A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide

Hoarding support in Wise, Virginia.

Start with a respectful next step in Wise or elsewhere in Wise County. This guide connects people, families, supporters, and local systems with practical pathways while keeping emergencies and qualified care in the right lane.

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

Start here - Fight the Blight

A calm place to begin

You do not have to solve everything at once. Start with the pathway that fits the situation, then confirm current availability, eligibility, cost, jurisdiction, and safety requirements directly with the organization.

For immediate danger

If there is immediate danger, fire, a medical emergency, violence, or an active threat, call 911. For emotional or behavioral-health crisis support, call or text 988 or use Virginia's local crisis and community-services pathways.

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 Wise 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 Wise County.

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.

Free, confidential resource navigation for housing, food, health care, utilities, transportation, legal help, and basic needs - Virginia, including Wise 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 Wise and Wise County.

Qualified community-services-board pathway for mental health, substance use, developmental services, same-day access, peer support, recovery, and crisis care - Wise County, Lee County, Scott County, and Norton; intake, insurance, financial-assistance, and capacity rules vary; not emergency dispatch

Planning District One Behavioral Health Services

Planning District One Behavioral Health Services is the public behavioral-health and substance-use pathway serving Wise County, Lee County, Scott County, and Norton. Confirm same-day access, crisis, coverage, and the current Wise-area route.

Regional qualified hospital and emergency-care pathway - 100 15th Street NW, Norton, serving Wise County and Southwest Virginia; emergency care available; insurance, transfer, billing, and capacity rules must be confirmed directly; not cleanup or hoarding support

Norton Community Hospital

Norton Community Hospital is the regional qualified hospital pathway for Wise County, with emergency, acute, rehabilitation, and outpatient services. Call 911 for a life-threatening emergency and confirm current care information directly.

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 - Wise and Wise 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, or a threat that cannot wait for a scheduled service.

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. If there is immediate physical danger, fire, a medical emergency, or an active threat, call 911 instead.

County emergency-management, disaster-planning, shelter, preparedness, and incident-coordination pathway - Wise County; call 911 for an active emergency; shelter and incident instructions change with conditions; not counseling or cleanup

Wise County Emergency Management

Wise County Emergency Management coordinates disaster planning, public information, and designated shelters. The county lists shelter locations and uses Wise County Dispatch for shelter contact during an incident.

County law-enforcement, dispatch, civil-process, and public-safety pathway - Wise County and its towns; call 911 for immediate danger; non-emergency dispatch 276-328-3756; jurisdiction and report rules apply; not counseling or cleanup

Wise County Dispatch and Sheriff's Office

Use Wise County Dispatch and the Sheriff's Office for county public-safety questions that are not an active emergency. All Wise County towns use the county dispatch center; call 911 for an emergency.

County fire, rescue, EMS, and emergency-dispatch pathway - Wise County and its towns; call 911 for emergencies; response, billing, and coverage rules apply; not cleanup or clinical care

Wise County Fire, EMS, and E-911

Wise County's emergency plan coordinates fire departments, EMS, rescue, law enforcement, and E-911. Call 911 for a fire, medical emergency, rescue need, or immediate threat.

Regional emergency-department and acute-care pathway - Norton, serving Wise County; call 911 for life-threatening symptoms; triage, transfer, insurance, billing, and capacity rules apply; not cleanup or hoarding support

Norton Community Hospital Emergency Care

Norton Community Hospital provides regional emergency and acute care. Call 911 for life-threatening symptoms rather than driving if conditions may be urgent.

Official public-health, WIC, immunization, screening, family-planning, communicable-disease, and environmental-health pathway - Wise; appointments and eligibility vary; not emergency care

Wise County and City of Norton Health Department

The Wise County and City of Norton Health Department is part of the LENOWISCO Health District and is the local Virginia Department of Health pathway for public-health questions. Confirm appointments, fees, language access, and current services directly.

Local adult, child, family-support, APS, CPS, benefits-screening, and adult-services pathway - 1000 Sykes Boulevard, Wise; eligibility and screening rules apply; call 911 for immediate danger; jurisdiction and response rules apply

Wise County Department of Social Services Protective Services

Use Wise County Social Services when a child or adult may be experiencing abuse, neglect, exploitation, or unsafe conditions and the situation is not an immediate 911 emergency. Ask about APS, CPS, adult services, benefits, and required documents.

Confidential survivor-support and safety-planning pathway - Virginia, including Wise County; advocates, local referrals, and shelter options vary; call 911 for immediate danger; not housing or cleanup guarantee

Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Hotline

Call or text Virginia's statewide hotline for confidential support related to sexual or domestic violence. Advocates can help identify local options; call 911 for immediate danger.

Poison-exposure information and medical guidance - Virginia; call 911 for collapse, seizure, breathing trouble, or another immediate emergency; not hoarding support or cleanup

Virginia Poison Center

Call the Virginia Poison Center for poison-exposure guidance. If someone has collapsed, cannot breathe normally, is having a seizure, or is in immediate danger, call 911 first.

Utility-locate and excavation-safety pathway - Virginia, including Wise County; submit before digging; marking and utility-owner rules apply; call 911 for an active gas, electrical, fire, or other utility emergency

Virginia 811

Contact Virginia 811 before digging or disturbing ground so utility lines can be marked. Use 911 for an active gas, electrical, fire, or other immediate utility danger.

State emergency-preparedness, alerts, shelter, and disaster-information pathway - Virginia, including Wise County; local incident instructions and eligibility rules apply; call 911 for an active emergency

Virginia Emergency Management

Virginia Emergency Management provides preparedness and disaster-information resources that complement Wise County emergency services. Follow current local incident instructions and call 911 for an active emergency.

Municipal administration, police, fire, permits, zoning, planning, records, and town-service pathway - Wise; town jurisdiction, service-area, fee, and code rules apply; call 911 for emergencies; not private cleanup

Town of Wise Government and Public Safety

Use the Town of Wise for current municipal services, public-safety, permits, codes, records, planning, and town-government questions. Confirm town jurisdiction before making a property request.

County building, inspection, planning, zoning, property, and code-information pathway - Wise County; jurisdiction, permit, inspection, fee, and appeal rules apply; not emergency dispatch or private cleanup

Wise County Building and Zoning

Use Wise County's government route for building, planning, zoning, property, and code questions. Confirm jurisdiction and current requirements directly before starting work or making a safety request.

Public water, wastewater, solid-waste, account, outage, and service-safety pathway - Wise County; service-area, account, billing, outage, and infrastructure rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Wise County Public Service Authority

The Wise County Public Service Authority provides drinking water and wastewater service and publishes customer, billing, and solid-waste information. Confirm service area, account requirements, outages, fees, and special handling directly.

State-road, right-of-way, access, traffic, and roadway-safety information pathway - Virginia, including Wise County; state, county, and town jurisdiction rules apply; call 911 for an immediate roadway danger; not private-property cleanup

Virginia Department of Transportation

VDOT provides the state route for roadway, right-of-way, access, and traffic-safety questions. Confirm whether an issue belongs to VDOT, Wise County, or the Town of Wise before submitting a request.

State law-enforcement and public-safety pathway - Virginia, including Wise County; call 911 for immediate danger; jurisdiction and report rules apply; not counseling or cleanup

Virginia State Police

Use Virginia State Police for state law-enforcement information when appropriate. Call 911 for an active emergency and confirm whether county, town, or state jurisdiction applies.

County-designated disaster-shelter pathway - Wise County; locations open only when activated for an incident; follow current county instructions and call dispatch for shelter information; not permanent housing or routine drop-in care

Wise County Emergency Shelters

Wise County lists designated shelters in Wise and other towns, including Wise Primary School and the Department of Social Services. Shelter locations and access can change with the incident; follow current emergency instructions.

24-hour behavioral-health, substance-use, developmental-services, and crisis pathway - Wise County and Southwest Virginia; call 911 for immediate physical danger; intake, insurance, and capacity rules apply; not fire or EMS dispatch

Planning District One 24-Hour Crisis Pathway

Planning District One lists 24-hour crisis support for people in Wise, Lee, Scott, and Norton. Confirm the crisis route and follow 911 guidance for immediate physical danger.

State behavioral-health and developmental-services navigation pathway - Virginia, including Wise County; local CSB intake, eligibility, insurance, and capacity rules vary; 988 or 911 for crisis limits

Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services

Virginia DBHDS explains that community-services boards are the public entry point for mental health, substance use, and developmental services. Use the local Planning District One pathway for Wise County and call 988 or 911 as appropriate.

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.

Local benefits, SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, fuel assistance, adult, child, family, protective-services, and self-sufficiency pathway - 1000 Sykes Boulevard, Wise; program, income, household, documentation, seasonal, and appointment rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Wise County Department of Social Services

Wise County Social Services is a local starting point for public benefits, family services, adult services, child services, fuel assistance, protective services, and self-sufficiency support. Ask about current eligibility and required documents.

Online benefits screening and application pathway for SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, energy assistance, and related programs - Virginia, including Wise County; income, household, documentation, and program rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Virginia CommonHelp

CommonHelp is Virginia's online route to screen and apply for several public-benefit programs. Confirm current rules and contact Wise County Social Services if online access is difficult.

State energy-bill and fuel-assistance pathway - Virginia, including Wise County; seasonal, income, household, application, and funding rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Virginia Energy Assistance

Virginia's energy-assistance pathway can help eligible households ask about heating, cooling, crisis, and utility support. Confirm current application windows and local documentation requirements.

Public housing, Section 8, rental-assistance, and housing-stability pathway - Wise County; income limits, waiting lists, funds, unit rules, and documentation apply; not emergency shelter or guaranteed placement

Wise County Redevelopment and Housing Authority

The Wise County Redevelopment and Housing Authority publishes housing-choice-voucher and rental-assistance information. Confirm whether the waiting list is open, current income limits, application steps, and available funds directly.

Local rental-assistance navigation pathway - Wise County; funding, income, household, documentation, landlord, and availability rules apply; not emergency shelter or a guaranteed payment

Wise County Rental Assistance

Wise County's local-services information identifies a rental-assistance route through the housing authority. Confirm current funding, eligibility, application process, and whether assistance is available before relying on it.

Federal affordable-housing, public-housing, voucher, homelessness, and tenant-navigation pathway - Virginia, including Wise County; each local program has its own eligibility, waitlist, and availability; not emergency dispatch

HUD Virginia Housing Resources

HUD's Virginia resource page explains routes for affordable housing, homelessness, public housing, vouchers, and local referrals. Dial 211 for current local navigation and confirm each program directly.

Area-agency-on-aging, caregiver, nutrition, in-home, family, veteran, and community-support pathway - Wise, Lee, and Scott counties and Norton; age, disability, program, funding, and capacity rules vary; not emergency dispatch

Mountain Empire Older Citizens

Mountain Empire Older Citizens is the regional area agency on aging and offers programs for older adults, caregivers, families, and people who want to remain at home safely. Ask about current Wise County services and eligibility.

Public and demand-response transportation pathway - Wise, Lee, and Scott counties and Norton; free curb-to-curb service requires advance scheduling; METGo! is $1 per trip as published; hours, zones, rider, and capacity rules apply; not emergency transport

Mountain Empire Transit

Mountain Empire Transit provides free demand-response rides scheduled in advance and METGo! on-demand service in the Wise-Norton zone. Confirm the current fare, reservation window, pickup instructions, accessibility, and medical-trip limits.

Public-library, internet, information, learning, privacy, and community-connection pathway - 124 Library Road SW, Wise; library-card, program, technology, and schedule rules apply; not emergency dispatch or clinical care

Wise County Public Library

The Wise County Public Library is a local place to access information, technology, privacy booths, learning resources, and community programming. Confirm current hours, accessibility, and program availability before traveling.

Regional public-library and books-by-mail pathway - Wise, Dickenson, Lee, Scott counties, and Norton; library-card, delivery, technology, and program rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Lonesome Pine Regional Library

Lonesome Pine Regional Library provides shared library services, books by mail, digital resources, technology, and branches across the region. Ask the Wise County branch about current access and delivery options.

Official workforce, job-search, training, unemployment-assistance, and career-navigation pathway - 251 Ridgeview Road SW, Wise; service-area, appointment, eligibility, and program rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Virginia Works - Wise

Virginia Works' Wise office provides workforce and career-navigation services for Wise and neighboring service areas. Confirm current hours, job-seeker support, training, unemployment guidance, and accessibility before visiting.

Free civil-legal-help pathway for eligible low-income residents - Wise County and Southwest Virginia; income, assets, case type, conflict, and capacity rules apply; does not handle every case or criminal matters; not emergency dispatch

Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society

Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society provides free civil legal assistance in Wise County and the region. Apply through the centralized intake route and confirm eligibility, case type, and capacity.

Regional food-bank and hunger-relief pathway serving Wise County and Norton; pantry, food-distribution, eligibility, schedule, and capacity rules vary by local partner; not emergency dispatch

Feeding Southwest Virginia

Feeding Southwest Virginia is the regional food-bank pathway serving Wise County and Norton. Use its current partner and distribution information or call 211 to identify a local food resource and confirm requirements.

Public-school, family, student-support, career-technical, and school-meal pathway - Wise County; enrollment, school, transportation, meal, disability, and calendar rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Wise County Public Schools

Wise County Public Schools serves students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 and operates a career-technical center. Families should confirm current enrollment, meal, transportation, accessibility, and student-support information directly.

State education-information and school-quality profile pathway - Wise County Public Schools; data, school, enrollment, and program information is informational; not emergency dispatch or individualized education advice

Virginia School Quality Profiles - Wise County

Virginia's School Quality Profiles provide a state-maintained information route for Wise County Public Schools, including school and program data. Confirm current student services and enrollment details with the school division.

County court, clerk, records, probate, guardianship, civil, and family-law information pathway - 206 East Main Street, Wise; filing, service, fee, scheduling, and representation rules apply; not legal advice or emergency dispatch

Wise Circuit Court and Clerk

The Wise Circuit Court and Clerk provide current information about civil, criminal, land, probate, guardianship, and related court processes. Confirm the correct court and consider civil legal-aid screening for advice about a specific matter.

Local district-court and juvenile/domestic-relations information pathway - Wise County and Norton; filing, service, fee, scheduling, and representation rules apply; not legal advice or emergency dispatch

Wise and Norton General District and JDR Courts

Virginia's court directory provides current contacts for Wise and Norton General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. Confirm the correct court and filing route before acting.

Research-based home, family, food, financial, gardening, agriculture, healthy-home, and community-education pathway - Wise County; program schedules and eligibility vary; not clinical care or emergency dispatch

Virginia Cooperative Extension - Wise County

Virginia Cooperative Extension's Wise County office offers education in food, nutrition, family finances, healthy homes, gardening, agriculture, preparedness, and community viability. Ask about current local programs.

Practical education pathway for reducing clutter, mold, mildew, water-safety, food, nutrition, and household-risk concerns - Wise County and Virginia; educational scope only; not inspection, cleanup, treatment, or emergency response

Virginia Cooperative Extension Healthy Homes Education

Wise County Extension's family-and-consumer-sciences programming includes research-based healthy-home education addressing clutter, mold, mildew, and water safety. Confirm current workshops or educational materials; it is not a cleanup or clinical service.

Water, wastewater, solid-waste enrollment, billing, account, and service-transfer pathway - Wise County; service-area, identification, account, fee, and disconnection rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Wise County Public Service Authority Customer Services

The Wise County Public Service Authority publishes current water, wastewater, solid-waste, payment, and service-transfer information. Confirm service area, tenant authorization, fees, and account requirements directly.

County navigation pathway for public safety, social services, health, housing, permits, utilities, waste, schools, courts, library, and community programs - Wise County; department, jurisdiction, appointment, and fee rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Wise County Government Services

Wise County's services directory is a practical way to identify the current department for public safety, health, social services, housing, permits, utilities, courts, library, and education questions.

Municipal administration, permits, planning, zoning, records, utility, refuse, street, park, and community-service pathway - Town of Wise; town jurisdiction, fee, code, and schedule rules apply; not emergency dispatch or private cleanup

Town of Wise Municipal Services

The Town of Wise provides municipal administration and town services including planning, zoning, streets, refuse, utilities, parks, and records. Confirm town jurisdiction before making a property or service request.

Statewide support-navigation pathway for housing, food, child care, health, mental health, utilities, and local programs - Virginia, including Wise County; each program has its own eligibility, cost, and capacity rules; not emergency dispatch

Virginia Support Resources

Virginia's support-resources page explains how to find current help with housing, food, child care, health, utilities, and related needs. Use 211 for local navigation and confirm every referral directly.

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

Virginia Department of Veterans Services - West Region

Virginia's Department of Veterans Services West Region helps veterans and families connect with behavioral health, benefits, housing, employment, transportation, and financial-assistance pathways serving Wise County.

Regional youth and family-support navigation pathway listed by Wise County - Wise County and surrounding communities; age, program, referral, schedule, and capacity rules vary; not emergency dispatch or clinical emergency care

Lonesome Pine Office on Youth

Wise County identifies the Lonesome Pine Office on Youth among its local services. Confirm current youth, family, prevention, and referral programs through the county's current services directory before relying on a program.

Local economic-development, employer, training, and practical-work pathway - Wise County; employer, program, eligibility, and scheduling rules vary; not a guaranteed job or emergency service

Wise County Economic Development and Employment Navigation

Wise County's economic-development information can help residents and supporters identify local employment, training, and community-development pathways alongside Virginia Works. Confirm current opportunities directly.

State job matching, wage, training, veteran, and employment-navigation pathway - Virginia, including Wise County; account, eligibility, employer, and program rules apply; not emergency dispatch

Virginia Workforce Connection

Virginia Workforce Connection provides job matching, wage information, skill requirements, veteran services, and training opportunities. Pair it with the local Virginia Works office for current hands-on help.

Free statewide phone and web navigation for housing, food, utilities, transportation, health, and legal resources - Wise County and Virginia; each referral has separate eligibility, cost, and availability; not emergency dispatch

Virginia 211 Housing and Basic-Needs Navigation

Use Virginia 211 when you need a current human connection to local housing, food, utility, health, transportation, or legal options and are not sure which agency fits.

A note from the Alliance

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

This guide is anchored in Wise, 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