Minnesota Hoarding Task Force

Our next meeting will be held on 

Thursday, September 5th, 2019 6:30 - 8:30 pm

This meeting we will have a presentation from Lukus Zuker. 

Lukus Zuker has been a Senior LinkAge Line® Community Outreach Specialist with Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging since Feb. 2017.  He enjoys interacting with the public at expos, fairs, and presentations and has been to nearly every corner of the 7-county metro in this role.  Prior to this position, Lukus worked on the Senior LinkAge Line phonebank as a SHIP-certified Medicare Specialist.  He will present about how the Senior LinkAge Line can help older adults, caregivers, and professionals connect to resources and information.

1011 1st St. S. Hopkins - Room 233 (2nd floor of Wells Fargo/Hennepin County building)
Look for signs in the building directing you to the 2nd floor
There are elevators or stairs (access stairs in either entrance)
Free parking in ramp or on street (be aware of time limits)
Vending machines in basement of Wells Fargo/Hennepin County building.

Room 233 will be open at 6 pm - feel free to arrive anytime after 6 and mingle with others. Also feel free to bring food/beverages - vending machines are located in the basement of the Wells Fargo/Hennepin County building. 

If you would like to call in to participate please email us your phone number and we will connect you by phone.

If you would like to join our meeting by phone please email a request to mnhtf.org@gmail.com and we will call you at 6:30 once the meeting begins.

The Task Force meets on the first Thursday of the month:

+  To conduct business of the group,

+  To network with each other and visitors,

+  To  share educational information in short presentations.

While there is some general information on our website, you may contact us for additional information for a specific situation. We are developing lists of resources and we can share ideas with you also.

Email: mnhtf.org@gmail.com

Confidentiality:  

Our volunteers keep your information confidential. 

Disclaimer: 

The Minnesota Hoarding Task Force (“MNHTF”) does not provide services directly. MNHTF does provide resources and information regarding the general subject of hoarding. In doing so, MNHTF does not endorse, recommend, warrant or assume any legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process. 

WHEREAS: Hoarding disorder is a behavior characterized by four criteria: the acquisition and failure to discard of a large number of possessions; clutter that precludes activities for which living spaces were designed; significant distress and impairment as a result of the hoarding; and impact on public safety; and

WHEREAS: Hoarding is a mental health disorder found to be related to difficulty in coping with a stressful life event, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, eviction, or losing possessions in a fire; cognitive deficits; and genetic vulnerability; and

WHEREAS: It is estimated that between two and five percent of people in the United States hoard. When the effect upon family members and communities is taken into account, the problem becomes even greater; and

WHEREAS: People with hoarding disorder often do not see it as a problem, making treatment challenging. However, intensive treatment can help people with hording disorder understand their compulsions and live safer, more enjoyable lives; and

WHEREAS: Cleanouts done without accompanying therapeutic intervention can pose a tremendous financial burden on individuals, families, government agencies, first responders, and communities; and

WHEREAS: Increasing public awareness of hoarding disorder will benefit local government agencies, individuals and families affected by hoarding behaviors, and communities across Minnesota.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota, do hereby proclaim the month of September 2019, as: HOARDING AWARENESS MONTH in the State of Minnesota. 

One of the important things that we have learned about hoarding is that a team  approach is needed to properly deal with any hoarding situation. No 'one professional' can provide all the services and support that a hoarding individual needs.

The team of professionals might include some combination of:

therapist

support group

professional organizer

social worker/case manager

cleanout company

public health

city/county inspector

fire department

Others may also be involved, such as a landlord, church pastor, junk hauler, handyman, cleaning service, or family/friends.

New numbers on the ground from people who help with hoarding situations now indicate that up to 5% of the population in the United States are hoarding at some level. That means in a community of 10,000 residents, up to 500 people could be hoarding.

Add to that number the people who also live in the same households, family and friends of the person who are hoarding, and their neighbors. That is how many people are affected by hoarding!

Hoarding disorder is a public health and safety issue.

As we build our resource lists, we want to cover the entire state of Minnesota. If your business already works in hoarded homes and you would like to be added to our resource lists, please come to a meeting and introduce yourself.

We would like to learn about what you do, and what your experiences are. It is important to us that you can support our mission statement and vision statement.

Hoarding is a mental health disorder, and those who struggle with it must be treated with respect and care.