A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide
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 in Portage or Columbia County.
Start here - Fight the Blight
Our virtual groups give people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns a place to connect from Portage, Columbia County, and nearby communities. We can help you think through what is happening and what kind of next step may fit.
Call 911 for a medical emergency, fire, or immediate threat. For behavioral-health crisis support in Columbia County, call 1-888-552-6642 or call or text 988. For food, housing, utilities, and basic-needs navigation, review Wisconsin 211.
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.
Use Wisconsin 211 to identify current local resources for shelter, food, utilities, health care, mental health, substance use, benefits, and other needs. A referral is not a guarantee of an open bed, appointment, benefit, or service, so confirm directly.
Columbia County Health and Human Services connects residents with behavioral health, children and families, economic support, public health, and safety pathways. Ask for the division that matches the concern and confirm hours, eligibility, documentation, and follow-up.
The Aging and Disability Resource Center is a no-cost, unbiased starting point for older adults, adults with disabilities, caregivers, families, and adults with mental-health or substance-use concerns. Ask about options counseling, benefits, housing, food, transportation, home support, and protective services.
Columbia County Economic Support helps determine eligibility for FoodShare, childcare, Medicaid, BadgerCare Plus, and SSI Caretaker Supplement programs. Ask what documents, interviews, income rules, language access, and processing times apply.
The county Division of Behavioral Health and Long-Term Support can help explain crisis follow-up, community-based support, case management, Comprehensive Community Services, and Community Support Program pathways. Ask for the least restrictive option that fits the situation.
Comprehensive Community Services can connect eligible adults or youth with mental-health or substance-use concerns to a voluntary, recovery-oriented team and community supports. Ask the county about eligibility, referral steps, wait times, and other options while waiting.
The county Community Support Program describes crisis intervention, supportive counseling, medication management, psychiatric and psychological services, daily-living support, transportation, legal-support connections, and housing-support connections for eligible adults. Contact the county to discuss fit.
The county Veterans Service Office helps veterans and families with federal, state, and local benefits counseling, claims assistance, and referrals. Ask about transportation, VA connections, housing risk, and current benefit documentation.
Columbia County publishes a local counseling resource list that includes providers in Portage and elsewhere in the county. Use it to compare possible options, then confirm current availability, credentials, insurance or private-pay cost, scope, and wait time directly.
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 when someone is in immediate danger, a fire or medical emergency is happening, or emergency responders are needed. A hoarding or housing concern that is not immediately dangerous may need a planned county, housing, or support response instead.
Call or text 988 for immediate emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, or a behavioral-health crisis. The 988 Lifeline can help with crisis support and connection; call 911 when there is an immediate threat, fire, serious medical emergency, or need for emergency dispatch.
Columbia County contracts for 24/7 emergency mental-health and substance-use services at 1-888-552-6642. Mobile crisis services may assess risk and help develop a safety plan. Call 911 for immediate danger, violence, fire, or a serious medical emergency.
Columbia County ADRC explains how to report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect. During business hours call 608-742-9233; after hours call the Sheriff's Department at 608-742-4166. Call 911 when danger is immediate.
For an after-hours adult-protective-services concern, the county directs callers to the Sheriff's Department at 608-742-4166. Use 911 for immediate danger, fire, violence, or a medical emergency.
Columbia County Health and Human Services can receive concerns about child abuse or neglect and connect families to the appropriate pathway. Call 911 immediately when a child faces urgent or violent danger; a report is not a promise of a particular outcome.
Hope House offers services for people affected by domestic violence, including temporary placement, a 24-hour crisis line, counseling, information and referrals, and support groups for women and children. Call 911 for immediate danger and ask about safe contact methods.
River Haven describes safe temporary shelter for individuals and families, individualized case management, housing and rental-assistance referrals, and connections to FoodShare, FSET, W-2, BadgerCare, and other supports. Confirm current eligibility, availability, and safe contact options.
Use county emergency-management information and current local instructions during severe weather, evacuation, sheltering, or other public-safety events. Call 911 for an immediate life-safety emergency.
Wisconsin energy assistance can help eligible households with heating, electric, crisis, furnace-repair, and weatherization needs. Ask about current application windows, required documents, shutoff rules, and the correct local agency.
Wisconsin DHS explains how to report concerns about an adult at risk and directs people to the county where the adult lives. This is a protective-services pathway, not emergency dispatch or a promise that a person will accept help.
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.
Portage Food Pantry provides food support at 405 East Howard Street. Published hours are Monday 11 a.m. to noon, Wednesday 11 a.m. to noon, and Thursday 5 to 6 p.m.; confirm current eligibility, holiday closures, and pickup procedures before traveling.
The Portage Community Center describes emergency assistance for Portage residents, including food, clothing, eviction concerns, utility shutoffs, personal-care items, bus tokens, and connections to hosted services. Ask about current funds, documentation, and appointment rules.
The ADRC nutrition program describes home-delivered meals and dining-center meals, with eligibility and assessment rules. Portage dining-center questions can be directed to 608-742-9211; ask about transportation, cancellations, accommodations, and contribution expectations.
The Portage Dining Center is located at the ADRC, 111 East Mullett Street, and publishes weekday hours of 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call to ask about meals, reservations, transportation, accessibility, and current program rules.
The ADRC transportation program serves eligible residents traveling to non-emergency medical appointments, nutrition sites, employment, and wellness trips. Medical appointments receive priority; ask about lead time, mobility needs, fares, caregiver rides, and service area.
The City of Portage lists taxi service administered by Go Riteway, with published fares and service hours. Call 608-742-4700 and schedule 60 to 90 minutes ahead when possible; confirm the current fare, mobility accommodation, and pickup area.
Columbia County's resource materials identify Forward Services as a local Emergency Assistance pathway. Ask about help with rent, late fees, court costs, deposits, first month's rent, household items, disaster relief, or energy crises and confirm current eligibility.
Columbia County identifies Forward Services for voluntary FoodShare Employment and Training and Wisconsin Works pathways. Ask about employment preparation, case management, cash assistance, job-access loans, documentation, and current funding.
Columbia County resource materials identify Central Wisconsin Community Action Council as a local pathway for emergency assistance, homeless case management, and weatherization for qualifying owners and renters. Confirm the current Columbia County intake route and funding availability.
The City of Portage describes federally funded CDBG housing assistance administered through Wisconsin's housing agency. Ask about current rental or homeowner applications, eligible work, inspections, income limits, and funding availability.
Columbia County identifies a Southern Housing Region program for qualifying residents seeking housing rehabilitation support. Ask about current funding, eligible properties, inspections, homeowner status, income, deferred-loan terms, and application steps.
Fair Housing Council of Wisconsin provides information and intake for possible housing discrimination. Ask about reasonable accommodations, disability-related housing concerns, retaliation, documentation, and whether the issue fits its complaint process.
Wisconsin Free Legal Answers lets qualifying users post civil-legal questions for volunteer attorneys licensed in Wisconsin. Ask about housing, eviction, homelessness, accommodations, or consumer questions and confirm eligibility and response time.
Columbia County's counseling resource list identifies Aspen Family Counseling at 2639 New Pinery Road in Portage. Confirm current clinicians, intake, insurance or private-pay cost, accessibility, wait time, and whether the service fits the concern.
Columbia County's counseling resource list identifies Compass Counseling at 1508 New Pinery Road in Portage. Confirm current services, credentials, insurance or private-pay cost, appointment availability, and whether the service is appropriate.
Columbia County's counseling resource list identifies Journey Mental Health Center at 1440 East Wisconsin Street in Portage. Confirm current services, intake, insurance or private-pay cost, wait time, and the appropriate level of care.
The county counseling list identifies Pauquette Center at 2901 Hunters Trail in Portage. Confirm current services, clinician availability, insurance or private-pay cost, accessibility, and whether a referral or assessment is needed.
Columbia County's counseling list identifies Transitions Behavioral Health at 317 DeWitt Street in Portage for in-home counseling. Confirm current service area, referral requirements, payer or private-pay cost, wait time, and safety expectations for home visits.
Columbia County's current community resource materials identify Harbor Recovery Center at 1505 New Pinery Road in Portage. Confirm current services, intake, coverage or private-pay cost, recovery scope, and availability directly.
The Peer Tree is the private-pay pathway for organizing help, decluttering support, groups, family guidance, and practical next steps when a grant or public program is not the right fit. Ask about scope, cost, travel, consent, and safety in Portage or across Wisconsin.
Unburied, from The Peer Tree, offers a judgment-free digital pathway with peer support, groups, and tools for people directly affected and for friends or family supporters. It is not therapy, a crisis service, or a substitute for emergency help.
A note from the Alliance
This guide is anchored in Portage, Wisconsin, 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