A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide

Hoarding support in Portsmouth, Virginia.

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 Portsmouth and the surrounding Hampton Roads region.

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

Start here - Fight the Blight

You do not have to know the perfect next step.

Our virtual groups give people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns a place to connect from Portsmouth, Hampton Roads, 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 immediate danger, fire, rescue, or a medical emergency. For behavioral-health or substance-use crisis support, call 988 or Portsmouth Behavioral Healthcare Services. For general resource navigation, call 211.

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.

Private-pay hoarding support, organizing help, groups, and family guidance - broader service area, including possible support for Portsmouth; private-pay scope, cost, scheduling, travel, consent, safety, and capacity must be confirmed directly; not emergency or clinical care

The Peer Tree

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, safety, and whether support is available in Portsmouth or the surrounding region.

Digital peer-support pathway for people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns - online; not therapy or emergency support

Unburied

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.

Free 24/7 call, text, and chat crisis pathway - Virginia and nationwide; crisis response, privacy, and handoff rules apply; not cleanup or emergency dispatch

Virginia 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 for confidential behavioral-health crisis support and connection to Virginia's crisis system. Use 911 for immediate danger, fire, rescue, or a medical emergency.

Public behavioral-health, substance-use, intellectual-disability, crisis, prevention, and case-management pathway - City of Portsmouth; assessment, eligibility, scheduling, and clinical rules apply

Portsmouth Behavioral Healthcare Services

Portsmouth Behavioral Healthcare Services provides mental-health, substance-use, intellectual-disability, and crisis pathways for Portsmouth residents. Its emergency line is not a cleanup service or general emergency dispatch.

Public-health, clinic, immunization, WIC, prevention, environmental-health, and community-health pathway - Portsmouth Health District; appointment, eligibility, fee, and document rules apply

Portsmouth Health Department

The Portsmouth Health Department provides public-health programs, clinics, prevention, WIC, and environmental-health information. Confirm current access, eligibility, and fees.

Benefits, adult and child services, protective services, housing navigation, utility assistance, and self-sufficiency pathway - City of Portsmouth; eligibility, assessment, documentation, and jurisdiction rules apply

Portsmouth Department of Social Services

Portsmouth Social Services helps residents access SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, energy assistance, adult and child services, protective services, and referrals. Confirm current intake and program eligibility.

Free confidential resource-navigation pathway - Virginia; local availability, eligibility, language access, and referral limits apply; not emergency dispatch

211 Virginia

Call 211 or search Virginia's resource directory for food, housing, utilities, health care, employment, veteran, child-care, and crisis-navigation options. Call 911 for an emergency.

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 danger and emergency dispatch - Portsmouth and surrounding response area; use for fire, rescue, medical emergency, violence, or an active threat; not a hoarding-support program

911 Emergency Services

Call 911 when there is immediate danger, fire, a medical emergency, violence, a rescue need, or a threat that cannot wait for a scheduled service.

24/7 behavioral-health and substance-use crisis pathway - City of Portsmouth; crisis assessment, face-to-face counseling, stabilization, and clinical rules apply; not cleanup or general emergency dispatch

Portsmouth Behavioral Healthcare Emergency Services

Portsmouth lists emergency services for people experiencing a mental-health or substance-use crisis, including telephone counseling and crisis assessment. Call 911 for immediate danger or a medical emergency.

Local police and non-emergency public-safety pathway - City of Portsmouth; emergency dispatch, reporting, and jurisdiction rules apply

Portsmouth Police Department

Use Portsmouth Police for city law-enforcement questions and non-emergency safety concerns. Use 911 when someone is in immediate danger.

Fire, rescue, EMS, fire-prevention, preparedness, and community-risk-reduction pathway - City of Portsmouth; emergency response, inspection, and service rules apply

Portsmouth Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services

Portsmouth Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services provides fire, rescue, emergency medical, prevention, preparedness, and community-safety pathways. Call 911 for an emergency.

City emergency-management, preparedness, hazard, shelter, evacuation, and resilience pathway - Portsmouth; incident-specific guidance and local-response rules apply

Portsmouth Emergency Management

Portsmouth Emergency Management provides preparedness, shelter, evacuation, flood, storm, fire, and other hazard information. During an active emergency follow official city and 911 instructions.

24-hour hospital emergency-care pathway - Portsmouth and Hampton Roads; emergency evaluation, transfer, payment, and clinical rules apply; use 911 for immediate danger

Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center Emergency Department

Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center lists an emergency department open 24 hours in Portsmouth. Use an emergency department or call 911 for immediate medical danger.

Adult protective-services pathway - City of Portsmouth; assessment, confidentiality, jurisdiction, and emergency rules apply

Portsmouth Adult Protective Services

Contact Portsmouth Social Services about suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or urgent social-service concerns involving an adult. Call 911 for immediate danger.

Child protective-services reporting pathway - Virginia; assessment, confidentiality, jurisdiction, and emergency rules apply

Virginia Child Protective Services

For suspected child abuse or neglect, use Virginia's current child-protective-services reporting route. Call 911 for immediate danger.

Domestic-violence shelter, advocacy, and crisis pathway - Portsmouth and surrounding communities; survivor intake, confidentiality, capacity, and safety rules apply

HER Shelter

HER Shelter describes domestic-violence shelter and support pathways. Use a safe communication method if someone may monitor calls or messages and confirm current intake directly.

Homelessness coordination, coordinated-entry, housing, and service-navigation pathway - City of Portsmouth; household, capacity, referral, and eligibility rules apply

Portsmouth Homeless Action Consortium

The Portsmouth Homeless Action Consortium coordinates housing and homelessness services with city and regional partners. It is not general emergency dispatch and cannot guarantee immediate placement.

State emergency preparedness and disaster-information pathway - Virginia; incident-specific guidance and local-response rules apply

Virginia Department of Emergency Management

Virginia Department of Emergency Management provides preparedness and disaster information. During an active local emergency follow 911, city, and public-safety instructions first.

City non-emergency information and service-request pathway - Portsmouth; jurisdiction and service-type rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Portsmouth 311 Non-Emergency Call Center

Portsmouth identifies 311 as its non-emergency call center for city information and service navigation. Call 911 for immediate danger, fire, or a medical emergency.

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.

Online benefits application and screening pathway - Virginia; program, income, household, identity, and documentation rules apply

Virginia CommonHelp

CommonHelp is Virginia's official application and screening pathway for food, health, cash, energy, and child-care assistance. Availability and eligibility depend on the program and household circumstances.

SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, energy assistance, utility support, child-care, employment, and protective-services pathway - City of Portsmouth; eligibility and documentation rules apply

Portsmouth Social Services Benefits

Portsmouth Social Services helps residents access state benefit programs and local support. Ask about current eligibility, applications, and documents.

Public housing, Housing Choice Voucher, affordable-housing, and housing-stability pathway - Portsmouth; income, waitlist, eligibility, and funding rules apply; current availability must be confirmed

Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority

PRHA administers public-housing and Housing Choice Voucher pathways and provides affordable-housing information. Verify current waitlists, eligibility, and application routes before relying on a listing.

Clinic, family-planning, STI, immunization, WIC, environmental-health, prevention, and public-health pathway - Portsmouth Health District; appointment, eligibility, fee, and document rules apply

Portsmouth Health Department Clinics

Portsmouth Health Department pages provide current public-health and clinic information. Confirm hours, eligibility, and fees before traveling.

Behavioral-health, substance-use, intellectual-disability, assessment, treatment, peer, and case-management pathway - Portsmouth residents; clinical, eligibility, scheduling, and payment rules apply

Portsmouth Behavioral Healthcare Services

Portsmouth Behavioral Healthcare Services provides a continuum of behavioral-health, substance-use, and intellectual-disability services. Use its current service pages and main numbers to confirm fit and access.

Community medical, behavioral-health, dental, and enabling-services pathway - Hampton Roads; sliding-fee, insurance, appointment, and eligibility rules apply

Hampton Roads Community Health Center

Hampton Roads Community Health Center offers medical, behavioral, and dental care with access options for people who may be uninsured or underinsured. Confirm current locations, fees, and appointment rules.

Hospital, emergency, behavioral-health, specialty, outpatient, rehabilitation, and trauma-care pathway - Portsmouth and Hampton Roads; clinical, referral, insurance, payment, and emergency rules apply

Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center

Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center provides regional hospital, emergency, behavioral-health, specialty, and outpatient-care pathways. Confirm the current service and access route directly.

Military health-care and beneficiary-support pathway - eligible service members, veterans, families, and other authorized patients; beneficiary, referral, appointment, and access rules apply

Naval Medical Center Portsmouth

Naval Medical Center Portsmouth provides military health-care services for eligible beneficiaries. Confirm eligibility, referrals, current services, and access rules; it is not a general public cleanup or crisis service.

School-based student-support, counseling referral, family assistance, special-education, and community-linkage pathway - Portsmouth Public Schools students and families; school, consent, privacy, and program rules apply

Portsmouth Public Schools Student and Family Support

Portsmouth Public Schools connects students and families with school-based and community supports. Confirm current referral, consent, and eligibility pathways.

Free public-library, computer, information, technology, digital-media, local-history, and community-learning pathway - Portsmouth; card, program, room, and technology rules apply

Portsmouth Public Library

Portsmouth Public Library provides free programs, computers, technology access, digital resources, local-history services, and branch locations. Ask staff about cards and current access.

Digital library card, e-books, audiobooks, technology, job, education, law, and veteran-resource pathway - Portsmouth; residency, card, privacy, and technology rules apply

Portsmouth Public Library Digital Branch

The library's digital branch offers online library resources, digital literacy, career tools, education, law-library resources, and veteran links. Confirm current card and access rules.

City parks, recreation, senior, youth, wellness, facility, and community-program pathway - Portsmouth; age, schedule, registration, accessibility, and program rules apply

Portsmouth Parks and Recreation

Portsmouth Parks and Recreation provides parks, recreation centers, programs, and community activities. Contact the department for current schedules, registration, and access information.

Food pantry, community-kitchen, emergency-food, and partner-agency navigation pathway - Southeastern Virginia including Portsmouth; pantry schedule, household, supply, and intake rules apply

Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore

The Foodbank maintains a current partner directory for food assistance, including Portsmouth-area pantries and meal sites. Confirm hours and eligibility directly with the listed partner.

Shelter, outreach, drop-in, housing-stability, and homelessness-support pathway - Portsmouth; intake, capacity, household, and eligibility rules apply

Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless

Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless provides shelter and related support for people experiencing homelessness. Confirm current intake, hours, and availability directly; placement is not guaranteed.

Regional homelessness coordination and Portsmouth Homeless Action Consortium navigation pathway - Hampton Roads; referral, capacity, and program rules apply

Hampton Roads Ends Homelessness

Hampton Roads Ends Homelessness provides information about the Portsmouth Homeless Action Consortium and regional homelessness coordination. Use the current housing-crisis pathway and confirm availability.

Emergency and permanent housing, domestic-violence advocacy, and shelter pathway - Hampton Roads; survivor intake, confidentiality, capacity, and safety rules apply

Samaritan House Housing Services

Samaritan House provides emergency and permanent housing pathways for people affected by domestic violence. Use a safe communication method if someone may monitor calls or messages.

State housing-finance, homebuyer, rental, mortgage-relief, and housing-resource pathway - Virginia; program, income, lender, property, and application rules apply

Virginia Housing

Virginia Housing offers statewide housing programs and information. Use it as a navigation resource and verify current eligibility, participating providers, and application requirements.

Statewide civil-legal-information and legal-aid navigation pathway - Virginia; topic, income, location, and provider rules apply

Virginia Law Help

Virginia Law Help helps residents identify legal-aid and low-cost civil-legal pathways for housing, benefits, family, health, and consumer issues.

Free civil legal-aid pathway for housing, benefits, safety, utilities, health, and other poverty-law matters - eligible Hampton Roads clients; income, conflict, intake, and case-acceptance rules apply

Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia

Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia provides free civil legal services for eligible low-income residents in Hampton Roads, including Portsmouth. Confirm current intake and eligibility; it is not emergency dispatch.

Regional bus, light rail, ferry, rideshare, and paratransit pathway - Portsmouth and Hampton Roads; route, fare, reservation, and service-area rules apply

Hampton Roads Transit

Hampton Roads Transit serves Portsmouth with regional bus, ferry, rideshare, and specialized transportation options. Confirm current routes, fares, schedules, and service rules before relying on a trip.

ADA paratransit reservation and eligibility pathway - Hampton Roads; disability certification, application, reservation, fare, and service-area rules apply

Hampton Roads Transit ADA Paratransit

HRT provides ADA paratransit information for eligible riders. Apply and confirm eligibility, reservations, pickup windows, and destinations before scheduling a trip.

Meals, transportation, caregiver, in-home, aging, and independent-living pathway - Southeastern Virginia; age, disability, income, referral, and program rules apply

Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia

Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia supports older adults and caregivers through meals, transportation, in-home services, and resource navigation. Ask whether a current Portsmouth-area program fits the household.

City streets, stormwater, neighborhood infrastructure, bulk-item, and public-works pathway - Portsmouth residents; schedule, material, set-out, service-area, and response rules apply

Portsmouth Public Works

Portsmouth Public Works maintains city infrastructure and publishes current service information. Verify the correct route for bulk items, stormwater, street, or neighborhood concerns before a cleanup or disposal project.

City trash, recycling, collection, waste-disposal, and service-schedule pathway - Portsmouth residents; material, schedule, set-out, service-area, and response rules apply

Portsmouth Waste Management

Portsmouth Waste Management provides current information about trash, recycling, and collection changes. Confirm the correct disposal route before setting out household contents or bulky materials.

City water, wastewater, stormwater, billing, outage, and utility-service pathway - Portsmouth customers; account, payment, service, outage, and emergency rules apply

Portsmouth Public Utilities

Portsmouth Public Utilities provides water, wastewater, stormwater, billing, and customer-service information. Confirm current billing, assistance, outage, and emergency routes.

Utility-bill, energy-assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and income-support navigation pathway - Portsmouth and Virginia; program, income, account, and application rules apply

Portsmouth Financial Assistance

Portsmouth's financial-assistance information connects residents with PIPP, energy assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and other programs. Confirm current eligibility, documents, and application steps.

Public community-college, workforce, adult-education, training, and student-support pathway - Hampton Roads residents; admission, tuition, aid, and program rules apply

Tidewater Community College Portsmouth Campus

Tidewater Community College provides education, workforce, and training pathways through its Portsmouth campus and regional programs. Confirm current programs, tuition, financial aid, and enrollment requirements.

Workforce, job-search, training, resume, and employment-support pathway - Hampton Roads; eligibility, appointment, program, and funding rules apply

Virginia Career Works Hampton Roads

Virginia Career Works provides workforce and employment services for Hampton Roads residents. Confirm current locations, appointments, training eligibility, and available supports.

Veteran benefits, housing, behavioral-health, employment, and service-navigation pathway - Virginia veterans and eligible family members; military-service, benefit, and appointment rules apply

Virginia Department of Veterans Services

Virginia's veterans-services network can help eligible veterans and family members navigate benefits, housing, employment, behavioral health, and related supports.

State benefits, protective-services, child-care, energy, food, and social-service navigation pathway - Virginia; program, household, identity, and documentation rules apply

Virginia Department of Social Services

Virginia DSS provides statewide program information and links for benefits and protective services. Use Portsmouth Social Services for local intake when a city program is required.

State housing, community-development, rehabilitation, energy, and housing-resource pathway - Virginia; program, property, income, and application rules apply

Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development

Virginia DHCD provides statewide housing and community-development information. Verify current program availability, local partners, eligibility, and application steps.

Official city department, permit, public-safety, utility, public-works, library, parks, resilience, and resident-navigation pathway - Portsmouth; service, jurisdiction, and application rules apply

Portsmouth City Services Directory

Portsmouth's official website connects residents with current city departments, contacts, permits, public works, utilities, libraries, parks, resilience, and public-safety pathways.

Neighborhood engagement, resident assistance, city concerns, civic connection, and service-navigation pathway - Portsmouth residents; neighborhood, service, and jurisdiction rules apply

Portsmouth Neighborhood and Community Services

Portsmouth's community and service pages connect residents with neighborhood, civic, and city-navigation resources. Confirm the right department and current request route for a concern.

Private-pay practical support and digital peer-support pathways - broader service area and online; cost, scope, consent, safety, and platform rules apply; not clinical or emergency care

The Peer Tree and Unburied

The Peer Tree and Unburied provide separate private-pay and digital peer-support pathways. Choose the option that fits the situation and confirm current scope, cost, access, and safety boundaries before relying on it.

A note from the Alliance

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

This guide is anchored in Portsmouth, Virginia, 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