The Task Force for Suffield Troubled Housing is the proactive response to the multiple housing concerns over the recent years.
The collaboration of private and community agencies was formed based on the positive results garnered by other Connecticut municipalities and the recommendations received from professionals in the areas of compulsive acquiring (hoarding) and community risk.
This group includes the representation of Suffield Police, Building, EMS and Fire Departments, First Selectman’s Office, Community Health Resources, Protective Services for the Elderly, The Emergency Aid Association and the North Central Regional Health Board.
The mission of the group is to use a multi-systems approach to effectively and respectfully address the potential risks hoarding households may pose for their inhabitants or others accessing the dwellings.
Community education regarding the dynamics of hoarding behavior and the supports available for individuals living in troubled housing is also a focus of the group. Even in this small town there is the need for this kind of collaboration and understanding. Per the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area follow-up survey, in a town with a population of 15,700, there is a potential for 5%, or 785 residents, to have the tendency for compulsive acquiring and the inability to let things go.
You may know someone who “keeps too much stuff.” Do you know the difference between a collector and a hoarder? Take the True/False quiz at www.suffieldeaa.org to test your knowledge and hopefully to inspire you to want to know more!