What is Hoarding?

Definition of Hoarding

The acquisition of and failure to discard items that appear to be useless or of little value. It is manifested in excessive possessions in the home interfering with the normal use of living space and furniture, and is accompanied by significant interference or distress. – Cristina M. Sorrentino, PhD, MSW

Definition of Animal Hoarding

The accumulation of a large number of animals, overwhelming that person's ability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation and veterinary care.

Coalition History

Central Plains Area Agency on Aging established the Wichita/Sedgwick County Hoarding Coalition to address issues of hoarding in our community. The Hoarding Coalition is made up of a diverse group of professionals that includes social workers, aging service professionals, mental health professionals and health care professionals.

Other partners include representatives from the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County offices of animal control, housing authority, central inspection, code enforcement, legal representatives, as well as Meals on Wheels, law enforcement and professional organizers. The members of the Coalition are working together to combat the growing issue of hoarding and the effects on older adults, families and the community.

Coalition Goals

The Coalition is an ongoing inter-agency team that seeks to build and maintain a "collaborative effort of diverse community agencies seeking to provide intervention, education and follow-up support for hoarding behavior affecting the health and safety of the individual, the family and the community.” The Coalition has established eligibility criteria, detailed procedures, decision points, and responsibilities of individual agencies.

The primary goals of the Coalition:

  • To provide an organized community response to individuals exhibiting hoarding behaviors who are identified as self-neglecting.
  • To reduce risk to the client and the community and assure compliance with appropriate building and property codes.

Who’s Involved?

The Wichita/Sedgwick County Hoarding Coalition is made up of organizations, businesses, and city, county, and state agencies. Prior to forming the taskforce, agencies had little to no collaborative means to address the issue of hoarding.

Central Plains Area Agency on Aging

Ronald Reagan Building
271 W. 3rd st. N. Ste 500
Wichita, KS 67202
(316) 660-7298
www.cpaaa.org

COMCARE - CAPS Program

934 N. Water
Wichita, KS 67203
(316) 660-7525 – Administrative Office
(316) 660-7500 – 24-Hour Crisis Line
www.sedgwickcounty.org/comcare/crisis

KU School of Social Welfare

1545 Lilac Ln.
Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 864-4720
www.socwel.ku.edu

Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas

555 N. Woodlawn, Ste 3105
Wichita, KS 67208
(316) 685-1821
www.mhasck.org

Prairie View, Inc.

9333 E. 21st Street N.
Wichita, KS 67206
(316) 634-4700
www.prairieview.org

Senior Services, Inc. of Wichita

200 South Walnut
Wichita, Kansas 67213
(316) 267-0302
www.seniorservicesofwichita.org

Department of Children and Families - Adult Protective Services

915 SW Harrison St., Topeka, KS 66612
(785) 296-3959
http://www.dcf.ks.gov

Evergy

(316) 383-8600
https://www.evergy.com/

Home Technology Solutions, Inc.

149 South Ridge Road
Wichita, KS 67209
(316) 265-1700
http://www.homets.org/

City of Wichita

  • Animal Services - (316) 268-8378
  • Environmental Services - (316) 268-8351
  • Fire Department - (316) 268-4451
  • Housing & Community Investments - (316) 462-3700
  • Neighborhood Improvement Services - (316) 462-3700
  • Office of Central Inspection (neighborhood inspections) - (316) 268-4481
  • Police Department - (316) 268-4158

Sedgwick County

  • Animal Control - (316) 660-7070
  • Code Enforcement - (316) 660-1840
  • Environmental Resources - (316) 660-7200
  • Fire District 1 - (316) 660-3473
  • Sheriff’s Office - (316) 660-3900
  • Housing Department - (316) 660-7270

Help is available

To make a report or ask for help, call:

For those 60 years of age and older: (316) 660-5144

For those 59 years of age and younger*: (316) 337-6791

*Consumer must be disabled and seen as someone who is unable to protect their best interest.

Hoarding Referral Form

In an emergent situation: (i.e. a hoarder without heat or air conditioning in extreme weather conditions or an elderly person who is no longer able to care for themselves call 9-1-1.