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TextChristina M. Sadar Appointed Chairman of Hoarding Task Force
Feb. 17, 2010
OPA 045/10
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Christina Sadar was recently appointed as the chairman of the Fairfax County Hoarding Task Force. She will lead the county’s multi-agency response to hoarding cases.
Sadar joined the task force when it was first created, and currently serves on the county’s Enhanced Code Enforcement Strike Team. A 15-year county employee, Sadar has prior experience in law enforcement; emergency and disaster planning and inspection; and investigative work. She has a master’s in safety and environmental management.
Fairfax County created the task force 12 years ago because hoarding presents a health and safety risk to hoarders, neighbors and others. To report potential hoarding, contact the task force at 703-324-1300, TTY 711.
Signs of hoarding include:
- Inability to discard seemingly useless items, such as rotting food, human and/or animal waste, and newspapers or magazines.
- Extremely cluttered living spacesthat can impair the normal use of these spaces.
- Blocked exits, such as doors and windows.
- Rat and/or insect infestations.
- Limited or no social interactions.
Hoarders can become emotionally attached to everything. Often, they are unable to distinguish trash from treasures. Hoarding “feels right,” in spite of the health and safety consequences.
Hoarding is a mental illness, and studies estimate that it may affect 2 to 5 percent of the American public. Last week, the American Psychiatric Association announced it may add hoarding to the new edition of its diagnostic manual used by all mental health professionals. The APA said adding this diagnosis would improve identification of hoarding, stimulate the development of treatments and increase public awareness.
The Fairfax County Hoarding Task Force combines the resources of multiple county agencies to provide a coordinated response to residential hoarding when it threatens life, safety and property. Task force agencies include the Health Department; Fire and Rescue Department (Fire Prevention Division); Department of Family Services (Adult Protective Services and Child Protective Services); Police Department (Animal Services Division); Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (Mental Health Services); Office of the County Attorney; Department of Housing and Community Development; Department of Planning and Zoning; Department of Public Works and Environmental Services; and the Sheriff’s Office.
For more information, contact the Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs, at 703-324-3187, TTY 711 or go online.
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Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director, Office of Public Affairs
703-324-3189, TTY 711, Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
publicaffairs@fairfaxcounty.gov
To request this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-3187, TTY 711
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