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.
Start here - Fight the Blight
Our virtual groups give people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns a place to connect from Rochester and other 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, call or text 988 or call Rochester Regional Health’s crisis center at (585) 368-3950.
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.
211 LIFE LINE provides information and referrals for human services and crisis support across Monroe and neighboring Finger Lakes counties. It can help people search for housing, food, health, mental-health, disability, legal, transportation, and support resources. Confirm current availability, eligibility, language access, and whether an after-hours housing response applies.
Monroe County says NY Connects is its designated Aging and Disability Resource Center for unbiased information, assistance, and referrals about long-term services and supports, regardless of age or disability. Use it to discuss in-home help, caregiver support, housing options, and community living; eligibility and service capacity vary by program.
Monroe County’s Office of Mental Health coordinates information about mental-health, substance-use, developmental-disability, adult, and crisis services. It directs people to 988 for mental-health emergencies and can help identify local systems of care. This is not a cleanup service or a promise of hoarding-specific treatment.
Rochester Regional Health describes BHACC as an alternative to an emergency department for urgent mental-health needs. Adults 18 and older can walk in without an appointment, and clinicians can assist with problem-solving, safety planning, and connection to ongoing services. It is not hoarding-specific treatment or a cleanup service; call first to confirm current hours and fit.
The IOCDF directory lists Joanna R. Scott, PhD, in Rochester and describes an OCD-spectrum practice with consultation to other providers in the Rochester region. The listing does not promise hoarding-specific treatment, and IOCDF states that provider listings are not endorsements; confirm current availability, credentials, insurance, fees, and fit directly.
Safety and stability
These pathways serve different situations. Read the labels carefully before calling, especially when a response may involve protective services, housing screening, or emergency dispatch.
The City of Rochester and Monroe County describe the Person in Crisis Team as a 24/7 non-law-enforcement response for mental-health and substance-use calls within the city. The team can provide support and connect people to future help. This is not an emergency cleanup or medical service; call 911 for a serious medical emergency or immediate threat to life.
Monroe County directs people to 988 for mental-health emergencies, and the 988 Lifeline provides free, confidential call, text, and chat support. Counselors can listen, offer crisis support, and connect people with local services. It is not a hoarding-specific service, cleanup line, or replacement for 911 in an immediate emergency.
Monroe County Adult Protective Services is a state-mandated program provided without regard to income for vulnerable adults. The county lists safety monitoring, case management, crisis intervention, advocacy, benefits help, and links to health, mental-health, aging, and other services. Ask whether the concern fits protective services and what the person’s rights and choices are before making assumptions.
Rochester’s complaint-inspection process addresses property conditions that may fail to comply with housing and safety codes. The city says inspectors focus on the reported area while responding to obvious hazardous conditions and can follow violations toward compliance. This is an enforcement pathway, not a consent-based support or cleanup program.
The City of Rochester lists housing and homelessness resources intended to help people avoid homelessness, find housing, and connect with legal or community support. The city directs people to call 211 for available services. Housing placement, rental assistance, and shelter are not guaranteed; ask about the person’s current housing status and next step.
The City of Rochester lists housing-rehabilitation programs for eligible owner-occupants, including emergency assistance for furnaces, boilers, and water heaters, lead-safety programs, roof repair, and targeted home improvement. Program eligibility includes income, ownership, tax, mortgage, and code-compliance requirements; confirm current funding, wait times, and whether the needed work qualifies.
People and practical help
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.
The City of Rochester allows bulk items such as furniture, bedding, mattresses, large appliances, and bundled yard trimmings at the curb on normal refuse days, and describes an on-demand pickup option for larger volumes or special timing. Confirm current item limits, preparation rules, fees, and whether the address receives city service before setting anything outside.
Monroe County’s Home Improvement Program describes grants or grant/low-interest loans for income-eligible homeowners in suburban towns and villages outside the City of Rochester, Greece, and Irondequoit. Eligible repairs can include major systems and accessibility accommodations. Residents in excluded municipalities should use their own local program; confirm current limits, wait times, and application requirements.
Monroe County lists programs for older adults and caregivers that can include case management, in-home support, adult day services, respite, transportation, and long-term-services navigation. These programs are not automatic free cleanup; call NY Connects to ask about assessments, home-management options, and current provider availability.
Monroe County’s financial-assistance information includes HEAP, SNAP, Medicaid, and home-care services such as personal care, housekeeping, and personal emergency response systems. These programs may help stabilize a home situation but are not hoarding-specific treatment or cleanup; confirm current eligibility and the exact service scope.
The International OCD Foundation directory can help people search for therapists, programs, support groups, organizers, and task forces. IOCDF says listings are not endorsements and provider information can change; confirm credentials, fees, insurance, service area, and fit directly before relying on a listing.
The IOCDF organizer directory can help people look for professional organizers with chronic-disorganization or hoarding-related training. 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.
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.
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 Rochester or anywhere else. It is not therapy, clinical care, or emergency support.
A note from the Alliance
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