A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide
You can begin with what would make today safer or easier. Asking for support does not mean agreeing to a cleanout or giving up control.
Start here - Fight the Blight
If clutter or hoarding concerns are affecting you or someone you care about, start with the kind of support that fits. Fight the Blight is the nonprofit starting point; The Peer Tree is a separate private-pay pathway; Unburied is digital peer support. Local agencies below have different roles and eligibility rules.
For immediate danger, fire, a serious medical emergency, violence, poisoning, or an urgent threat to someone's safety, call or text 911. For emotional distress or a mental-health crisis, call or text 988 or contact Southern Highlands' 24/7 crisis line at 800-615-0122. Peer support and community referrals 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 distinct private-pay pathway for support when grant-funded options do not fit. Confirm current availability, service boundaries, travel, and fees directly.
An online peer-support pathway for people affected by hoarding and people who care about them. It is not clinical treatment or emergency response.
Ask a navigator to search current food, utility, housing, and other community referrals. Confirm details with each provider; listings and openings can change.
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 or text 911 for a fire, serious medical emergency, crime in progress, or immediate threat to someone's safety. Do not use non-emergency offices when urgent response is needed.
The city lists 304-425-8911 for non-emergency calls and 911 for emergencies. Police jurisdiction and response depend on location; this is not a housing, cleanup, or mental-health service.
WVU Medicine lists Princeton Community Hospital in Princeton. Call the hospital to confirm the appropriate entrance and current services; an emergency department is for urgent medical needs, not hoarding-specific cleanup or housing.
Southern Highlands lists round-the-clock crisis support at 800-615-0122. This line is for behavioral-health crises, not fire, environmental hazards, dispatch, or guaranteed admission.
The provider says its crisis stabilization unit is at its Princeton clinic and that admission is determined by a medical provider; not everyone meets criteria. Call for assessment rather than traveling without confirming.
Call or text 988 for emotional distress or suicidal crisis support. It connects to crisis counseling; it is not emergency dispatch or a substitute for medical care.
A statewide helpline for people seeking behavioral-health or substance-use help. Contact the service to identify an appropriate next step and confirm availability; use 911 for immediate danger.
The West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence lists SAFE as serving Mercer County at 304-324-7820. If privacy is a concern, use a safe device and contact the program directly; do not rely on email or web contact when it could create risk.
West Virginia DoHS lists a 24-hour reporting line for suspected abuse or neglect. It is not a way to report clutter or request a cleanup.
For a possible poisoning or toxic exposure, Poison Control provides expert guidance by phone or online. For an immediate life-threatening emergency, call 911.
The county lists its emergency-management office at 1500 West Main Street in Princeton, 304-487-8448. Use the office for preparedness information and non-emergency questions; call 911 when immediate response is needed.
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 office lists Medicaid, SNAP, emergency assistance, LIEAP, utility programs, child-care subsidies, protective services, and homeless services. Call or use WV PATH to confirm the right application, documents, and current office access.
Use the official portal to explore or apply for state benefits. A screening result is not an eligibility decision; contact Mercer County DoHS if you need help.
The state explains SNAP and directs applicants to WV PATH. Ask DoHS or 211 about other current food referrals while an application is reviewed.
The state describes emergency assistance for eligible households. Contact Mercer County DoHS about current rules, documents, and whether the situation fits.
West Virginia DoHS lists LIEAP and related utility programs. Confirm the current application window and process with the local office; assistance is not guaranteed.
Mercer County DoHS and WV PATH can explain enrollment and covered services. Confirm current eligibility, plan choices, and any member cost directly with the state.
The state health department lists the Mercer County office in Bluefield, not Princeton, and publishes weekday hours. Call to ask which public-health service is available and where it is delivered before making a trip.
Southern Highlands lists adult services, licensed clinicians, weekday office hours, and walk-in information. Ask about the specific service and current appointment access; no hoarding-specialty treatment is claimed.
CASEWV lists Princeton rental properties, including wheelchair-accessible units, and describes screening requirements. Call to verify current vacancies, rent, application steps, accessibility, and eligibility; no opening is promised.
CASEWV describes family-stabilization help and referrals for households facing hardship. Contact the agency to ask what is currently funded, how to apply, and what documents are needed.
CASEWV's weatherization page includes Mercer County. Ask whether the property and household qualify, whether applications are open, what landlord permission is needed, and whether there is a waitlist.
CASEWV lists Head Start and Early Head Start serving Mercer County. Contact the program to confirm age group, current enrollment, eligibility documents, and the service location.
The program page describes home visits, child-development information, and referrals for qualifying families. Call to confirm current enrollment, insurance or eligibility requirements, and service availability.
Operation Lifeline lists a monthly distribution on the third Saturday and says new participants can register at the event. Call first to confirm the date, hours, registration, current supplies, and access arrangements.
CASEWV lists a weekday senior center, nutrition, in-home programs, and wheelchair-accessible rides for older adults. Call to confirm eligibility, available services, trip arrangements, and current capacity.
Contact the state network to ask about aging, disability, caregiver, and long-term-services pathways. Confirm the local provider, eligibility, and capacity before relying on a referral.
West Virginia's Bureau for Medical Services explains member transportation arrangements. Call the current broker number well ahead and confirm the reservation, destination, timing, and accommodations.
The transit provider publishes a Princeton downtown fare and a Bluefield–Princeton route. Schedules, stops, route deviations, and fares can change; call before traveling and ask about accessibility or trip planning.
The state describes homelessness assistance and service pathways. Ask WV 211 or Mercer County DoHS which local access point is current; no shelter opening or placement is promised.
HUD provides information for finding housing counselors who may help with renting, foreclosure prevention, homeownership, or other housing questions. Ask the counselor what services and fees apply.
Call or apply online to ask whether a civil issue qualifies. Legal Aid says eligibility is screened and court filing or other costs may still apply.
Older adults can contact the program about civil legal concerns. Call to confirm eligibility, current intake, and whether the issue is within the program's scope.
The city lists the library's location, phone, and current posted hours. Call to confirm card requirements, accessibility, computer or Wi-Fi access, and any copy or program fees.
The local Extension office provides agriculture, home, family and community development, health, food, nutrition, and youth programming. Contact the office to confirm current programs, location, and fees.
The authority publishes landfill and recycling information and weekday/Saturday hours. Call before transporting items to confirm accepted materials, payment, holiday changes, and current charges; no hoarding-specific cleanout service is implied.
The city says Public Works garbage pickup is for properties within city limits. Check the current service boundary and special-pickup charge before planning; residents outside city limits need a separate option.
The city identifies separate providers for sewer, water, electricity, and trash. Use the current city page to find the relevant provider, then confirm service area, account setup, balance, and payment options.
WVU Medicine's location page provides current hospital information. Call the hospital to confirm the correct department and available non-emergency service; this listing does not claim a hoarding-disorder specialty.
The city lists parks, recreation facilities, and activities for residents and visitors. Call or check the current program listing for hours, access, registration, and any fees before traveling.
The county site links commissioners, courts, agencies, and public services. Use the relevant office for county procedures and confirm jurisdiction before relying on a service.
A note from the Alliance
This guide is anchored in Princeton, West 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