At the extreme end of the sanitation spectrum is “hoarding,” a mental health condition characterized by large volumes of clutter that precludes rooms from being used for their intended purpose and which creates unsafe living conditions.

Once thought to be simply an eccentricity, hoarding affects 3 to 5 percent (approximately 15 million people) of the U.S. population, according to a 2008 study from Johns Hopkins University (Samuels, et al., 2008).

Without intervention, tenants who hoard almost inevitably face eviction. In fact, hoarding/clutter is one of the leading causes of eviction in Massachusetts .

MBHP has experience in addressing issues of hoarding that can endanger housing stability. Case managers work hands-on to bring apartments into health and safety compliance, teach skills to maintain compliance, and support tenants in obtaining mental health services to ensure sustained behavioral changes. Its success is attributed in large part to interagency cooperation and coordination of services.

Intervention begins with an MBHP staff member visiting the home for an assessment, followed by the development of an individualized action plan. The plan tailors resources for home decluttering; education and skill-building regarding shopping, organization, and sanitation; and counseling and support using cognitive and behavioral techniques. While not mandatory for participation, treatment is strongly recommended due to the complex psychological nature of hoarding.

MBHP also provides training and technical assistance to communities and agencies to help them assist individuals affected by hoarding and sanitation issues.

The Hoarding and Sanitation Initiative is part of MBHP’s privately funded Specialized Intensive Programs and Services. It continues to operate thanks to the generous support of corporations and individuals committed to preserving tenancy by providing services to those who need it most.

Greater Boston Hoarding Network

MBHP is the convening agency for the Greater Boston Hoarding Network, a collaboration of six agencies that promotes respectful, promising and effective multi-disciplinary, community-based responses to hoarding. Funded primarily by the Third Sector New England’s Capacity Building Fund, its mission is to assist Greater Boston agencies in accessing the training and technical resources necessary to build successful intervention programs in their respective communities.

To learn more about MBHP’s Hoarding and Sanitation Initiative or the Greater Boston Hoarding Network, contact Jesse Edsell-Vetter at (617) 425-6658.