The Role of Public Health in the Development of a Collaborative Agreement with Rural and Semi-urban Partners in Cases of Severe Domestic Squalor and Hoarding

When confronted with complex situations of hoarding and severe domestic squalor, small municipal communities and their partners frequently feel overwhelmed due to limited resources at their disposal. Stakeholders often report these situations to Public Health Service and seek their support. In order to facilitate more effective and coordinated actions, the main stakeholders involved (municipal, fire, police, public health and the regional health center) must agree on the most appropriate intervention strategies. An agreement providing services for the management of severe cases of domestic squalor in rural and semi-urban areas located in Quebec, Canada was produced by the Laurentians regional public health, and signed with fourteen local municipalities.