A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide
You deserve support that starts with you—not a demand to fix everything at once. This guide brings together verified local, regional, and statewide places to ask about a next step.
Start here - Fight the Blight
Fight the Blight is the nonprofit front door for hoarding-related support and virtual groups. Tell us what matters most, and ask what may fit your location and needs. Availability and eligibility are not guaranteed.
A first conversation for people affected by hoarding, friends and family, and community partners. Share only what you choose and ask what support may fit your location and priorities.
Role: nonprofit front door and virtual-group pathway for hoarding-related support; geography: ask about current options for Smith County; cost/eligibility: confirm any eligibility, funding, and fees; emergency limit: not clinical care or emergency response.
For immediate danger, fire, or a life-threatening medical emergency, call 911. For behavioral-health crisis support in Tennessee, call or text 988 and press 0; statewide mobile crisis is available 24/7. This guide and its peer-support options are not emergency response.
First conversations
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.
A private-pay pathway for situations not covered by grants. Ask what support is currently available, whether it can serve your area, and what the cost and scope would be before deciding.
A digital peer-support option for people affected by hoarding and friends or family supporters. Use it for connection and practical tools, not diagnosis, treatment, or urgent response.
Tennessee says its Behavioral Health Safety Net serves eligible uninsured residents in all 95 counties, sometimes through a neighboring county location or telehealth. Use the State provider finder and confirm the Smith County intake route, location, eligibility, current services, and cost. No Smith County clinic location was independently confirmed.
Safety and stability
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.
Call 911 for immediate danger, fire, or a life-threatening medical emergency. Do not delay emergency help while checking this guide.
Tennessee provides 24/7 crisis response statewide. Call or text 988 and press 0 to reach a trained counselor who can connect you with local crisis services, including mobile response when appropriate. Ask the counselor about the available response; this is not routine cleanup or property service.
The State says APS investigates reports involving adults who cannot protect themselves because of a physical or mental limitation, including neglect and exploitation. A report is not a substitute for the person's consent when they can make their own decisions, nor a general hoarding referral. Call to discuss a specific concern.
Genesis House and Tennessee's current provider listing include Smith County in its service area. The organization describes a 24-hour hotline, shelter, advocacy, and referrals. Use a safe device if privacy is a concern; call to ask about the safest way to connect and current options. Shelter space is not guaranteed.
Smith County EMS identifies 24-hour 911 response as its primary responsibility and says approved non-emergency transports may be available. The administrative number is for service questions, not an alternative crisis line.
People and practical help
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.
The County lists primary care, immunizations, family planning, WIC, health education, and other services. The stated sliding-scale clinic is primary care, not a verified hoarding-specialty or behavioral-health practice. Call about current services and eligibility.
UCHRA lists CSBG information and referral, energy assistance, weatherization, aging and disability services, and other programs. Its Smith County office sheet lists Carthage contact details. Ask what is open now, what documents are needed, and whether a program can serve your specific need.
The provider lists a Smith County office in Carthage and door-to-door service. Call to confirm booking lead time, trip availability, accessibility, fare, and discount eligibility before making plans; the service page gives differing booking-time details.
The housing authority says it administers public housing in Smith County. Its program page states it currently administers only Public Housing, not Section 8/HCV or Emergency Housing. Ask about application status, waitlists, accessibility, and current openings; a listed unit count is not proof of availability.
This State tool can help locate local programs by need and place. TennCare says it does not operate the listed programs and availability and eligibility vary; contact each organization directly before relying on a listing.
Use the food finder to search for nearby partner programs. We could not independently verify a current Smith County pantry schedule from a first-party local provider page, so call the listed organization before traveling.
The Town lists curbside pickup of unwanted items and monthly brush pickup. Confirm what items are accepted and how to request service; this limited municipal service is not a whole-home cleanout. Service area is the Town, not all of Smith County.
The County describes landfill and convenience-site categories, schedules, and fees. It says hazardous waste is not accepted and has restrictions for out-of-county tires and mattresses. Check the current page or call before transporting items; these sites do not provide hauling or labor.
Contact the County for property-specific planning questions before making assumptions about a notice or repair. The County states its planning jurisdiction excludes property inside Carthage, Gordonsville, and South Carthage city limits; ask the appropriate city office if the parcel is inside town limits.
The County lists free public-computer and Wi-Fi access and the Carthage branch at 215 Main Street North. This can be a practical place to access online forms and directories; confirm current hours, access, and available assistance directly.
The State identifies Smith County in the Upper Cumberland AAAD service area. Call for information about appropriate aging or disability programs and ask who provides each service, whether funding is available, and how to apply.
The State lists food-finder tools and community directories, including United Way 2-1-1 information. Use these links to identify a possible local service, then confirm the provider, hours, coverage, and requirements directly.
The State says people do not receive CSBG funds directly; a local agency may provide services after an eligibility and need review. Contact UCHRA to ask what Smith County programs are currently funded and which documents to bring.
UCHRA says CREST supports Adult Protective Services clients affected by self-neglect, abuse, neglect, or exploitation, while its APS homemaker program receives referrals from APS. These are targeted protective-services pathways, not open enrollment or a guaranteed home cleanout.
The Tennessee behavioral-health agency lists a dedicated referral line for substance-use treatment. This is separate from the 988 crisis line and is not a hoarding-specific service.
A note from the Alliance
This guide is anchored in Carthage, Tennessee, 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