A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide

Hoarding support in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

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, health, or practical concern in Sault Ste. Marie or elsewhere in Chippewa County.

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

Start here - Fight the Blight

You do not have to solve the whole situation before asking for help.

Our virtual groups give people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns a place to connect from Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa County, and nearby 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, violence, or immediate threat. Hiawatha Behavioral Health provides 24-hour crisis support at 800-839-9443; call or text 988 for nationwide crisis support. If you are without housing or facing eviction, call 211 or Chippewa-Luce-Mackinac Community Action Agency and ask about current Chippewa County options.

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 public behavioral-health, substance-use, developmental-disability, peer, and care-navigation pathway - Chippewa County; assessment, eligibility, insurance, referral, and capacity rules apply

Hiawatha Behavioral Health

Hiawatha Behavioral Health serves Chippewa County through its Sault Ste. Marie office at 3865 South Mackinac Trail. It describes mental-health, substance-use, developmental-disability, youth, family, and recovery supports, with a sliding-fee schedule and no denial for inability to pay. Call 906-632-2805 or 800-839-9443 to ask about current access; this is not organizing or cleanup.

Official county-government navigator for departments, courts, health, property, public safety, veterans, and local administration - Chippewa County; jurisdiction, appointment, and service limits apply

Chippewa County Government

Chippewa County's official site is a starting point for current departments, elected offices, health, courts, property and tax information, emergency preparedness, community action, and local contacts. Use it to identify the right county pathway, then confirm current instructions before sharing sensitive details.

Official city-government contact for utilities, permits, property, waste, public works, service requests, and municipal information - Sault Ste. Marie; jurisdiction, department, fee, and service rules apply

City of Sault Ste. Marie

The City of Sault Ste. Marie lists city service requests, permits, utilities, waste, public works, property records, and after-hours water, sewer, and street emergency information. City Hall is listed at 225 East Portage Avenue with phone 906-632-5700. It is not a cleanup provider or behavioral-health service.

Local public-health, WIC, immunization, environmental-health, harm-reduction, prevention, and family-health pathway - Chippewa County; program, appointment, jurisdiction, and emergency limits apply

Chippewa County Health Department

Chippewa County Health Department lists personal and family health, environmental health, harm reduction, emergency preparedness, and school-based health pathways. Its office is at 508 Ashmun Street, Suite 120, in Sault Ste. Marie; call 906-635-1566 to identify the current program. It is not emergency dispatch or a cleanup provider.

Local rural hospital, 24-hour emergency department, medical, inpatient, and care-navigation pathway - Sault Ste. Marie and Chippewa County; medical, appointment, insurance, and capacity rules apply

MyMichigan Medical Center Sault

MyMichigan Medical Center Sault, formerly War Memorial Hospital, is the local hospital pathway for medical evaluation and emergency care. Local emergency information lists 500 Osborn Boulevard and emergency phone 906-635-4402. Call 911 for an immediate emergency; the hospital is not a hoarding-support or cleanup program.

Nonprofit housing, emergency shelter, weatherization, home repair, food, senior, family, financial, and self-sufficiency pathway - Chippewa County; program, income, documentation, funding, and capacity rules apply

Chippewa-Luce-Mackinac Community Action Agency

CLM Community Action Agency serves the Eastern Upper Peninsula from 510 Ashmun Street, Suite 4, in Sault Ste. Marie. It describes housing and emergency shelter, weatherization, home repair, senior and childhood services, meals, and other support. Call 906-632-3363 to identify the current intake route; assistance is not guaranteed.

Public and affordable housing application pathway - Sault Ste. Marie; application, income, screening, waitlist, property, and availability rules apply

Sault Ste. Marie Housing Commission

The Sault Ste. Marie Housing Commission manages affordable and public-housing rentals and a Housing Choice Voucher pathway. Its site lists 906-635-5841 and describes screening and income rules. Ask directly about current applications, accessible units, waitlists, and availability; placement is not guaranteed.

Regional domestic-violence and sexual-assault shelter, advocacy, crisis, housing, transportation, and legal-navigation pathway - Chippewa County and Eastern Upper Peninsula; confidentiality, intake, funding, and capacity rules apply

Diane Peppler Resource Center

The Diane Peppler Resource Center provides crisis counseling, advocacy, emergency shelter, transportation, housing assistance, legal advocacy, and emergency-needs support for survivors. Its Chippewa County office is at 2006 Ashmun Street, Suite 1, in Sault Ste. Marie; call 906-635-0566. Services are free, but program eligibility and capacity rules apply.

Culturally specific domestic-violence, sexual-assault, child-abuse, stalking, and safety-navigation pathway - seven-county tribal service area; eligibility, confidentiality, funding, and capacity rules apply

Sault Tribe Advocacy Resource Center

The Sault Tribe Advocacy Resource Center serves victims, survivors, and family members or friends across a seven-county service area that includes Chippewa County. It says services are free and confidential and do not require tribal membership. Call 906-632-1808 or 877-639-7820; call 911 for immediate danger.

Regional bus, ferry, rural transportation, and non-emergency medical-transportation pathway - Chippewa and Luce counties; route, reservation, fare, weather, and capacity rules apply

Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority

EUPTA operates rural bus service between Sault Ste. Marie and Kincheloe, ferries, and connections for non-emergency medical transportation. Call 906-632-2898 or review current schedules and delay notices before planning a medical, housing, benefits, or support trip.

Independent-living, disability-navigation, advocacy, and community-resource pathway - Upper Peninsula, including Chippewa County; disability, program, accessibility, and capacity rules apply

UP SAIL Disability Resource Network

UP SAIL is an Upper Peninsula disability resource and advocacy organization. Ask about independent-living information, accessibility, and current local referrals for Chippewa County. It is not emergency response, clinical care, or a cleanup provider.

Free, confidential, 24/7 navigation for food, housing, utilities, health, transportation, legal, and human services - Chippewa County and Michigan; provider eligibility, hours, funding, and capacity vary

Michigan 211 - Chippewa County Navigation

Call 211 for current referrals in Chippewa County, including housing, shelter, food, utility, transportation, benefits, legal, caregiver, and disability options. Ask for Sault Ste. Marie resources and confirm details directly with each provider; a referral does not guarantee assistance.

Qualified-care, organizer, taskforce, and support search - national directory with Michigan and telehealth options; listings are not endorsements and credentials, cost, insurance, waitlist, and service-area rules vary

IOCDF Hoarding Resource Directory

The International OCD Foundation directory can be searched for clinicians, programs, support groups, organizers, and taskforces that identify hoarding-related experience. Providers submit their information and IOCDF does not endorse their competence. Verify credentials, fees, insurance, privacy, availability, and whether in-home or telehealth work fits.

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 police, fire, or medical dispatch - Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding jurisdictions; use for fire, serious injury, violence, or an immediate threat

911 Emergency Services

Call 911 when there is immediate danger, fire, a medical emergency, violence, or a threat that cannot wait for a planned service. Emergency dispatch is not a hoarding-support program, counseling service, housing placement, or cleanup provider.

24/7 qualified behavioral-health crisis, safety-planning, access screening, and service-connection pathway - Chippewa County; crisis assessment, response, eligibility, and follow-up rules apply

Hiawatha Behavioral Health 24-Hour Crisis

Hiawatha Behavioral Health lists 800-839-9443 for its 24-hour crisis line and 906-632-2805 for its Sault Ste. Marie office. Call for urgent behavioral-health concerns, safety planning, or help identifying an appropriate service. Call 911 for immediate physical danger; this is not cleanup or housing placement.

24/7 call, text, or chat crisis connection - Michigan and nationwide; not a substitute for 911 when immediate physical danger is present

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 for immediate emotional or behavioral-health crisis support and connection to local resources. Use 911 for fire, serious injury, violence, or an immediate threat. 988 is not a cleanup service, housing placement, or ongoing therapy.

Local emergency medical evaluation and hospital-care pathway - Chippewa County; medical triage, transport, insurance, and capacity rules apply

MyMichigan Medical Center Sault Emergency

Local emergency information lists MyMichigan Medical Center Sault's emergency department at 500 Osborn Boulevard with phone 906-635-4402. Call 911 for an immediate emergency; call the hospital for non-emergency questions about where to seek care. The emergency department is not a cleanup service or hoarding program.

Official county law-enforcement and public-safety contact - Chippewa County; jurisdiction, dispatch, report, and emergency rules apply

Chippewa County Sheriff

Chippewa County lists the Sheriff's Department at 325 Court Street in Sault Ste. Marie with phone 906-635-9111. Call 911 for an emergency; use the sheriff for non-emergency public-safety questions, reports, or county law-enforcement direction. It is not hoarding support or cleanup.

Official city public-safety and non-emergency law-enforcement contact - Sault Ste. Marie; jurisdiction, dispatch, report, and emergency rules apply

Sault Ste. Marie Police - Non-Emergency

Local public-safety information lists 906-632-3344 for City of Sault Ste. Marie Police business questions. Call 911 for an emergency. Police are not a hoarding-support program, cleanup provider, housing service, or behavioral-health clinic.

County emergency-planning and public-safety coordination pathway - Chippewa County; incident, jurisdiction, and response rules apply

Chippewa County Central Dispatch and Emergency Management

Chippewa County's official site provides emergency-management and central-dispatch information, including Smart911 and county response resources. Use 911 for an active emergency; use the county site for preparedness and coordination information. This is not individual cleanup or housing support.

Public-health and environmental-health consultation pathway - Chippewa County; complaint, inspection, jurisdiction, program, and emergency limits apply

Chippewa County Health Department - Environmental Health

Chippewa County Health Department lists well and water, onsite sewage, food safety, emergency preparedness, and other environmental-health pathways. Call 906-635-1566 to identify the current route for a property or living-condition question; it is not emergency dispatch, legal advice, or a cleanup provider.

State protective-services reporting and investigation pathway for suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect - Michigan; report, confidentiality, jurisdiction, and response rules apply

Michigan Adult Protective Services

Michigan Adult Protective Services accepts reports of suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect through 855-444-3911. Use 911 for immediate danger. APS is not a cleanup service, case-management guarantee, or substitute for consent-based support.

24/7 domestic-violence crisis, emergency shelter, advocacy, and safety-planning pathway - Chippewa County and Eastern Upper Peninsula; confidentiality, intake, funding, and capacity rules apply

Diane Peppler Resource Center Crisis and Shelter

Diane Peppler lists a 24-hour crisis line and temporary emergency shelter for adults and children victimized by domestic violence. Call 906-635-0566 or 800-882-1515; call 911 for immediate danger. Shelter and services are free but placement and eligibility are not guaranteed.

Free, confidential, culturally specific victim-service and safety-planning pathway - seven-county tribal service area; eligibility, confidentiality, funding, and capacity rules apply

Sault Tribe Advocacy Resource Center Safety Support

The Sault Tribe Advocacy Resource Center serves victims, survivors, and family members or friends and says it does not require tribal membership. Call 906-632-1808 or 877-639-7820 for current advocacy, shelter, and safety-planning options; call 911 for immediate danger.

State safety-planning and domestic-violence referral pathway - Chippewa County and Michigan; confidentiality, eligibility, shelter, service-area, and capacity rules apply

Michigan Domestic Violence Resource Directory

Michigan's victim-services resources identify Diane Peppler and the Sault Tribe Advocacy Resource Center for the Eastern Upper Peninsula. Use the current directory to confirm contacts and services; call 911 for immediate danger. These programs are not hoarding-support or cleanup providers.

State homelessness assessment, coordinated-entry, shelter, eviction-prevention, and housing-referral pathway - Michigan, including Chippewa County; assessment, documentation, funding, and capacity rules apply

Michigan Housing Assessment and Resource Agencies

Michigan's housing-assessment system connects people experiencing homelessness or housing instability to a local HARA and coordinated-entry process. Review the current help page or call 211 to identify the Chippewa County route; assessment does not guarantee shelter, rent assistance, or housing.

State legal-information, forms, self-help, housing, domestic-violence, and court-navigation pathway - Michigan, including Chippewa County; legal issue, filing, eligibility, and court rules apply

Michigan Legal Help - Housing and Safety

Michigan Legal Help offers legal information, forms, instructions, housing resources, safety information, and a Guide to Legal Help. It does not provide legal advice or guarantee representation; use its county and topic tools for landlord-tenant, benefits, safety, or court questions.

24/7 confidential, culturally specific domestic-violence support and safety-navigation pathway - Native survivors nationwide, including Michigan; eligibility, confidentiality, and service rules apply

StrongHearts Native Helpline

StrongHearts Native Helpline offers confidential support, information, and advocacy for Native Americans affected by domestic violence. Call 1-844-762-8483. It is not emergency response or hoarding support; call 911 for immediate danger.

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.

Qualified public behavioral-health, substance-use, developmental-disability, youth, family, peer, and recovery pathway - Chippewa County; assessment, eligibility, insurance, referral, and capacity rules apply

Hiawatha Behavioral Health Community Services

Hiawatha describes adult, youth, developmental-disability, integrated-recovery, and family supports for residents of Chippewa, Mackinac, and Schoolcraft counties. Call 906-632-2805 or 800-839-9443 to ask about current services and referrals; it is not organizing or cleanup.

Behavioral-health information, complaint, recipient-rights, and care-navigation pathway - Eastern Upper Peninsula; service, privacy, grievance, and program rules apply

Hiawatha Behavioral Health Customer Service

Hiawatha's customer-service pathway helps people ask questions about behavioral-health resources, treatment concerns, and recipient rights. The Sault Ste. Marie customer-service contact is listed at 906-635-3707. This is not emergency response, hoarding support, or cleanup.

Public WIC, immunization, maternal-child, sexual-health, harm-reduction, school-health, and prevention pathway - Chippewa County; program, appointment, eligibility, and capacity rules apply

Chippewa County Health Department Family and Community Services

The county health department lists WIC, immunizations, maternal and infant programs, sexual health, harm reduction, school-based health, and prevention services. Call 906-635-1566 to confirm current appointments and eligibility; it is not emergency care or a cleanup provider.

Local housing-instability, emergency-shelter, affordable-housing, and stabilization pathway - Chippewa County; assessment, eligibility, documentation, funding, and capacity rules apply

CLMCAA Housing and Emergency Shelter

CLMCAA describes a multifaceted housing program for housing instability and homelessness and lists West Bridge Apartments in Sault Ste. Marie. Call 906-632-3363 to ask about current assessments, shelter, applications, and housing-stabilization options; availability is not guaranteed.

Income-qualified home-energy conservation, weatherization, home-repair, and housing-stability pathway - Eastern Upper Peninsula; income, ownership or tenancy, inspection, waitlist, and funding rules apply

CLMCAA Weatherization and Home Repair

CLMCAA describes free weatherization and related home-repair services for eligible Michigan homeowners and renters. Call 906-632-3363 to confirm current eligibility, inspection, landlord-permission, and scope rules; it is not whole-home cleanup or emergency repair.

Senior congregate meals, home-delivered meals, in-home personal care, homemaking, and adult-day pathway - Chippewa County; age, homebound, assessment, donation, and capacity rules apply

CLMCAA Senior Meals and In-Home Services

CLMCAA lists delivered meals, congregate meals, in-home personal care, adult day care, and homemaking assistance. Call 906-632-3363 to ask about current Chippewa County senior services, assessments, and meal access; services are not emergency response or hoarding support.

Public housing and Housing Choice Voucher pathway with income and screening rules - Sault Ste. Marie; application, household, property, waitlist, and availability rules apply

Sault Ste. Marie Housing Commission Programs

The Housing Commission describes public housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs and says eligible households may pay no more than 30% of adjusted monthly income for rent. Call 906-635-5841 to confirm current applications, waitlists, accessibility, and availability.

Local benefits, food, community-action, tribal, senior-meal, and transportation referral pathway - Sault Ste. Marie; provider eligibility, schedule, and capacity rules vary

Sault Ste. Marie Housing Commission Local Resources

The Housing Commission's local-resources page points residents toward MDHHS benefits, Sault Tribe Anishnaabek Community and Family Services, CLMCAA programs, senior meals, food pantries, and public transportation. Use the page as a referral map and confirm each provider directly before relying on it.

Scheduled rural bus, ferry, and accessible transportation pathway - Chippewa and Luce counties; route, reservation, fare, weather, and capacity rules apply

EUPTA Bus and Rural Transportation

EUPTA publishes bus connections between Sault Ste. Marie and Kincheloe, island ferry service, and current delay or cancellation notices. Call 906-632-2898 and confirm schedules, pickup points, fare, accessibility, and weather changes before traveling.

Non-emergency medical-transportation planning and travel-training pathway - Eastern Upper Peninsula; insurance, eligibility, reservation, and trip rules apply

EUPTA Non-Emergency Medical Transportation

EUPTA explains how people can coordinate non-emergency medical transportation through insurance, DHHS, UPCAP, UPHP, MyMichigan, or Sault Tribe Transportation. If uninsured, call the Mobility Manager at 906-632-2898 and confirm the current route; this does not serve emergencies.

Official city waste, recycling, landfill, household-hazardous-waste, permits, property, and service-request pathway - Sault Ste. Marie; accepted materials, schedule, fee, permit, and jurisdiction rules apply

City of Sault Ste. Marie Waste and Property Services

The city provides current information about garbage, recycling, landfill, household hazardous waste, service requests, building permits, and public works. Use the city site to identify the correct municipal path; city services are not a private cleanup or hoarding-support provider.

Tribal human-services, advocacy, child-placement, direct-services, and family-support pathway - Sault Tribe service area; tribal program, eligibility, privacy, and capacity rules apply

Sault Tribe Anishnaabek Community and Family Services

Sault Tribe's Anishnaabek Community and Family Services provides human and social services through advocacy, child-placement, and direct-service programs. The Housing Commission lists 906-632-5250 for ACFS; ask about current eligibility and referrals. This is not emergency response or cleanup.

Tribal transportation, elder medical rides, behavioral-health transportation, and regional transit-navigation pathway - Sault Tribe service area; tribal eligibility, scheduling, and capacity rules apply

Sault Tribe Regional Transportation

Sault Tribe describes transportation coordination with EUPTA, CLMCAA Dial-A-Ride, and other regional services, plus medical-ride options for elders and behavioral-health support. Call 906-635-6050 or ask the tribe to confirm the current program and eligibility; it is not emergency transport.

Free civil legal advice and representation pathway for eligible clients - Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac counties; issue, income, merits, funding, and service-area rules apply

Legal Services of Northern Michigan

Legal Services of Northern Michigan describes free civil legal advice and representation for eligible clients, including housing, benefits, family, and consumer matters. Its Sault Ste. Marie office serves Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac counties; call 906-632-3361 to confirm intake. It is not emergency response or housing placement.

State food, health, cash, family, and adult-service benefits pathway - Michigan, including Chippewa County; income, household, work-rule, documentation, and recertification rules apply

Michigan DHHS Food and Benefits Programs

Michigan DHHS and MI Bridges provide the application pathway for Food Assistance and other state programs. Review current rules before applying and ask the Chippewa County office or 211 for application-navigation help. Approval and benefit levels are not guaranteed.

State housing-assessment, homelessness-response, eviction-prevention, and coordinated-entry pathway - Michigan, including Chippewa County; assessment, documentation, funding, and capacity rules apply

Michigan Housing Stability and HARA Help

Michigan's housing-assessment system connects people facing homelessness or housing instability with local coordinated-entry resources. Review the current help page or call 211 to identify the Chippewa County pathway; it does not guarantee shelter, rent assistance, or housing.

State legal-information, forms, self-help, housing, benefits, domestic-violence, and court-navigation pathway - Michigan, including Chippewa County; legal issue, filing, eligibility, and court rules apply

Michigan Legal Help - Self-Help Resources

Michigan Legal Help offers legal information and forms for housing, benefits, safety, family, and court questions, plus a Guide to Legal Help. It does not provide legal advice or guarantee representation; use its county and topic tools to identify possible next steps.

Private-pay hoarding and clutter support pathway for individuals, families, and practical assistance; scope, fees, scheduling, and service availability require confirmation

The Peer Tree

The Peer Tree is the private-pay pathway for hoarding and clutter support when a situation is outside grant-funded services or calls for ongoing practical help. Ask about current support groups, sorting or organizing assistance, decluttering, deep cleaning, or support for friends and family. This is not emergency response, therapy, housing placement, or a promise that a particular service is available in Chippewa County.

Digital peer-support pathway for people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns and friends or family supporters - online; current account, feature, group, cost, and availability terms apply; not therapy or emergency support

Unburied

Unburied, owned by The Peer Tree, offers a judgment-free digital pathway with peer support, structured tools, groups, and separate personal and supporter experiences. It can be used from Sault Ste. Marie or elsewhere, but it is not therapy, clinical care, crisis response, emergency service, housing placement, or cleanup.

Free, confidential, 24/7 navigation for food, housing, utilities, health, transportation, legal, and human services - Chippewa County and statewide; provider rules and capacity vary

Michigan 211 Local Referral Search

Use 211 when you are not sure which Chippewa County agency fits. Ask specifically for current options for housing, shelter, food, utility help, transportation, benefits, legal information, disability, or caregiver support, then confirm the details directly with the provider.

A note from the Alliance

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

This guide is anchored in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, 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