This user-friendly guide provides tools to assess the problem, to coordinate and delegate tasks among helping professionals, and to work directly with reluctant hoarders and those affected by the hoarding.

Foreword ; Randy O. Frost ; Introduction ; 1. Hoarding and Its Effects ; 2. Special Challenges: Interpersonal Aspects of Working with Hoarding ; 3. Working with Service Delivery Systems: The Hoarding Task Force Model ; 4. Assessment of Severity and Risks to Self and Others ; With contributions by Sarah L. Dowal ; 5. Hoarding and Mental Health Services ; 6. Hoarding and Housing ; With contributions by Jesse Edsell-Vetter ; 7. Hoarding and Public Health and Safety ; With contributions by Paul Halfmann ; 8. Hoarding and Protective Services ; 9. Hoarding of Animals ; With contributions by Jesse Edsell-Vetter and Gary Patronek ; 10. Hoarding and the Legal System ; 11. Medical Aspects of Hoarding ; 12. Role of Professional Organizers ; 13. Next Steps in Services for Hoarding ; Appendix ; Resources ; Glossary ; References ; Index

"This is a great handbook in the true sense of the word. For organizers, it will significantly contribute to their professional development and result in a higher quality of service to their hoarding clients." --Judith Kolberg, Founder, National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization "As experts in the field of hoarding, the authors' extensive experience working with a broad range of agencies are reflected in the detailed and constructive case illustrations, provision of assessment tools and other resources, and specific techniques for real-world application. A wealth of information is presented with great clarity and accessibility; this handbook promises to be a highly valuable and utilized resource." --Jordana Muroff, PhD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice, Boston University School of Social Work "This is a 'must read' for human service professionals working with clients who hoard. The authors provide the reader with a clear and concise understanding of hoarding and its impact on individuals, families, and communities, then walk the reader step-by-step through specific ways that various service professionals can help." --David F. Tolin, PhD, ABPP, coauthor, Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding "This thoughtful and comprehensive book is certain to appear on the desk of every professional, from elder service worker to fire official, and become the go-to resource for service personnel looking for ways to deal with this devastating problem." --Michael A. Tompkins, PhD, San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California, Berkeley

Selling point: First volume to focus on hoarding and human service systems that encounter this frustrating social problem Selling point: Includes recommendations for efficient use of fiscal and personnel resources in hoarding cases Selling point: Presents a Hoarding Task Force Intervention Model useful to a wide range of service providers Selling point: Provides hands-on tools for assessing hoarding severity

Christiana Bratiotis, PhD, is a post-doctoral fellow at the Boston University School of Social Work. Cristina Sorrentino Schmalisch, PhD, is a psychotherapist in private practice at the Lydian Center for Innovative Medicine and a staff therapist at Hope Psychological Services. Gail Steketee, PhD, is Dean and Professor at the Boston University School of Social Work.

Selling point: First volume to focus on hoarding and human service systems that encounter this frustrating social problem Selling point: Includes recommendations for efficient use of fiscal and personnel resources in hoarding cases Selling point: Presents a Hoarding Task Force Intervention Model useful to a wide range of service providers Selling point: Provides hands-on tools for assessing hoarding severity