A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide

Hoarding support in Pittsburgh.

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, care, or practical concern.

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

Start here - Fight the Blight

You do not have to be in Pennsylvania to begin with us.

Our virtual groups give people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns a place to connect from Pittsburgh and other 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, or immediate threat. For behavioral-health crisis support, call or text 988. For housing navigation in Allegheny County, call 1-866-730-2368.

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.

Qualified care - Pittsburgh and virtual Pennsylvania services; evaluation and program fit apply

UPMC Western Behavioral Health - Adult OCD and Anxiety Program

UPMC describes adult programs for OCD, hoarding disorder, and anxiety, including a hoarding group with two virtual 90-minute sessions each week over 10 weeks. Participants receive an initial evaluation, and the program lists additional individual therapy and medication support. Ask about current enrollment, insurance, level of care, and whether the program fits the person’s goals.

Qualified care - Allegheny County adults; Medical Assistance and eligibility apply

Pittsburgh Mercy Mobile Mental Health Treatment

Pittsburgh Mercy says its Mobile Mental Health Treatment program can work with adults whose mental-health needs, including hoarding, make office-based care difficult. The listed eligibility includes Allegheny County residence, age 21 or older, Medical Assistance through Community Care Behavioral Health, and a diagnosis or caregiving circumstance that limits traditional outpatient access. Confirm current availability and referral requirements.

Behavioral-health navigation - Countywide; service eligibility varies

Allegheny County Office of Behavioral Health

Allegheny County’s Office of Behavioral Health connects residents with mental-health and substance-use services and publishes crisis and service pathways. Ask what level of care, county program, or referral route fits the situation; this is a navigation entry point, not a promise of immediate treatment or cleanup support.

Aging and caregiver navigation - Allegheny County adults 60+ and caregivers

Allegheny County SeniorLine

Allegheny County’s SeniorLine is the starting point for Area Agency on Aging services, including information and referrals, in-home supports, care management, transportation, and caregiver programs. Eligibility, service capacity, and wait times vary; call to understand the assessment and referral process.

Aging and disability navigation - Pennsylvania; free information and assistance

Pennsylvania Link to Aging and Disability Resources

PA Link helps older adults and people with disabilities find community services, compare options for living independently, and get help with applications. The Commonwealth says information and assistance through PA Link partners is free. Use the county filter and confirm the current provider, eligibility, and service area before relying on a referral.

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 protective services, housing screening, or emergency dispatch.

Behavioral-health crisis - Pennsylvania; free, confidential, 24/7

Pennsylvania 988

Pennsylvania’s 988 pathway provides free, confidential call, text, and chat support for mental-health, substance-use, suicidal, and emotional distress concerns. Counselors can connect people with local resources and, when appropriate, mobile crisis support. It is not a cleanup or housing service; call 911 for immediate danger, fire, or a medical emergency.

Housing and human-services navigation - Allegheny County; availability varies

Allegheny Link

Allegheny Link connects people experiencing homelessness or housing instability with housing and shelter resources and other county pathways. The county describes it as a fair and equitable access point, but placement, eligibility, and capacity are not guaranteed. Ask about the right route for someone who is housed but at risk of losing housing.

Property safety - City of Pittsburgh; non-emergency complaints

Pittsburgh Code Enforcement and 311

Pittsburgh’s Code Enforcement Division enforces property-maintenance and fire-code regulations and responds to 311 complaints. The city says inspectors may address unsafe buildings, property, and equipment. Use this for a property or safety concern that fits the city’s enforcement role, not as a substitute for consent-based support or a medical emergency.

Adults ages 18-59 with qualifying disabilities - Abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment

Pennsylvania Adult Protective Services

Pennsylvania APS protects adults ages 18 through 59 whose physical or mental disability limits major life activities and who may be at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment. Reports can be made on behalf of someone living at home or in a care setting, and reporters may remain anonymous. This is a protective-services pathway, not a general clutter referral.

Adults 60+ - Abuse, neglect, self-neglect, abandonment, or exploitation

Allegheny County Older Adult Protective Services

Allegheny County Older Adult Protective Services investigates reports involving adults age 60 and older, including neglect and self-neglect. The county says an older adult has the right to refuse help when they have decision-making capacity. Call to understand whether the concern fits protective services and what information is needed; this is not a routine cleanup intake.

Housing crisis - Pittsburgh and Allegheny County pathways; shelter capacity varies

Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh - Emergency Housing Services

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh lists emergency housing resources for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including the Big Burgh service navigator and shelter pathways. Use it for a housing crisis and confirm current eligibility, hours, and availability directly. It is not a hoarding-specific program.

People and practical help

Local coordination, peer support, and independent providers

These listings offer local connections for care, education, housing, organizing, or disposal. They are independent organizations; ask about current availability, cost, scope, consent, and safety before relying on them.

Practical disposal - City of Pittsburgh residents; collection limits apply

Pittsburgh Trash and Recycling Collection

The City of Pittsburgh publishes collection schedules and guidance for trash, recycling, and yard debris. City materials indicate that residents may have limits on bulky items and that televisions, e-waste, hazardous waste, tires, and auto parts are not collected curbside. Check the current collection zone, set-out rules, and disposal options before placing anything outside.

Home repair and safety - Allegheny County homeowners; income and property eligibility apply

Allegheny Home Improvement Loan Program

Allegheny County lists the Allegheny Home Improvement Loan Program as a resource for eligible county residents who need to rehabilitate or improve their homes. It may be relevant when safety or habitability repairs are part of a broader stabilization plan. Confirm current income limits, property rules, loan terms, and whether the needed work qualifies.

Independent housing and shelter nonprofit - Greater Pittsburgh area; program eligibility applies

Community Human Services

Community Human Services describes shelter, housing case management, rapid and permanent housing, residential programs, mental-health services, and food-access programs across the Greater Pittsburgh area. It is not a hoarding-specific service, but it may be relevant when clutter concerns overlap with housing instability. Ask about current program fit, eligibility, and capacity.

Peer-led support - Pittsburgh and online; ask about current hoarding fit

Pittsburgh Bridges OCD

The IOCDF directory lists Pittsburgh Bridges OCD as a peer-led group for people with OCD and their loved ones, with current meeting details listed on its page. It may be a useful peer connection for some people affected by hoarding, but confirm whether the current group welcomes hoarding-specific concerns and verify the schedule before attending.

Practical support - Pittsburgh-area listings; independent providers and fees vary

IOCDF Professional Organizer Directory

The International OCD Foundation directory can help people find professional organizers with chronic-disorganization or hoarding-related training, including Pittsburgh-area listings. A directory entry is not an endorsement. Ask about scope, cost, insurance, disposal practices, privacy, consent, and how the person living in the home will be involved.

Qualified-care and support search - National directory; verify details directly

IOCDF Hoarding Resource Directory

The IOCDF hoarding directory can help people search for therapists, programs, support groups, organizers, and task forces. Availability, credentials, insurance, fees, and service area can change; use it as a starting point and confirm every detail with the provider.

Practical and peer support - Private-pay pathway; confirm fit, scope, and fees

The Peer Tree

The Peer Tree offers nonclinical hoarding and clutter support, including organizing help, groups, family guidance, and practical next steps. Ask about current availability, service area, scope, pacing, privacy, and fees before beginning. The Peer Tree is a separate private-pay pathway from Fight the Blight’s nonprofit programming.

Digital peer support - Available online; not therapy or emergency support

Unburied

Unburied, from The Peer Tree, is a judgment-free digital peer-support pathway for people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns and for friends and family. It can offer ongoing connection, tools, and momentum from Pittsburgh or anywhere else. It is not therapy, clinical care, or emergency support.

A note from the Alliance

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

This guide is anchored in Pittsburgh, the county seat of Allegheny County, and includes countywide 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