Abstract
Hoarding is a disorder that has recently gained public attention due to the disastrous effects the behavior can have on those who suffer from it, as well as on the community. Despite growing awareness, research on the topic is still somewhat limited. This qualitative study seeks out the voices of key informants in the community who come into contact with hoarders in a variety of different capacities in an effort to add to the research base and determine what effect trauma has on hoarding behavior. Seven respondents were interviewed for this study, which revealed the following themes: 1) budget cuts will reduce services to hoarders in the Sacramento Area, 2) no available mental health services for hoarders, 3) trauma leading to hoarding typically not addressed in assessment and treatment, 4) current intervention strategies promote relapse by not addressing behavioral causes, 5) gap between empirically proven treatment methods and actual practice in the Sacramento area. The project is concluded with a summary of findings, implications for social work practice, and recommendations for future research.