Services / Mental Health & Wellbeing / Hoarding and Advocacy Support Service (HASS)

Hoarding and Advocacy Support Service (HASS)

The Hoarding Advocacy Support Service (HASS) aims to reduce the symptoms and impacts of hoarding behaviours, enhance the quality of life for individuals affected by hoarding and squalor, and mitigate the broader impact of these issues on the community.

In addition to providing guidance and training for professionals and carers, HASS offers three levels of specialist intervention for community members affected by hoarding including intensive case management and outreach, early intervention, and psychoeducational.

Intensive Case Management and Outreach

HASS’s intensive support stream is an initiative of the ACT Government’s Hoarding Case Management Group (HCMG), which is responsible for a whole-of-government approach to managing complex hoarding and domestic squalor cases.

Woden Community Service (WCS) delivers intensive support to a small group of clients to improve their hoarding circumstances by prioritising harm minimisation and facilitating effective liaison between individuals and key stakeholders.

WCS is unable to accept direct referrals for intensive support.

Early Intervention

HASS provides early intervention support to community members with mild to moderate hoarding behaviours. This service is designed to increase participants’ capacity, confidence, and willingness to change, thereby reducing the need for more intensive long-term support later in life.

Eligible participants may access up to six support sessions over a 12-week period. Each session incorporates practical support as well as learning activities focused on motivation, decluttering, acquiring, and organising.

To be eligible for this service, participants must be aged between 18 to 55 years of age and reside in the ACT. Participants must meet early intervention criteria determined by the Clutter Image Rating Scale, Squalor Rating Scale, and Readiness to Change Scale.

Self and professional referrals can be made online here.

Group-Based Support and Skill-Building

Buried in Treasures

HASS offers a group program called Buried in Treasures twice per year. This 16-week program is designed for participants ready to actively work on their decluttering journey. Drawing from cognitive behavioural therapy, the program helps participants better understand what can drive hoarding and acquiring behaviours before introducing tools to change thoughts and behaviours.

The sessions follow the book Buried in Treasures, 2nd Edition – Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding by David Tolin, Randy O. Frost, and Gail Steketee. The program is free; however, we ask that you contribute $40 to purchase a copy of this book, which you will need during the sessions.

Expressions of interest can be made online here.

Family as Motivators (FAM)

Family as Motivators (FAM) is a free 10-week program for people supporting a family member or friend struggling with hoarding issues. The goal of the program is to increase treatment-seeking behaviour in the person with hoarding issues and to improve the well-being of family members and friends. The program covers information about hoarding, communication tips, what you can do to help, and harm minimisation. We also stress the importance of looking after yourself while supporting your loved one.

Family as Motivators is run annually. To be notified of the next group’s start date, please complete our online form here.

Image of the Buried in Treasures workbook

Community Training

HASS offers free training to professionals who support community members impacted by hoarding. This training is delivered by a specialist clinician and provides information about the causes and impacts of hoarding disorder, as well as how to effectively engage with and support service users affected by hoarding. Training sessions are offered every 12 weeks.

Expressions of interest can be made online here.

Want to know more?

For more information, please call Woden Community Service main reception on (02) 6282 2644 or email HASS@wcs.org.au.

The HASS initiative has been funded by the Australian Capital Territory Government, with support from the Hoarding Case Management Group.

WCS Service Commitments

Our approach to service delivery

WCS’s purpose is to build connected communities and enrich people’s lives. We are guided by our values of inclusion, compassion, hope, social justice, integrity and responsiveness. For more information about our approach to service delivery, see Our Commitment to Service.  

We are committed to the safety, care and wellbeing of all those who access our services. We will respond immediately when any issues arise and meet all reporting requirements.

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