New York City Hoarding Task Force 2003

Mission Statement

Through coalition building, interdisciplinary training, advocacy and resource development, the Hoarding Task Force addresses the complex behavioral disorder of hoarding and develop practical tools and resources for community service providers.

As hoarding is a multi-faceted issue requiring multi-faceted responses, effective interventions require a community-coordinated response. The New York Hoarding Task Force was organized to raise awareness of the complexities of hoarding behavior while developing practical tools to improve case management skills. Task Force Members come from various backgrounds and organizations, including housing, legal, psychology, health, animal control, and social service.

The Task Force met an on monthly basis to discuss three main areas of interest: assessment of risk, development of intervention protocols, and education. Members gave presentations to the group on their area of expertise e.g., guidelines for distinguishing clutter from hoarding, indicators for unsafe conditions, working with the housing court, guidelines for working with people who hoard, and who to contact for help.