A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide

Hoarding support in Sussex, 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 Sussex and Sussex County.

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

Start here - Fight the Blight

A calm place to begin

Fight the Blight is the nonprofit and virtual-group front door for people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns, including people who are directly affected and supporters who want to learn how to provide support. People in Sussex and Sussex County can also use current county, state, nonprofit, peer-support, qualified-care, housing, shelter, food, legal, utility, transit, code, disposal, and practical pathways. No outside listing is an endorsement; each organization sets its own eligibility, cost, hours, service area, capacity, consent, and safety rules.

Connect with Fight the Blight Call or text (724) 739-3785
For immediate danger

If there is immediate danger, fire, a medical emergency, violence, or a rescue need, call 911. This guide is for navigation and support; it is not emergency dispatch, clinical care, or a promise of cleanup or housing.

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 Sussex County; 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 Sussex County.

Visit The Peer Tree
Digital peer-support pathway - online for people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns and their supporters; current access and eligibility should be confirmed; no fee or clinical-coverage claim is made here; not therapy, crisis response, 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, family, property managers, municipal workers, and other supporters.

Visit Unburied
Free, confidential resource navigation for housing, food, health care, utilities, transportation, legal help, and basic needs - Virginia, including Sussex County; 24/7 service; each referred provider has its own eligibility, cost, and availability rules; not emergency dispatch

211 Virginia

211 Virginia connects people with current local resources for housing, food, health care, utilities, transportation, mental health, and other needs. Ask for options serving Sussex and Sussex County.

Call or search 211 Virginia 211
Qualified behavioral-health, substance-use, developmental-disability, prevention, same-day-access, peer-support, and crisis pathway - Sussex County and the Greater Reach service region; intake, eligibility, payment, and capacity rules apply; call 911 for immediate danger; not a cleanup provider

Greater Reach Community Services Board - Sussex County

Greater Reach Community Services Board serves Sussex County through public behavioral-health, substance-use, developmental-disability, prevention, peer-support, same-day-access, and crisis pathways. Confirm the current service route, eligibility, and capacity directly.

Review Greater Reach behavioral-health services 804-862-8008
Qualified hospital and emergency-care pathway - Petersburg and the Tri-Cities region serving Sussex County; emergency, behavioral-health, billing, transfer, accessibility, and capacity rules apply; call 911 for emergencies; not cleanup or hoarding support

Bon Secours Southside Medical Center

Bon Secours Southside Medical Center in Petersburg is a regional hospital and emergency-care pathway serving Sussex County. Confirm insurance, transportation, service availability, and billing questions; call 911 for an emergency.

Review Southside Medical Center 804-765-5000
Public-health, clinic, WIC, environmental-health, vital-records, and health-navigation pathway - Sussex County; appointments, fees, eligibility, and schedules vary; not emergency dispatch

Sussex Health Department - Crater Health District

The Sussex Health Department is part of the Crater Health District and provides clinic, WIC, environmental-health, vital-records, and public-health pathways. Contact the office to confirm current schedules and on-site services.

Review Sussex public-health services 434-246-8611

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 - Sussex and Sussex County; use for fire, medical emergency, violence, rescue, or an active threat; not a hoarding-support program, counseling service, or cleanup provider

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.

Call 911 911
Emotional-distress and suicide-crisis support - Virginia and nationwide; phone, text, and chat access; free and confidential; crisis-support eligibility and local follow-up vary; not fire, EMS, or police dispatch; call 911 for immediate physical danger

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 for emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, or a behavioral-health crisis. Use 911 for immediate physical danger, fire, medical emergency, or an active threat.

Call or text 988 988
Local law-enforcement, court-security, civil-process, and public-safety pathway - Sussex County; jurisdiction, dispatch, reporting, and response rules apply; call 911 for immediate danger; not a cleanup provider

Sussex County Sheriff's Office

Use the Sussex County Sheriff's Office for local law-enforcement, court-security, civil-process, and public-safety questions. Call 911 for immediate danger.

Review Sussex County Sheriff contacts 434-246-5000
County fire, EMS, emergency-management, rescue, and disaster-preparedness pathway - Sussex County; dispatch, access, billing, and jurisdiction rules apply; call 911 for emergencies; not a cleanup provider

Sussex County Fire, EMS, and Emergency Management

Sussex County's Office of Public Safety coordinates emergency operations, volunteer fire departments, rescue squads, preparedness, and disaster response. Call 911 for an emergency and use county contacts for current non-emergency routing.

Review Sussex emergency services 804-834-1305
County government, public-safety, emergency-management, planning, housing, and resident-service pathway - Sussex County; county jurisdiction, hours, fees, and response rules apply; call 911 for emergencies; not a private cleanup provider

Sussex County Government and Public Safety

Sussex County publishes current government, public-safety, emergency-management, planning, housing, and resident-service contacts. Confirm the correct department and current process before relying on a referral.

Review Sussex County services 434-246-1000
County emergency-communications and dispatch pathway - Sussex County; dispatch, reporting, and non-emergency routing rules apply; call 911 for emergencies; not a cleanup provider

Sussex County E-911 Communications

Use Sussex County's public-safety and sheriff contacts for local dispatch and non-emergency routing. Call 911 for an emergency.

Review Sussex emergency communications 434-246-5000
Public-health, clinic, WIC, environmental-health, vital-records, and health-navigation pathway - Sussex County; appointments, fees, eligibility, and schedules vary; not emergency dispatch

Sussex Health Department - Crater Health District

The Sussex Health Department is part of the Crater Health District and provides clinic, WIC, environmental-health, vital-records, and public-health pathways. Contact the office to confirm current schedules and on-site services.

Review Sussex public-health services 434-246-8611
Benefits, family services, adult protective-services, and safety-navigation pathway - Sussex County; intake, confidentiality, eligibility, and response rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Sussex County Department of Social Services

Contact Sussex County Department of Social Services for benefits, family services, adult protective-services, and safety-navigation questions. Call 911 for immediate danger and confirm current intake instructions.

Review Sussex social services 434-246-1083
Qualified behavioral-health and substance-use crisis, same-day-access, peer-support, and developmental-services pathway - Sussex County and the Greater Reach service region; intake, eligibility, payment, and capacity rules apply; call 911 for immediate danger; not a cleanup provider

Greater Reach CSB Crisis and Same-Day Access

Greater Reach Community Services Board is the public behavioral-health entry point for Sussex County. Confirm current crisis, same-day-access, substance-use, peer-support, and developmental-services routes directly; call 911 for immediate danger.

Review Greater Reach crisis and access options 804-862-8008
Confidential sexual- and domestic-violence support and safety planning - Virginia, including Sussex County; free hotline and referral pathway; shelter, legal, and follow-up availability vary; call 911 for immediate danger

Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Hotline

Virginia's statewide hotline can help with confidential support, safety planning, and connections to local services. Use 911 for immediate danger.

Call the Virginia hotline 800-838-8238
Poison exposure and household-substance safety pathway - Virginia; free telephone guidance; emergency escalation and treatment depend on the exposure; call 911 for severe symptoms or immediate danger

Virginia Poison Center

Call the Virginia Poison Center for immediate guidance after a suspected poisoning or hazardous exposure. Follow the specialist's instructions and call 911 for severe symptoms.

Call the Virginia Poison Center 800-222-1222
Utility-location and excavation-safety pathway - Virginia, including Sussex County; request timing, utility marking, and project rules apply; not a repair or emergency-dispatch service; call 911 for a gas or utility emergency

Virginia 811

Contact Virginia 811 before digging or disturbing ground around a property. Confirm request timing and safety requirements; use 911 for an active utility emergency.

Request utility marking 811
State-road, traffic, maintenance, and transportation-information pathway - Sussex County; road jurisdiction, reporting, and service-response rules apply; not private transportation or emergency dispatch

Virginia Department of Transportation - Sussex County

VDOT provides state-road information and reporting for Sussex County, including maintenance and traffic concerns. Confirm whether an issue is on a state, town, or county road.

Review VDOT services 800-367-7623
State-law-enforcement and public-safety pathway - Virginia, including Sussex County; jurisdiction, dispatch, reporting, and response rules apply; call 911 for immediate danger; not a cleanup provider

Virginia State Police - Area Services

Use Virginia State Police for state-level public-safety information and reporting routes. Call 911 for immediate danger or an active threat.

Review Virginia State Police
Planning, zoning, building-inspection, permits, and code-navigation pathway - Sussex County; jurisdiction, inspection, fee, notice, and appeal rules apply; not emergency dispatch or private cleanup

Sussex County Planning, Building, and Code Services

Contact Sussex County for planning, zoning, building inspections, permits, and code-navigation questions. Confirm current inspection, notice, and appeal steps before relying on a process.

Review Sussex planning and code contacts 434-246-4390
Planning, zoning, building-inspection, permits, and code-navigation pathway - Sussex County; jurisdiction, inspection, fee, notice, and appeal rules apply; not emergency dispatch or private cleanup

Sussex County Planning, Building, and Code Services

Contact Sussex County for planning, zoning, building inspections, permits, and code-navigation questions. Confirm current inspection, notice, and appeal steps before relying on a process.

Review Sussex planning and code contacts 434-246-4390
Commonwealth emergency-preparedness and disaster-response information pathway - Virginia, including Sussex County; incident, sheltering, evacuation, and response rules vary; call 911 for immediate danger

Virginia Department of Emergency Management

Use VDEM for statewide preparedness and incident information that may affect Sussex County. Follow local emergency instructions and call 911 for immediate danger.

Review Virginia emergency management
Regional hospital and emergency-care pathway - Petersburg and Southside Virginia, serving Sussex County; emergency, transfer, billing, accessibility, and capacity rules apply; call 911 for emergencies; not cleanup or hoarding support

Bon Secours Southside Medical Center Emergency Care

Bon Secours Southside Medical Center's emergency department is open 24 hours and serves Sussex County. Call 911 for an emergency and confirm transportation, insurance, and current services.

Review Southside emergency care 804-765-5000
Regional hospital and emergency-care pathway - Petersburg and Southside Virginia, serving Sussex County; emergency, transfer, billing, accessibility, and capacity rules apply; call 911 for emergencies; not cleanup or hoarding support

Bon Secours Southside Medical Center Emergency Care

Bon Secours Southside Medical Center's emergency department is open 24 hours and serves Sussex County. Call 911 for an emergency and confirm transportation, insurance, and current services.

Review Southside emergency care 804-765-5000

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.

Benefits, family services, adult protective-services, and safety-navigation pathway - Sussex County; intake, confidentiality, eligibility, and response rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Sussex County Department of Social Services

Contact Sussex County Department of Social Services for benefits, family services, adult protective-services, and safety-navigation questions. Call 911 for immediate danger and confirm current intake instructions.

Review Sussex social services 434-246-1083
State benefits screening and application pathway for food, medical, cash, energy, and child-care assistance - Virginia, including Sussex County; program eligibility, verification, and processing rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Virginia CommonHelp

CommonHelp is Virginia's state portal for screening and applying for several benefits. A local worker or 211 Virginia can help identify the right program, but eligibility is decided through the applicable program process.

Review Virginia benefits
Heating, cooling, crisis, and energy-bill assistance pathway - Virginia, including Sussex County; season, household, income, fuel, and funding rules apply; not emergency utility repair or dispatch

Virginia Energy Assistance

Virginia Energy Assistance information can help eligible households understand fuel, cooling, crisis, and utility-assistance pathways. Confirm current application windows and local processing requirements.

Review energy assistance
County government and resident-service navigation - Sussex County; office hours, eligibility, fees, and referral limits vary; not emergency dispatch

Sussex County Community Resource Directory

Use Sussex County's current website and directory to locate government offices and local services. Confirm the right department, jurisdiction, hours, and current instructions.

Review Sussex County referrals 434-246-1000
Aging, caregiver, disability, transportation, and independent-living navigation pathway - Sussex County and the Crater District; age, program, intake, and eligibility rules apply; not emergency response

Crater District Area Agency on Aging

Crater District Area Agency on Aging serves Sussex County and neighboring localities with aging, caregiver, disability, transportation, and independent-living pathways. Confirm current programs, eligibility, and service-area details.

Review Crater District aging resources 804-732-7020
Aging, caregiver, disability, transportation, and independent-living navigation pathway - Sussex County and the Crater District; age, program, intake, and eligibility rules apply; not emergency response

Crater District Area Agency on Aging

Crater District Area Agency on Aging serves Sussex County and neighboring localities with aging, caregiver, disability, transportation, and independent-living pathways. Confirm current programs, eligibility, and service-area details.

Review Crater District aging resources 804-732-7020
Public-school, student-support, family, enrollment, and school-social-work pathway - Sussex County; enrollment, transportation, education, privacy, and capacity rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Sussex County Public Schools

Sussex County Public Schools serves students and families across Sussex County. The division's current central-office contacts, student-support pathways, and school information are available through its official site.

Review Sussex County Public Schools 434-246-1099
State school-information and quality-profile pathway - Sussex County Public Schools; data, enrollment, program, and school-specific details should be confirmed with the division; not emergency dispatch

Sussex County Public Schools

Virginia's School Quality Profiles provide public information about Sussex County Public Schools. Use the division's current site for enrollment, student-support, and school-specific questions.

Review school information 434-246-1099
Public library, internet, information, learning, and community-navigation pathway - Sussex County, including Wakefield and Waverly branches; hours, programs, access, and technology availability should be confirmed directly; not emergency or clinical care

Blackwater Regional Library

Blackwater Regional Library serves Sussex County through branches including Wakefield and Waverly, plus regional online and outreach services. Confirm current hours, programs, technology access, and branch location directly.

Review Blackwater library resources 757-653-0298
Housing, shelter, food, utilities, transportation, health, and legal-resource navigation - Sussex County and Virginia; referred programs have their own eligibility, cost, and availability rules; not emergency dispatch

Virginia 211 Housing and Basic Needs Navigation

Ask 211 Virginia for current housing, shelter, food, utility, transportation, and legal options serving Sussex and Sussex County. Confirm every referred program directly.

Search local basic-needs options
State behavioral-health, developmental-disability, substance-use, and community-services information pathway - Virginia, including Sussex County; service, intake, eligibility, and crisis rules vary; not emergency dispatch

Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services

DBHDS provides statewide information about behavioral-health and developmental-disability services and how to find community pathways. Pair it with Crater Behavioral Health for local access.

Review Virginia behavioral-health services
State crisis-system and emergency behavioral-health information pathway - Virginia, including Sussex County; local crisis response, screening, and follow-up rules vary; call 911 for immediate physical danger

Virginia Department of Behavioral Health Crisis Information

Use Virginia's crisis-services information to understand local behavioral-health response options. Call or text 988 for emotional crisis support and call 911 for immediate physical danger.

Review crisis-service information
Medicaid transportation-benefit information pathway - Virginia, including Sussex County; Medicaid enrollment, covered-trip, advance-notice, scheduling, and medical-necessity rules apply; not emergency transport

Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services Transportation

Virginia Medicaid members can review transportation-benefit information for eligible covered trips. Confirm eligibility, advance notice, scheduling, and emergency limits with the current transportation contractor or member services.

Review Medicaid transportation
Public university extension, family and consumer science, agriculture, forestry, nutrition, 4-H, and practical education pathway - Sussex County; program, schedule, and service rules apply; not clinical care or emergency response

Virginia Cooperative Extension - Sussex County

Virginia Cooperative Extension's Sussex County office connects residents with Virginia Tech and Virginia State University programs in agriculture, family and consumer sciences, 4-H, and community viability. Confirm current classes and contacts.

Review Sussex Extension resources 804-834-1309
Civil legal-aid and referral pathway - Sussex County and Virginia Legal Aid Society's Suffolk service area; income, issue, intake, conflict, and capacity rules apply; not emergency dispatch or a substitute for an attorney in every matter

Virginia Legal Aid Society - Sussex service area

Virginia Legal Aid Society's Suffolk office serves Sussex County for qualifying civil legal matters involving housing, safety, benefits, and family stability. Begin with the current LawLine and confirm eligibility before relying on a referral.

Review Virginia Legal Aid Society 757-539-3441
State job matching, training, wage, veteran, and employment-navigation pathway - Virginia, including Sussex County; account, eligibility, employer, and program rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Virginia Workforce Connection

Virginia Works and the Virginia Workforce Connection provide job, training, wage, and employment-navigation information. Confirm the closest workforce center and eligibility for specific programs.

Review workforce resources
Veteran and family benefits, behavioral-health, housing, employment, transportation, and financial-assistance navigation - Virginia, including Sussex County; veteran/family eligibility and program capacity rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Virginia Department of Veterans Services

Virginia's Department of Veterans Services can help veterans and families identify benefits and service pathways. Confirm current regional contacts, eligibility, and appointment requirements.

Review veteran and family support
State affordable-housing, rental, homeownership, and housing-finance information pathway - Virginia, including rural Sussex County; property, income, lender, waitlist, and program rules apply; no emergency-housing guarantee

Virginia Housing

Virginia Housing provides statewide information about affordable rental and homeownership pathways. Confirm property availability, waitlists, income rules, accessibility, and application requirements directly.

Review affordable-housing options
Rural housing, home-repair, rental, and community-development information pathway - Sussex County and rural Virginia; income, property, loan, grant, and program rules apply; no emergency-housing guarantee

USDA Rural Development - Virginia

USDA Rural Development can help eligible rural households learn about housing, repair, and community-development programs. Confirm current local office contacts, property eligibility, funding, and applications.

Review rural housing resources
County government, resident-service, planning, code, benefits, and community-navigation pathway - Sussex County; office hours, jurisdiction, fees, eligibility, and referral limits vary; not emergency dispatch

Sussex County Government and Resident Services

Use Sussex County's official site and current contacts to locate county offices and resident services. Confirm the correct department, jurisdiction, hours, and current instructions.

Review Sussex County services 434-246-1000
County public-works, solid-waste, disposal, and recycling-navigation pathway - Sussex County; accepted materials, fees, hours, access, and capacity rules vary; not emergency dispatch or private cleanup

Sussex County Public Works and Solid Waste

Contact Sussex County for current solid-waste, disposal, recycling, and public-works information. Confirm accepted materials, fees, site hours, and whether a service applies to the county or town.

Review Sussex waste and recycling 434-246-1000
County public-works, transfer-station, solid-waste, and service-navigation pathway - Sussex County; accepted materials, hours, fees, and service rules can change; not a hoarding cleanup or emergency service

Sussex County Public Works and Solid Waste

Sussex County provides transfer stations and solid-waste services in collaboration with Waste Management. Confirm the correct site, accepted materials, hours, fees, and access rules before transporting items.

Review Sussex waste and public-works services 434-246-1000
Vehicle-title, registration, plate, placard, voter-registration, E-ZPass, and related DMV Select pathway - Sussex County; transaction, identity, hours, and service limits apply; not emergency response

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles - Sussex DMV Select

The Sussex DMV Select is at 15074 Courthouse Road and handles selected vehicle and related transactions. It does not issue driver's licenses, learner permits, or identification cards; confirm the transaction and hours before visiting.

Review Sussex DMV Select services
Benefits, family services, adult protective-services, and safety-navigation pathway - Sussex County; intake, confidentiality, eligibility, and response rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Sussex County Department of Social Services

Contact Sussex County Department of Social Services for benefits, family services, adult protective-services, and safety-navigation questions. Call 911 for immediate danger and confirm current intake instructions.

Review Sussex social services 434-246-1083
State directory and referral-navigation pathway for community supports - Virginia, including Sussex County; listed organizations have their own eligibility, cost, hours, and capacity rules; not emergency dispatch

Virginia Support Resources Directory

Virginia's support directories can help identify statewide and local service pathways. Verify the organization, current contact information, geographic fit, and eligibility before relying on a listing.

Review Virginia support resources
Circuit, general-district, juvenile and domestic-relations court, clerk, records, and legal-process navigation pathway - Sussex County; filing, access, fee, deadline, and legal-advice limits apply; not emergency dispatch

Sussex County Courts and Clerk Information

Virginia's Sussex courts publish current court, clerk, address, and contact information. Confirm the correct court, filing process, accessibility, fees, and whether legal advice is needed.

Review Sussex court information 434-246-1096
County community and resident-service navigation pathway - Sussex County; hours, eligibility, jurisdiction, and referral limits vary; not emergency dispatch

Sussex County Community Navigation

Use Sussex County's community pages and current contacts to identify services for housing, health, benefits, education, utilities, and practical needs. Confirm the correct department and current instructions.

Review Sussex local practical pathways 434-246-1000
County and municipal utility, water, wastewater, and service-navigation pathway - Sussex County and Sussex; account, jurisdiction, schedule, fee, and service rules vary; not emergency dispatch

Sussex County Utilities and Service Contacts

Sussex County and the Town of Sussex publish current utility and resident-service contacts. Confirm whether a property is in town or county jurisdiction and ask about current account, billing, service, and disconnection rules.

Review Sussex water and wastewater services 434-246-1000

A note from the Alliance

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

This guide is anchored in Sussex, 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