Suwon Pushes Forward with 'Clean Care Project' to Improve Living Conditions for Low-Income Residents with Hoarding Disorder

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Suwon Special City announced on the 22nd that it will launch the '9th Clean Care Project' from this month, providing cleaning services for garbage-filled homes of vulnerable households suffering from hoarding disorder.

'Hoarding disorder' is an obsessive-compulsive disorder in which individuals are unable to discard any items regardless of their use and store them in their homes.

The project involves participation from the Gyeonggi Community Chest of Korea, Suwon and Uman Community Rehabilitation Centers, and Suwon Happiness Mental Health and Welfare Center, with joint implementation continuing through the end of the year.

Operated with private donations designated to the Gyeonggi Community Chest of Korea, the Clean Care Project identifies low-income households with vulnerable individuals living in poor conditions amid garbage piles and provides △waste disposal including garbage △indoor and outdoor cleaning and disinfection (sterilization and pest control) △mental counseling △linkage services with private resources. The project first began in July 2015 and has supported 140 households over the past 8 years.

In this 9th Clean Care Project, integrated package services including cleaning, quarantine, and mental counseling will be provided promptly within 14 days to housing-vulnerable populations struggling with hoarding disorder and similar issues.

Plans are in place to conduct follow-up site inspections to minimize recurrence of hoarding disorder in targeted individuals. The targets are low-income households (basic livelihood security recipients or those with income at or below 120% of the median household income) that have accumulated large quantities of garbage (2 tons or more).

The Suwon and Uman Community Rehabilitation Centers are responsible for environmental improvement services such as cleaning and quarantine operations, as well as hygiene education, while the Suwon Happiness Mental Health and Welfare Center provides mental counseling services to crisis households to facilitate self-reliance.

The welfare team at each district administrative welfare center and the community security council cooperate with related institutions in the area to identify crisis households in need of cleaning support, link private resources, and monitor targeted individuals.

A city official stated, "The Clean Care support project will greatly help improve the quality of life for targeted individuals and resolve problems between neighbors," adding "We will actively identify households suspected of hoarding disorder and implement integrated case management to prevent recurrence."