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 in Ogemaw County.
Start here - Fight the Blight
Our virtual groups give people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns a place to connect from West Branch, Ogemaw County, 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, violence, or immediate threat. For behavioral-health crisis support, call AuSable Valley Community Mental Health or Wellvance at 844-865-5569, or call or text 988. For housing or resource navigation, contact Ogemaw County Housing, Michigan 211, or the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.
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.
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 West Branch or Ogemaw County.
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.
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 911 when someone is in immediate danger, there is a fire or medical emergency, violence, or a life-safety threat. Tell the dispatcher the location, immediate hazard, and any access or mobility issue responders should know.
The City of West Branch provides a local police pathway for city residents. Use 911 for immediate danger and the city's current contact information for non-emergency questions, reports, and safety concerns.
Ogemaw County lists Central Dispatch at 205 S 8th Street in West Branch and provides 989-345-9911 for non-emergency dispatch. Call 911 for an active emergency and use non-emergency dispatch only when the situation is not immediate.
The Ogemaw County Sheriff's Office is located in West Branch and serves countywide law-enforcement needs. The county lists 989-345-3111 for the Sheriff's Office; use 911 for immediate danger.
West Branch provides a local fire-protection and emergency-medical pathway through the city. Call 911 for fire, smoke, rescue needs, or another immediate threat to life or safety.
Ogemaw County lists Emergency Management among its county services and provides a current contact through its public directory. Use it for preparedness, hazard planning, and public-safety coordination questions, not for an active emergency.
AuSable Valley Community Mental Health serves Ogemaw County and has a West Branch office at 511 Griffin Road. For behavioral-health crisis support, use the current 24-hour crisis line; call 911 for immediate medical or physical danger.
Call or text 988 for free, confidential crisis support. If there is immediate physical danger, fire, a medical emergency, or violence, call 911. 988 is not a replacement for emergency dispatch or ongoing care.
Wellvance identifies a West Branch office at 511 Griffin Road and serves Iosco, Ogemaw, and Oscoda counties. Ask the provider about current programs, eligibility, access, and whether a service fits the situation; this is not emergency response.
McLaren identifies a 24/7 full-service emergency center at 2110 M-76 in West Branch. Use 911 for an emergency and confirm current hospital services, access, and transportation before traveling when the situation is not emergent.
District Health Department No. 2 lists its Ogemaw office at 630 Progress Street in West Branch. Current services include environmental health, sewage and water information, mold and radon guidance, lead prevention, emergency preparedness, immunizations, WIC, and community health services.
Michigan Adult Protective Services provides a state pathway for concerns about abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an adult. Use the official reporting guidance to determine the current reporting route. APS is not a cleanup service and does not replace emergency dispatch.
Ogemaw County lists Building, Planning and Zoning, and Zoning services in West Branch. Ask which office has jurisdiction and what information is needed for a property or building-safety concern; this is not a behavioral-health or emergency service.
Ogemaw County describes a Home Improvement Program for eligible property owners, including rehabilitation, emergency repairs, weatherization, and work related to minimum housing standards. Ask about current funding, ownership, income, taxes, insurance, inspections, and program limits.
The Ogemaw County Road Commission is at 1250 S M-33 in West Branch and maintains county road and bridge services. Use it for public-road, right-of-way, permit, or infrastructure questions, not for private-property cleanup or emergency response.
Michigan EGLE provides official hazardous-waste and environmental-management guidance. Review the current information before moving unknown chemicals, sharps, fuels, or other potentially hazardous materials; use 911 for an active spill, fire, or immediate danger.
Veterans and service members can call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or use the Veterans Crisis Line online. Supporters can use the same pathway when concerned about a veteran; this is crisis support, not hoarding-specific care.
Michigan's State Emergency Relief program may help eligible households with certain emergency needs. Review current eligibility, application, and covered-service rules through the official MDHHS page rather than assuming a hoarding-related expense qualifies.
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.
Ogemaw County's Housing Advisory Committee promotes the preservation and creation of housing and includes City of West Branch and township representatives. Use it as a local housing-navigation lead and ask which current agency handles a specific need.
MSHDA provides current guidance for people looking for housing help, including connections to local housing-assistance agencies. Use it to identify the appropriate local pathway and ask about eligibility, documentation, waitlists, and accessibility.
Michigan Housing Locator is a state housing-search pathway for identifying available rental options. Confirm costs, screening, accessibility, deposits, waitlists, and property rules directly with each housing provider.
MSHDA's current project-based voucher listing identifies affordable-housing developments in Ogemaw County. Use it to find possible properties and confirm current availability, application steps, rent, accessibility, and screening directly with each development.
Michigan 211 connects people with current local and statewide resources, including housing, food, utilities, transportation, and health and human services. Ask specifically for Ogemaw County options and verify eligibility and availability with each provider.
MI Bridges is Michigan's official online pathway for applying for or exploring public benefits and support programs. Use it to check current programs and application requirements; do not assume a benefit will cover cleaning, repairs, or another specific expense.
Ogemaw County lists a Commission on Aging at 1528 S M-33 in West Branch. Ask about current age eligibility, service area, meals, homemaking, personal care, caregiver support, respite, cost, assessments, and waitlists.
Ogemaw County Public Transit provides countywide transportation and lists its office at 1383 W Airport Road in West Branch. Ask about rides to medical appointments, food, housing, work, and other essential services, along with advance reservations and accessibility.
The West Branch District Library is at 119 N Fourth Street and provides public computers, internet access, printing, information help, community programming, and other services. Ask directly about current hours, accessibility, technology, and community-room policies.
The Ogemaw County Christian Fellowship food pantry is listed at the outreach building behind Trinity Episcopal Church at 100 E Houghton Avenue in West Branch. The current community resource page lists Wednesdays from 9 to 11 a.m. or until food runs out; verify before traveling.
The Ogemaw Hills Free Methodist Church Side Door Food Pantry is listed at 3480 W M-76/M-55 in West Branch. The current community resource page describes it as emergency food assistance and lists county-residence and eligibility rules; call or check the current calendar before traveling.
The current local community-resources page lists St. Vincent de Paul at 3444 W M-76 in West Branch and describes assistance with utilities, heating, essential car repairs, medical expenses, housing items, and possible temporary shelter. Call to confirm current eligibility and appointment requirements.
The current local community-resources page lists Salvation Army assistance through First United Methodist Church in West Branch and describes utility or financial help and possible short-term housing. Call to confirm current hours, eligibility, and available funds.
District Health Department No. 2 lists WIC and clinical and community services for its four-county service area. Contact the Ogemaw office to ask about current eligibility, appointments, nutrition support, and referrals.
District Health Department No. 2 lists clinical and community services including immunizations, HIV and STI testing, syringe services, dental services, and health education. Contact the Ogemaw office to verify current access, costs, appointments, and privacy information.
Michigan Legal Help offers self-help information and connections for civil-legal issues such as housing, benefits, debt, and safety-related matters. Review current eligibility and referral limits and seek emergency help separately when needed.
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency helps veterans and their families navigate benefits and services. Ask for current county-level assistance, transportation, housing, benefits, and caregiver connections and verify eligibility directly.
The Ogemaw County Register of Deeds is at 806 W Houghton Avenue in West Branch and maintains real-estate records. Use it for deeds, mortgages, recording, and property-record questions; seek legal advice for document preparation.
The Ogemaw County Clerk provides clerk and vital-records services from 806 W Houghton Avenue in West Branch. Review current instructions before traveling and confirm the identification, forms, fees, and eligibility requirements for a requested record.
Ogemaw County lists the Treasurer among its public offices in West Branch. Use the county's current directory for property-tax and county-finance questions and ask what documentation is required for any payment or hardship process.
Ogemaw County lists Equalization among its public offices in West Branch. Use it for current assessment and parcel questions and ask which office handles a specific record or property concern.
Ogemaw County provides a parks and recreation information pathway for outdoor spaces, recreation planning, and community activities. Confirm current locations, accessibility, hours, and fees directly with the county.
The City of West Branch is the local starting point for city administration, public works, water and wastewater, streets, refuse, parks, police, and fire questions. Use the current city contacts to identify the right department and ask about jurisdiction.
The Ogemaw County Annex identifies the Michigan State University Extension Office among the county services located in West Branch. Ask about current education, family, agriculture, and community programs and whether a specific service fits your situation.
Ogemaw County's official site is the best starting point for current county offices, boards, departments, and public notices in West Branch. Use the department-specific contact rather than sending sensitive personal details through a general form.
A note from the Alliance
This guide is anchored in West Branch, 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