsidize a move into a Residential Care Facility. It cannot; that is the separate Assisted Living Waiver's role.

Who delivers it

Ohio Department of Aging, delivered through PASSPORT Administrative Agencies (in this region, the Area Agencies on Aging). In this region, that means the Area Agency on Aging serving your county — Western Reserve for Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina and Geauga, or Direction Home Akron Canton for Summit and Portage.

Source: Ohio Department of Aging: PASSPORT

Where to get free help in the Cleveland area

Short answer

This site's 7-county area is split between two Area Agencies on Aging. Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging covers Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain and Medina counties. Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities covers Summit and Portage counties. Do not assume one agency covers the whole region.

This site's 7-county service area is split between two different Area Agencies on Aging. Do not assume one agency covers the entire region.

Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging (WRAAA) (PSA PSA 10A)

Serves Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, and Medina counties. Benefits counseling, care coordination, funding for congregate and home-delivered meals, the Region 10A Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, caregiver support, and long-term care options counseling.

WRAAA covers 5 of this site's 7 counties. It does not cover Summit or Portage. Website

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities (PSA PSA 10B)

Serves Summit and Portage (also Stark and Wayne counties, outside this site's coverage area). Address: 1700 East 13th Street, Suite 114, Cleveland, OH 44114. Phone: 800-626-7277.

Summit and Portage counties are served by Direction Home, not by Western Reserve. A family in Solon or Aurora searching by county rather than by AAA territory can easily reach the wrong agency. Website

Other Cleveland-area organizations worth knowing

  • Benjamin Rose Meals on Wheels — 216-373-1994. Home-delivered meals for Cleveland and Cuyahoga County residents unable to shop for or prepare meals independently. Meals are free for participants age 60 and older; self-pay is available for those under 60. Website
  • Meals on Wheels Cleveland West — 440-871-2551. Serves the western Cuyahoga County suburbs. Eligible recipients are elderly, disabled, temporarily ill, convalescing, or homebound individuals unable to safely shop for or prepare their own meals. Website
  • Meals on Wheels of Northeast Ohio (VANTAGE Aging). Serves Summit and Portage counties (as well as Stark, Wayne, Carroll, Holmes, and Tuscarawas counties outside this site's coverage area). No formal eligibility requirements; meals are offered on a sliding fee scale. Does not currently list Medina County in its service area. Website
  • Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging — 216-791-8000. Cleveland-based nonprofit founded in 1908. Runs adult day services, the WeCare telephone care-coaching program for caregivers of people with chronic conditions, the Senior Companion Program, behavioral health services for adults 55 and older, and Rose Centers for Aging Well senior centers. Located at 11890 Fairhill Rd., Cleveland, OH 44120. Website
  • Greater Cleveland RTA Senior Fare and Paratransit. Riders 65 and older can buy a discounted Senior fare or All-Day Senior/Disabled Pass on Greater Cleveland RTA buses and trains with a valid photo ID or RTA-issued ID card. RTA ADA Paratransit provides curb-to-curb or door-to-door shared-ride service for riders who cannot use fixed-route buses due to a disability; ADA-certified paratransit riders can also use fixed-route bus and rail at no cost. Covers Cuyahoga County; does not extend into Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit, Geauga, or Portage counties. Website
  • Laketran Dial-a-Ride and Seniors on the Go — 440-354-6100. Lake County's transit authority. Dial-a-Ride is a door-to-door, assisted transportation service within Lake County and to select medical facilities in Cuyahoga County. Seniors on the Go, launched with the Lake County Board of Commissioners in May 2025, provides fare-free Dial-a-Ride and local bus rides to Lake County residents 60 and older who complete a Reduced Fare Application. Website
  • United Way 211 — 2-1-1. Free, confidential, 24/7 information and referral service confirmed to cover Cuyahoga and Geauga counties (also Ross County, outside this region). Ohio's 211 network is a patchwork of locally operated providers rather than one statewide system; families in Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit, or Portage counties should still try dialing 2-1-1, since local coverage (for example, United Way of Summit & Medina operates its own 211 helpline), but should confirm coverage directly at 211oh.org or 211.org rather than assuming statewide coverage the way Texas 211 works. Website

Questions Cleveland families ask

What are red flags in an Ohio assisted living contract I should watch for?

Watch for vague or open-ended fee schedules that don't clearly separate room and board from care service charges, unclear discharge or transfer criteria, and any language suggesting the facility can exceed what an RCF is licensed to provide, like extended skilled nursing beyond the 120-day cap, without a clear written extension process. Also check that any memory care special care unit disclosure required under OAC 3701-16-07(F)(5) is actually provided in writing, not just described verbally.

How do I manage my aging parent's care in Cleveland if I live out of state?

Start by identifying the Area Agency on Aging for your parent's specific county, Western Reserve for Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, or Geauga, or Direction Home Akron Canton for Summit or Portage, since they can coordinate assessments and connect you to local services remotely. Set up a local point of contact, a geriatric care manager, trusted neighbor, or family friend, for situations that need in-person follow-up, and confirm in advance who the hospital or facility should call in an emergency.

How does lake-effect winter weather affect isolation risk for seniors in the Cleveland area?

Lake-effect snow can produce sudden, heavy accumulation and hazardous driving conditions across Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga counties, which can cut off an isolated senior from grocery deliveries, medical appointments, and in-home caregiver visits for days at a time. Families should have a winter contingency plan in place, a well-stocked pantry, a check-in schedule, and a backup plan if a scheduled caregiver can't make it in due to road conditions.

Are there heating or utility assistance programs for seniors in the Cleveland area?

Seniors in Northeast Ohio can access Ohio's Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) for utility bill assistance, along with federal energy assistance funding that flows through the state. Contact your county's Job and Family Services department or your county's Area Agency on Aging to start an application, since intake can vary locally.

What's the difference between hospice and palliative care in Ohio?

Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms and improving quality of life at any stage of a serious illness, and can be provided alongside curative treatment. Hospice care, by contrast, is for patients with a life expectancy of six months or less who have chosen to forgo curative treatment in favor of comfort-focused care; both are delivered by Ohio-licensed hospice and home health providers.

Not sure where to start?

Answer five questions and a local advisor will come back with senior care options in Greater Cleveland that actually fit your situation and budget. It is free, and there is no obligation.

Find care options
Find senior care — free