A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide

Hoarding support in Medina, Ohio.

A calm place to start when clutter, safety, housing, or family stress is making daily life harder in Medina or Medina County.

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

Start here - Fight the Blight

Start with the kind of help you need

You do not have to solve everything at once. Start with a support conversation, a practical referral, or a digital peer-support option, then confirm local fit, availability, cost, and eligibility before making a plan.

Ask what a first conversation would cover or how a virtual group works. You can ask without sending photos or arranging a home visit.

Role: nonprofit front door for hoarding support and virtual groups; geography: ask about joining online from Medina or elsewhere in Medina County; cost/eligibility: confirm registration, group fit, and any fees; funded local home services are not assumed; emergency limit: not therapy or emergency response.

For immediate danger

If there is an active fire, immediate danger, serious injury, or someone is trapped, move to a safer place if you can and call 911. For urgent emotional distress or suicidal thoughts, call or text 988. These contacts do not replace emergency dispatch or medical care.

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.

Role: private-pay hoarding support, sorting, organizing, decluttering, deep-cleaning, and family guidance; geography: ask whether Medina or Medina County is within the current service area; cost/eligibility: private-pay rates, travel, scheduling, and scope must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency dispatch, medical care, or a substitute for qualified clinical services. | Medina and Medina County resource

The Peer Tree

Use the private-pay pathway when grant-funded or public options do not fit. Confirm the work plan, boundaries, rate, travel, and who will be present before scheduling.

Role: digital peer-support pathway for people affected by hoarding and friends or family; geography: online access from Medina or Medina County; cost/eligibility: confirm current account, group, or feature availability; emergency limit: not therapy, medical care, crisis response, or emergency support. | Medina and Medina County resource

Unburied

Use Unburied for judgment-free peer connection, structured tools, and ongoing momentum. It can complement local services but cannot replace them.

Role: statewide community-resource navigation for food, housing, utilities, health care, transportation, and benefits; geography: Ohio callers can ask for Medina County options; cost/eligibility: the navigator confirms current program rules and availability; emergency limit: call 911 for immediate danger and 988 for urgent emotional crisis. | Medina and Medina County resource

Ohio 211

Call 211 or use the current Ohio 211 options when you are unsure which local agency to contact. Ask what documents, wait times, and service-area limits apply.

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.

Role: emergency dispatch for fire, immediate danger, serious injury, or someone trapped; geography: Medina, Medina County, and the United States; cost/eligibility: use for emergencies without waiting to confirm program eligibility; emergency limit: dispatch is not a hoarding treatment or cleanup plan. | Medina and Medina County resource

911: Immediate Danger

Leave the area if you can do so safely and call 911 for an active fire, immediate threat, serious injury, or other emergency.

Role: urgent emotional-distress and suicide-crisis connection; geography: Medina, Medina County, and the United States; cost/eligibility: call or text 988 to reach the current crisis system; emergency limit: call 911 when there is immediate danger or a medical emergency. | Medina and Medina County resource

988: Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 for urgent emotional distress or suicidal thoughts. Use 911 for immediate physical danger or a life-threatening emergency.

Role: county behavioral-health and crisis-information connection; geography: Medina County; cost/eligibility: confirm the current crisis pathway, program fit, and coverage directly; emergency limit: call 911 for immediate danger and use 988 or the county helpline according to the current guidance. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina County Crisis and Behavioral Health Helpline

Medina County Mental Health and Recovery Board lists a 24/7 crisis and behavioral-health helpline. Confirm the current number and the type of response available before relying on it.

Role: county behavioral-health planning, service coordination, and recovery-resource navigation; geography: Medina County; cost/eligibility: funded services, intake, payer rules, and availability vary by provider; emergency limit: the board is not emergency dispatch or a guarantee of immediate treatment. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina County Mental Health and Recovery Board

Use the board's current information to identify mental-health, substance-use, and recovery pathways that a peer group cannot provide.

Role: county public-health, referral, environmental-health, and community-health information; geography: Medina County; cost/eligibility: programs, fees, insurance, and eligibility vary by service; emergency limit: public-health information is not emergency dispatch or an individual medical diagnosis. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina County Health Department

Use the health department for current health, environmental, referral, and community-service questions. Confirm which office or program handles the specific concern.

Role: qualified primary-care, dental, behavioral-health, and case-management services; geography: Medina County with locations in Medina and Wadsworth; cost/eligibility: appointment, insurance, payment, and service eligibility must be confirmed; emergency limit: call 911 or seek emergency care for a medical emergency. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina County Health Center

The health center describes medical, dental, behavioral-health, and case-management services. Ask about the right intake path and current appointment availability.

Role: local public-safety and non-emergency police routing; geography: City of Medina and listed partner jurisdictions, with other areas handled separately; cost/eligibility: confirm the correct agency and non-emergency process; emergency limit: call 911 for emergencies rather than the non-emergency number. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina Police Department

Use the city police page for current dispatch and non-emergency information. Call 911 for an active threat, fire, serious injury, or immediate danger.

Role: city police, fire, rescue, and public-safety routing; geography: City of Medina and the townships listed by the city, with other jurisdictions handled separately; cost/eligibility: inspections, prevention programs, and service boundaries must be confirmed; emergency limit: call 911 for fire, rescue, or immediate danger. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina City Safety Services

Use the city safety page for current fire and police links. Do not delay an emergency while researching blocked exits or hazards online.

Role: state information about adult-protective-services reporting and vulnerable-adult safety; geography: Ohio, with local intake handled by the county agency; cost/eligibility: the local agency determines whether a report meets program criteria; emergency limit: APS is not emergency dispatch or a promise of same-day housing or cleanup. | Medina and Medina County resource

Ohio Adult Protective Services

Use the Ohio APS information to understand when and how to seek local help for an older or vulnerable adult. Use 911 for immediate danger.

Role: county human-services, protective-services, and benefits-intake routing; geography: Medina County; cost/eligibility: the county agency determines whether an APS or assistance request meets program criteria; emergency limit: county intake is not emergency dispatch or a promise of same-day housing or cleanup. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina County Job and Family Services Adult Services

Ask Medina County JFS for the current adult-protective-services or stabilization pathway when an older or vulnerable adult may be at risk. Use 911 for immediate danger.

Role: hospital emergency, medical, and specialty-care pathway; geography: Medina County and Northeast Ohio; cost/eligibility: registration, insurance, billing, and follow-up questions must be confirmed with the hospital; emergency limit: call 911 when travel is unsafe or time matters. | Medina and Medina County resource

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital

Use the hospital's current official information for acute illness or injury. Do not delay emergency care to research a website or arrange a non-emergency referral.

Role: federal fire-prevention education about hoarding-related hazards; geography: United States, with principles to discuss locally in Medina or Medina County; cost/eligibility: education is public and does not provide inspection or cleanup; emergency limit: call 911 for fire or immediate danger. | Medina and Medina County resource

USFA Hoarding Fire-Safety Guidance

Use the guidance to identify blocked exits, heating risks, smoke-alarm concerns, and a safer conversation starter. A local fire official must answer property-specific questions.

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.

Role: county benefits, social-services, protective-services, and workforce-development agency; geography: Medina County with service routing in Medina; cost/eligibility: food, medical, cash, emergency, and workforce programs each have separate rules and documents; emergency limit: benefits intake is not emergency dispatch or same-day housing placement. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina County Job and Family Services Public Assistance

Review the agency's public-assistance information to identify the current application route, then confirm hours and required documents before traveling.

Role: county transportation-assistance guidance for eligible public-assistance and Medicaid-related trips; geography: Medina County; cost/eligibility: program eligibility, appointment type, notice, and provider availability must be confirmed; emergency limit: non-emergency transportation is not emergency dispatch. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina County JFS Transportation Assistance

Use the current county transportation page to ask about Medicaid or public-assistance transportation, notice requirements, and the provider serving the trip.

Role: fixed-route and on-demand public transportation; geography: Medina County, including Medina; cost/eligibility: routes, fares, reservations, accessibility, and service hours must be confirmed before travel; emergency limit: transit is not emergency transportation. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina County Public Transit

Medina County Public Transit describes fixed routes and on-demand service. Reserve rides early and confirm the pickup address, fare, and current schedule.

Role: city water, sewer, rubbish, utilities, and practical-service routing; geography: City of Medina only; cost/eligibility: account status, fees, shutoffs, repairs, and payment plans must be confirmed with the city; emergency limit: utility staff are not emergency dispatch. | Medina and Medina County resource

City of Medina Utilities and Services

Use the city utilities page for water, rubbish, sewer, and service contacts. County or township properties may have different utilities and rules.

Role: city infrastructure, sanitation, refuse, recycling, water, stormwater, and weather-response routing; geography: City of Medina; cost/eligibility: collection schedules, service boundaries, permits, and fees depend on the request and address; emergency limit: public works is not emergency dispatch. | Medina and Medina County resource

City of Medina Service Department

Start with the city service page for sanitation, water, street, stormwater, and severe-weather questions. Confirm whether the property lies inside city limits.

Role: city building permits, inspections, code, and property-maintenance routing; geography: City of Medina only; cost/eligibility: permits, inspections, fees, and enforcement steps depend on the address and request; emergency limit: building information is not emergency dispatch or a cleanup order. | Medina and Medina County resource

City of Medina Building and Property Maintenance

Use the building page to understand current permit and property-maintenance routing. Confirm whether a property is inside city limits before relying on a city process.

Role: city zoning, planning, permit, fair-housing, and community-development information; geography: City of Medina only; cost/eligibility: permits, applications, inspections, fees, and CDBG or CHIP eligibility depend on the address and request; emergency limit: zoning information is not emergency dispatch or a cleanup order. | Medina and Medina County resource

City of Medina Planning and Zoning

Use the planning page for zoning, building, housing-program, and permit routing. Ask which jurisdiction and application process applies before taking action.

Role: county sewer, sanitary-engineering, and wastewater routing; geography: Medina County, with service boundaries that vary by address; cost/eligibility: account rules, fees, inspections, and connection requirements must be confirmed; emergency limit: sanitary engineering is not emergency dispatch. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina County Sanitary Engineer

Use the city utilities page to find the current county sanitary-engineer contact, then confirm who serves the address and what process applies.

Role: public-health social-work, referral, insurance-assistance, and behavioral-health navigation; geography: Medina County; cost/eligibility: appointment, insurance, program eligibility, and referral availability must be confirmed; emergency limit: referral navigation is not emergency dispatch or immediate medical care. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina County Health Department Referrals and Behavioral Health

The health department describes referral, social-work, transportation, and behavioral-health navigation. Ask which current service or outside provider fits the need.

Role: public library, computers, meeting space, information, and community-navigation access; geography: Medina and Medina County library service area; cost/eligibility: cards, rooms, programs, and technology services have separate rules; emergency limit: a library is not emergency dispatch or clinical care. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina County District Library

The Medina Library can be a low-pressure place to use a computer, find information, or ask about community resources. Confirm current hours and closures before traveling.

Role: affordable housing, rental-assistance, housing-program, and emergency-housing information; geography: Medina County with properties in Medina and nearby communities; cost/eligibility: applications, waitlists, screening, rent, and program eligibility must be confirmed; emergency limit: a housing authority is not emergency dispatch or a guarantee of immediate placement. | Medina and Medina County resource

Medina Metropolitan Housing Authority

Use the authority's applicant pages to check current programs and waitlist status. Ask about accessibility, documentation, emergency options, and whether the address fits the program.

Role: nonprofit community-action agency for energy assistance, weatherization, transportation, housing, and family programs; geography: Medina and Wayne Counties; cost/eligibility: income rules, program seasons, documents, and capacity must be confirmed; emergency limit: community-action intake is not emergency dispatch or a guarantee of same-day assistance. | Medina and Medina County resource

Community Action Wayne/Medina

Ask the agency which current energy, weatherization, transportation, or family program serves the address. Confirm county fit, appointment timing, and required documents.

Role: nonprofit food-access and community-resource navigation; geography: Medina County; cost/eligibility: pantry schedules, household rules, documentation, delivery, and current stock must be confirmed; emergency limit: food assistance is not emergency dispatch or a substitute for medical care. | Medina and Medina County resource

Feeding Medina County

Use the current community-resources page to ask about food distributions and related referrals. Confirm hours and availability before traveling.

Role: statewide housing-search and affordable-rental information; geography: Ohio listings, including Medina and Medina County; cost/eligibility: listings, rents, deposits, screening, and availability must be confirmed with each property; emergency limit: a housing search is not emergency shelter or a guarantee of placement. | Medina and Medina County resource

OhioHousingLocator

Use the locator to search for current housing options, then ask each property about accessibility, waitlists, deposits, and screening.

Role: state directory for energy-assistance providers and community-action agencies; geography: Ohio, including Medina County; cost/eligibility: program season, income rules, documents, and utility eligibility vary; emergency limit: utility assistance is not emergency dispatch. | Medina and Medina County resource

Ohio Energy and Community Assistance Map

Use the state map to identify the current local energy-assistance provider, then confirm application timing and required documents.

Role: consumer information about utility assistance, shutoff concerns, and public-benefit navigation; geography: Ohio utility customers; cost/eligibility: programs and protections depend on the utility, household, and current rules; emergency limit: this information is not emergency dispatch or a promise that service will remain on. | Medina and Medina County resource

Ohio Consumers' Counsel Utility Assistance

Use the current consumer-counsel guidance to identify questions for the utility, local agency, or 211. Keep account-specific discussions with the responsible provider.

Role: official Ohio resident resource directory for government and community help; geography: Ohio residents, including Medina County; cost/eligibility: each linked program sets its own rules and availability; emergency limit: directory information is not emergency dispatch. | Medina and Medina County resource

Ohio Resident Resource Navigation

Use the state resource page to find the right public program, then confirm the current application path and service area.

A note from the Alliance

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

This guide is anchored in Medina, Ohio, 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