Beginning in June, Hamilton County’s cash and food assistance consumers will start receiving new electronic benefit cards.

The cash assistance card, formerly known as Ohio EPPICard, is now the Ohio Pathway Card. The look of this card will also change. The food assistance cards will continue to be called the Ohio Direction Card but the look will change. The benefits, name and number on the card will all remain the same.

The new Ohio Pathway Card will be issued to consumers from June 3 to June 17. The Ohio Direction Card will be randomly issued from July 8 to August 31.

When consumers receive their new card in the mail, they will need to go online or call the phone number on the back of the card to activate it and select a new Personal Identification Number (PIN).

For the cash assistance cards, consumers will need to use their old card until the balance reaches $0 because the balance will not transfer. They can begin using the new card once the old card no longer has a balance.

For the food assistance cards, once the new card is activated, the old card will expire.

Along with the new cards, consumers will also have access to www.ucard.chase.com. This website, known as the UCard Center, provides general cardholder information, deposits, address updates, card activity information and reports.

For questions about the old Ohio EPPIcard call 1-866-320-8822. After June 3, call 1-866-669-6109 for questions about the Ohio Pathway card. For questions about the Ohio Direction card, call 1-866-386-3071.

For more information on the cash assistance card change, please visit /hcjfs-updateDemo/services/cashassistance/default.htm. For more information on the food assistance card change, please visit /hcjfs-updateDemo/services/foodstamps/default.htm.