A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide

Hoarding support in Battle Creek, Michigan.

A respectful place to begin, whether you are looking for support for yourself, worried about someone you love, or trying to respond to a safety, housing, health, or practical concern in Battle Creek or elsewhere in Calhoun County.

People first.Then the stuff.A Fight the Blight initiative

Start here - Fight the Blight

You do not have to solve the whole situation before asking for help.

Our virtual groups give people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns a place to connect from Battle Creek, Calhoun County, and nearby communities. We can help you think through what is happening and what kind of next step may fit.

For immediate danger

Call 911 for a medical emergency, fire, violence, or immediate threat. Summit Pointe's First Step center and 24-hour helpline provide urgent mental-health and substance-use support at 800-632-5449. For a Calhoun County housing crisis, call Neighborhoods Inc. of Battle Creek at 269-968-1113 and ask for HARA intake.

First conversations

A few good places to start

You do not need to know the perfect service name before reaching out. These organizations can help you understand the landscape and identify a next step.

Public psychiatric urgent care, mental-health and substance-use assessment, crisis support, and service connection - all ages in Calhoun County; open 24/7, all insurance accepted, and no insurance required; clinical triage and service-fit rules apply

Summit Pointe - First Step

Summit Pointe is Calhoun County's public community mental-health authority. Its First Step center at 175 College Street accepts walk-ins around the clock for mental-health or substance-use needs, with no appointment required. Ask whether hoarding concerns can be assessed and what ongoing pathway fits. Call 911 for fire, violence, serious injury, or another immediate threat; First Step is not organizing, cleanup, or housing placement.

Qualified public behavioral-health, case-management, peer-support, recovery-coach, psychiatric, outpatient, substance-use, veteran, and intensive-service pathway - Calhoun County adults; assessment, eligibility, insurance, authorization, schedule, and capacity rules apply

Summit Pointe Adult Services

Summit Pointe publishes adult services that include case management, peer supports, recovery coaches, outpatient therapy, psychiatric care, substance-use treatment, a veteran navigator, and other levels of support. Call to ask about access, whether hoarding-related concerns fit an assessment or referral, and what coverage or eligibility rules apply. Services are not organizing, home repair, emergency dispatch, or guaranteed admission.

Area Agency on Aging information, caregiver, disability, care-management, dementia, nutrition, insurance, and in-home-support navigation - Calhoun County; some information is free, while age, disability, assessment, Medicaid, income, waitlist, and program rules vary

CareWell Services Southwest

CareWell is the Region 3B Area Agency on Aging serving Calhoun and Barry counties. Its Aging and Disability Resource Line can help older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers sort through care, meals, transportation, caregiver, dementia, insurance, and in-home options. Confirm cost, eligibility, assessment, service area, and waitlist details for each program. CareWell is not emergency dispatch or whole-home cleanup.

Housing Assessment and Resource Agency for homelessness, housing instability, coordinated assessment, support options, and referrals - Calhoun County; intake, documents, prioritization, funding, eligibility, and capacity rules apply

Neighborhoods Inc. of Battle Creek - Calhoun County HARA

Neighborhoods Inc. of Battle Creek is the state-listed HARA for Calhoun County. It helps individuals and families understand housing-support options and local referrals when they are homeless or at risk of losing housing. Contact the team for current intake instructions. Assistance, shelter, rent help, and placement are not guaranteed, and HARA is not emergency dispatch or cleanup.

Free, confidential, 24/7 community-resource navigation - Michigan, including Battle Creek and Calhoun County; provider eligibility, funding, hours, and capacity vary

Michigan 211

Call 211 or search Michigan 211 for current housing, shelter, food, utilities, health care, transportation, benefits, and other local services. Ask for Battle Creek or Calhoun County options and confirm details with each provider. A referral does not guarantee funding, an appointment, shelter, transportation, or another placement, and 211 is not emergency dispatch.

Qualified-care, organizer, taskforce, and support search - national directory with Michigan and telehealth options; listings are not endorsements and licensure, cost, insurance, waitlist, and service-area rules vary

IOCDF Hoarding Resource Directory

The International OCD Foundation directory can be searched for clinicians, programs, support groups, organizers, and taskforces that identify hoarding-related experience. Providers submit their information and IOCDF does not endorse their competence. Verify credentials, fees, insurance, privacy, availability, and whether in-home or telehealth work fits. This is not emergency response.

Safety and stability

When the concern involves safety, housing, or crisis

These pathways serve different situations. Read the labels carefully before calling, especially when a response may involve crisis care, protective services, shelter, housing rules, legal advocacy, or emergency dispatch.

Immediate police, fire, or medical dispatch - Battle Creek and surrounding jurisdictions; use for fire, serious injury, violence, or an immediate threat

911 Emergency Services

Call 911 when there is immediate danger, fire, a medical emergency, violence, or a threat that cannot wait for a planned service. Emergency dispatch is not a hoarding-support program, counseling service, housing placement, or cleanup provider.

24/7 psychiatric urgent care, crisis phone support, walk-in assessment, and mental-health or substance-use connection - all ages in Calhoun County; no appointment or insurance required, with clinical triage and response limits

Summit Pointe First Step 24-Hour Crisis Support

Call Summit Pointe's 24-hour helpline or walk into First Step at 175 College Street for urgent mental-health or substance-use support. The center accepts all ages and does not require insurance, but care remains based on clinical assessment and available pathways. Call 911 for fire, violence, serious injury, or immediate danger. This is not shelter, organizing, or cleanup.

Free, confidential, 24/7 emotional-distress, mental-health, and substance-use crisis support - Michigan; trained crisis counselors, with local routing that varies by caller area code

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline / Michigan Crisis and Access Line

Call or text 988 for suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, a mental-health or substance-use crisis, or concern about someone else. Michigan's crisis line also connects people with statewide support. Call 911 for fire, serious injury, violence, or another immediate threat; 988 does not replace emergency dispatch.

24/7 reporting, assessment, referral, and protection for suspected abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults - Michigan, including Calhoun County; statutory screening and response criteria apply

Michigan Adult Protective Services

Michigan Adult Protective Services accepts reports when a vulnerable adult may be experiencing abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation. APS coordinates accepted concerns with local systems while respecting applicable self-determination rights. It is not a general cleanup line; call 911 for immediate danger.

Free, confidential 24/7 domestic-violence and human-trafficking helpline, emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and referrals - Battle Creek, Calhoun County, and surrounding areas; safe-contact, intake, shelter-capacity, and program rules apply

S.A.F.E. Place

S.A.F.E. Place provides survivor-led crisis support, shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and referrals for people affected by intimate-partner violence or human trafficking. Use a safe device or phone when privacy is a concern and call the 24-hour helpline to explore residential or non-residential services. Shelter is not guaranteed, and S.A.F.E. Place is not hoarding-specific care or cleanup. Call 911 for immediate danger.

Temporary emergency shelter, meals, case management, life-skills support, and referrals - adult men in Battle Creek; intake, conduct, religious-programming, bed-capacity, and length-of-stay rules apply

Haven of Rest - Men's Shelter

The Haven's Men's Shelter provides temporary overnight shelter and meals for adult men, with case management and referrals for housing, employment, health, legal, and recovery needs. Call before relying on a bed and ask about current intake, participation expectations, capacity, and length of stay. It is not emergency dispatch, hoarding treatment, or cleanup.

Temporary emergency shelter, meals, case management, and service referrals - single women and one- or two-parent families in Battle Creek; intake, household, conduct, bed-capacity, and length-of-stay rules apply

Haven of Rest - Inasmuch House

Inasmuch House provides temporary shelter for single women and families, along with meals, case management, life-skills support, and referrals. Call to confirm current eligibility, bed availability, intake, household configuration, and stay limits before relying on shelter. It is not emergency dispatch, hoarding treatment, or cleanup.

Housing, property-maintenance, rental, dangerous-building, nuisance, notice, hearing, and enforcement authority - Battle Creek city limits; inspection, appeal, correction, fee, lien, and enforcement consequences may apply

City of Battle Creek Code Compliance

Code Compliance handles property-maintenance concerns, housing-code inspections, rental requirements, dangerous buildings, and neighborhood nuisances. The city says it emphasizes education and working with owners toward compliance, but formal notices, hearings, costs, and enforcement may follow. Consider safety, housing stability, consent, and available support before reporting. This is not emergency dispatch, legal representation, organizing, or guaranteed relocation.

Planned fire-code consultation, inspection, education, and prevention - Battle Creek city limits; jurisdiction, inspection, correction, citation, and scheduling rules apply

Battle Creek Fire Prevention Bureau

The Fire Prevention Bureau conducts prevention inspections and offers consultation about fire-code concerns. Its published policy emphasizes education and voluntary correction when an issue is not an imminent danger, while requiring correction of violations. Call 911 for an active fire, smoke, serious injury, blocked emergency escape during an immediate threat, or another emergency. This is not organizing, housing placement, or cleanup.

City and Bedford Township law-enforcement, non-emergency dispatch, reporting, and public-safety pathway - local jurisdiction; incident, priority, evidence, and response rules apply

Battle Creek Police Department

Use Calhoun County Consolidated Dispatch at the department's listed number for planned police reports or public-safety questions in Battle Creek or Bedford Township. Call 911 for an active crime, violence, fire, medical emergency, or immediate threat. Police contact is not hoarding treatment, housing help, mediation, organizing, or guaranteed cleanup.

People and practical help

Housing, food, care, transportation, and ongoing support

These listings connect the local community with housing, food, behavioral health, benefits, transit, survivor advocacy, disability support, peer support, and practical resources. Ask about current availability, cost, scope, consent, and safety before relying on them.

Grant assistance for necessary health-and-safety repairs - income-qualified owner-occupants in Battle Creek city limits; ownership, occupancy, insurance, tax, land-contract, prior-assistance, inspection, scope, contractor, funding, and capacity rules apply

City of Battle Creek Minor Home Repair Program

The city publishes a Minor Home Repair Program for qualifying low-income homeowners. Current materials describe up to $5,000 for eligible repairs and up to $15,000 for a roof, with ownership, six-month occupancy, insurance, property-tax, land-contract, prior-assistance, and income conditions. Confirm current funding, waitlist, inspection, eligible scope, and contractor process before applying. It is not emergency repair, general remodeling, organizing, or cleanup.

Lead inspection, hazard reduction, and abatement assistance - qualifying Battle Creek households and properties; child, Medicaid, income, property-age, occupancy, ownership or landlord, inspection, funding, relocation, and program rules vary

City of Battle Creek Lead Safe Programs

Battle Creek coordinates federal and state-funded Lead Safe programs for eligible homes with lead hazards. Current program materials describe substantial abatement assistance, but the exact pathway depends on household, property, child, Medicaid, income, inspection, ownership or landlord, and funding criteria. Confirm the current application and relocation or occupant-protection process. This is not general home repair, mold remediation, organizing, or cleanup.

Housing-rehabilitation and home-improvement-grant navigation - Greater Battle Creek homeowners; current programs depend on funding, income, property, ownership, occupancy, inspection, scope, contractor, and capacity rules

Neighborhoods Inc. Home Rehabilitation and Repairs

Neighborhoods Inc. has managed housing-rehabilitation and home-improvement grant programs in the Greater Battle Creek area. The organization explicitly says programming depends on funding availability, so call to learn what is currently open and what property, income, ownership, inspection, or contractor rules apply. Funding is not guaranteed, and this is not emergency repair, organizing, or whole-home cleanup.

Homebuyer education, budgeting, credit, foreclosure-prevention, landlord-tenant, rental, and housing-stability navigation - Greater Battle Creek and Calhoun County; eligibility, fee, document, lender, landlord, deadline, funding, and capacity rules vary

Neighborhoods Inc. Housing Counseling and Financial Coaching

Neighborhoods Inc. provides housing education and financial coaching that can include budgeting, credit repair, homebuyer readiness, foreclosure prevention, landlord-tenant concerns, rental property, and HARA referrals. Contact the organization before a housing deadline and ask which current program fits. Counseling does not guarantee money, legal representation, a lender agreement, rental placement, or stopped foreclosure.

Free energy-conservation assessment and eligible measures - qualifying low-income Michigan homeowners and renters in a five-county service area including Calhoun; income, residence, landlord, property-condition, audit, scope, funding, and waitlist rules apply

Community Action Weatherization

Community Action provides no-cost weatherization for eligible households, with measures that may include insulation, air sealing, smoke detectors, dryer venting, and other energy-efficiency work chosen through an assessment. Some property conditions can prevent service. Confirm current income limits, renter or landlord requirements, audit, scope, funding, and waitlist. It is not a general rehabilitation, emergency utility restoration, organizing, or cleanup program.

Food, emergency support, utility or housing navigation, senior minor home repair, and selected transportation services - Calhoun County and a broader five-county area; county, age, income, documents, trip, funding, and capacity rules vary

Community Action Support and Senior Services

Community Action of South Central Michigan lists emergency services, nutrition, weatherization, lead-safe work, senior minor home repair, and transportation in selected counties. Call the Battle Creek office and name the exact need so staff can confirm which Calhoun County program is open, who qualifies, what documents are needed, and whether funding or rides are available. Assistance is not guaranteed and the agency is not emergency dispatch or whole-home cleanup.

Free personalized information, options counseling, transition planning, care-management, nutrition, transportation, benefits, and home-support navigation - Calhoun and Barry counties; age, disability, assessment, Medicaid, income, service-area, waitlist, and provider rules vary

CareWell Aging and Disability Resource Line

CareWell resource specialists help older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers understand local services and care options. Ask about meals, transportation, personal care, respite, home safety, benefits, transitions, or other support needed to remain at home. The information line is free, but referred services may have cost, eligibility, assessment, and capacity limits. It is not emergency response, organizing, or cleanup.

Information, education, online resources, support groups, respite and care-transition navigation - caregivers in Calhoun and Barry counties; core caregiver programs are open to all, while referred services have separate eligibility, cost, schedule, and capacity rules

CareWell Caregiver Resource Center

CareWell's Caregiver Resource Center offers information about home and community services, care transitions, respite, MI Choice, classes, online learning, and support groups. Its published eligibility says caregiver programs are open to all. Confirm current schedules, registration, respite eligibility, provider availability, and cost. It is not emergency response or a substitute for hands-on home services.

Medicaid home-and-community-based services including care coordination, personal care, respite, meals, transportation, and equipment - qualifying older adults and adults with disabilities in the regional service area; nursing-level-of-care, Medicaid income and asset, assessment, provider, and capacity rules apply

CareWell MI Choice Waiver

CareWell administers MI Choice for eligible people age 65 or older and adults age 18 to 64 with a disability who meet nursing-facility level-of-care and Medicaid financial requirements. A person-centered plan may include care coordination, personal care, respite, meals, transportation, equipment, and other supports. Eligibility and service authorization are not automatic. This is not emergency care, home repair, organizing, or cleanup.

Senior Millage service navigation, Medicare and Medicaid counseling, and connections to funded programs - Calhoun County residents age 60 and older; age, income, assessment, contribution, provider, waitlist, funding, and program rules vary

Calhoun County Senior Services

The county Senior Services office administers Senior Millage funding, monitors contracted programs, provides Medicare and Medicaid counseling, and helps residents connect with services. Call for the current provider map and ask about the exact need, such as meals, in-home assistance, transportation, legal help, or home repair. Most funded services are for county residents age 60 and older and may have additional limits. This is not emergency dispatch or cleanup.

Federally qualified primary, dental, behavioral-health, psychiatry, pharmacy, vision, and related health care - Battle Creek and Calhoun County; accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and many insurance plans, with sliding-fee, appointment, coverage, clinical-fit, and capacity rules to confirm

Grace Health

Grace Health provides integrated medical, behavioral-health, psychiatric, dental, pharmacy, vision, and other services from its Battle Creek health center and additional county sites. It is also designated as a Health Care for the Homeless provider. Call to ask about new-patient access, insurance, sliding-fee eligibility, records, and whether a behavioral-health concern fits. This is not emergency dispatch, organizing, or cleanup.

Low-barrier drop-in meals, showers, laundry, basic-needs items, IDs, mailing address, case management, housing and benefits navigation, peer recovery coaching, and support groups - Battle Creek; generally open daily, with schedule, participation, supply, and capacity limits

SHARE Center

The SHARE Center provides daily drop-in support that includes meals, showers, laundry, hygiene items, IDs and vital-record help, a mailing address, transportation assistance, housing and benefits navigation, case management, peer recovery coaching, and support groups. Check the current daily and group schedule before traveling. Supplies and services are not guaranteed, and SHARE is not emergency shelter, dispatch, hoarding-specific treatment, or cleanup.

Food-pantry, fresh-food distribution, and meal-site search - Calhoun County and seven other south Michigan counties; site hours, household information, distribution schedules, supplies, and partner rules vary

South Michigan Food Bank Food Finder

Use the food bank's current finder to locate Battle Creek and Calhoun County pantries, fresh-food distributions, and meal sites. The food bank says identification is not required at listed fresh-food sites, although household information is requested; other partner sites may have different rules. Confirm schedule and availability before traveling. Food help is not emergency dispatch or guaranteed delivery.

Free civil legal assistance involving housing, homelessness prevention, domestic violence, public benefits, health access, and related matters - qualifying low-income residents and seniors in Barry, Branch, and Calhoun counties; income, age, case-priority, conflict, evidence, deadline, and capacity rules apply

Legal Services of South Central Michigan - Battle Creek Office

The Battle Creek office serves Barry, Branch, and Calhoun counties and prioritizes urgent civil matters that can protect housing, safety, income, or access to care. Call early about eviction, foreclosure, benefits, exploitation, or another civil legal deadline. Eligibility does not guarantee representation or a particular outcome. The office does not handle emergencies, criminal defense, organizing, or cleanup.

Fixed-route, on-demand, and ADA paratransit transportation - Battle Creek and participating Calhoun County communities; fare, service-area, reservation, certification, schedule, companion, and capacity rules vary by service

Ride Calhoun

Ride Calhoun operates RC MAX fixed routes, RC FLEX on-demand rides, and RC MOVE door-to-door ADA paratransit. Services, fares, payment, reservations, and geography differ, and ADA certification is required for RC MOVE. Check the current route or book the correct service before relying on a trip. Ride Calhoun is not emergency medical transportation and does not guarantee assistance carrying belongings.

Household hazardous-waste, recycling, and solid-waste collection information - Calhoun County residents; event date, registration, residency, quantity, packaging, accepted-item, transport, and capacity rules apply

Calhoun County Household Hazardous Waste Navigation

Calhoun County Community Development is the state-listed contact for household hazardous-waste disposal and coordinates scheduled recycling or collection options. Call or use the county and state information before transporting paint, chemicals, batteries, electronics, or other hard-to-dispose materials. Never mix chemicals or leave items at a closed site. Collection is not emergency spill response, hauling, organizing, or whole-home cleanup.

Private-pay hoarding support, sorting and organizing assistance, decluttering, deep cleaning, groups, and family guidance - broader service area; cost, travel, scope, consent, safety, scheduling, and capacity rules apply; not emergency care

The Peer Tree

The Peer Tree is the private-pay pathway for hoarding and clutter support when a grant or public program is not the right fit. Ask about current virtual or in-person availability for Battle Creek, the cost, travel, scope, consent, safety planning, and whether sorting, organizing, decluttering, deep cleaning, a group, or family guidance fits. It is not therapy or emergency response.

Digital peer-support pathway for people affected by hoarding or clutter and friends or family - available online; account, subscription or program, privacy, technology, and feature-availability rules may apply; not therapy, crisis response, or emergency service

Unburied

Unburied is a peer-led, judgment-free digital support platform owned by The Peer Tree. It offers personal and supporter pathways, structured tools, groups, safety resources, and optional AI peer-companion support. Use it for ongoing momentum or family guidance alongside appropriate local services. It is not medical care, therapy, crisis response, emergency dispatch, or a cleanup provider.

A note from the Alliance

Start with the person. Then decide what the situation needs.

This guide is anchored in Battle Creek, Michigan, and includes city, county, state, nonprofit, national, and independent pathways. A listing here does not mean Fight the Blight endorses every provider or can guarantee availability. The Hoarding Alliance is not a city or county agency, therapy practice, emergency service, or cleanup company. We will keep reviewing this page, but please confirm details directly before relying on them.

Need help choosing a path? Contact Fight the Blight