Update

Several things to be aware of as we approach our Fall agenda:

There will be no task force meeting in September - our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 9:30 at the Beverly Council on Aging

• The following is information from A & E's television series - Hoarders:

"Hoarders on A&E is now in its third season. We are actively searching for hoarders and their famlies willing to share their stories in this groundbreaking documentary television series that sheds much needed light on this complicated and often “secret” condition.


We will provide free and compassionate services for the hoarder which will include but not limited to mental health support, professional organizers, and professional cleanup and/or junk removal services. Our goal is to help the hoarder and their families take a big step on the road to recovery from this disorder. If there are other agencies already involved, our goal is to work with them and the hoarder to come up with the best possible outcome for those impacted by the hoard.

Hoarders chosen to be profiled in this series will also be offered a significant “after-care” package that will ensure ongoing mental health and/or organizational support. Each case will be considered on an individual basis and services will be tailored to fit the individual’s needs. All of our professionals have experience in treating this population and are appropriately trained and credentialed.

We are looking for individuals who are willing to spend 4 days sharing their stories on camera. We understand that compulsive hoarding is an extremely emotional and difficult disorder. Therefore, it is our hope that by sharing the personal stories it will help others realize they are not alone. We will also share the right way for families and friends to approach a hoarder to hopefully avoid contentious and dangerous living environments.

What we are looking for:

1. Individuals willing to tell their story.
2. Individuals motivated to change by a ticking clock or crisis caused by hoarding that needs to be addressed immediately.
3. We need to show how the hoarding has impacted friends and/or loved ones. These individuals will need to appear on camera and share their side of the story.

If you or someone you know is a compulsive hoarder, please go to our website at http://www.aetv.com/hoarders/ for more information and to apply.

You can also email us at Hoarders@sfpseattle.com or call
our toll free hotline 1-877- 492-1722"

• A focus group will be sponsored by the Greater Boston Regional Hoarding Network. The group is comprised of 6 community agencies in collaboration with one another for the purpose of helping regional communities develop and institutionalize a multidisciplinary coordinated response to hoarding. The information garnered through the focus group will aid the Network in achieving this goal.

• The Intensive Skills Training in Hoarding Disorder Intervention is a four-week program that will provide you with the skills for intervening in complex cases of hoarding disorder. Taught by Dr. Christiana Bratiotis, Dr. Jordana Muroff and Boston University School of Social Work Dean Gail Steketee, this specialized cognitive behavioral treatment protocol was developed by Drs. Gail Steketee and Randy Frost.
  
  Each week will focus on particular clinical skills, including: assessment, model building and treatment planning, skill building, cognitive therapy, exposure, and motivational interviewing.
  
  Recent research into hoarding disorder and community-level intervention will be integrated into the course and participants will have opportunities to present cases, develop specific treatment plans, and practice effective therapeutic methods for working with this challenging disorder.
  
  The class begins Tuesday September 7 and runs for four consecutive weeks from 6-9 pm, ending on September 28 and will be held at Boston University School of Social Work. You will receive 12 CEs, and the tuition is $375+ an application fee of $25. Please register online at www.bu.edu/ssw/pep.

• Northeast Senior Health's SenNet Breakfast this month will be Hoarding: How a Community Responds. I'll be speaking on a panel along with Laurie Grant, LCSW and Hoarding Outreach Specialist from GLSS and Shelly Luckenbill, Esq. and Protective Services Supervisor from NSES.