According to the cover story from the March 2010 edition of the Journal of Environmental Health,

Hoarding is an under-recognized problem that exists in most communities and adversely impacts the health, welfare, and safety of humans, animals, and the environment. The situations are often complex and a full response is likely to be prolonged and require a cross-jurisdictional multiagency effort.

When incidents of hoarding are uncovered and reported, they often get big headlines in local papers.  The problem is now the feature of a reality television series entitled Hoarders which takes an inside look at hoarding and the effects it has on individuals, families and communities.

The upcoming and timely session at the MACo Summer Conference will provide an in-depth look at two high profile hoarding situations in Maryland and how our local governments managed the situations. Our featured speakers will be John E. Nickerson, Director of Environmental Health for Queen Anne’s County and Anne Morse, Director of Environmental Health for Talbot County.  Dr. Brian Hepburn, Executive Director of the Mental Hygiene Administration at DHMH will discuss the symptoms, diagnonsis and treatment of Dionesis Syndrome, the known cause behind hoarding in humans.

Don’t miss this important and timely session!