RISE offers an internship program for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in social work, social science, human services, or psychology. The internship program offers students clinical and administrative rotations for a macro and micro view of the philosophies of harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and person-centered planning.
Andrew Steenburgh, HAP Manager, started at Hedgerow House, the RISE Substance Use Residential Reintegration program, as an intern through Schenectady Community College’s Chemical Dependency Counseling Program in October 2023. Andrew continued in this role until March 2024, when he was hired as a part time staff until he finished his internship. After which, in May 2024, Andrew was promoted to full time staff as the Hedgerow House Apartment Program (HAP) Manager.
Andrew credits his success in his internship to Julianne Thomas, Hedgerow House Program Director
As an intern at Hedgerow House, Andrew functioned as an assistant to the counselors. He began by learning how to properly document resident information and conduct group meetings, eventually advancing to conducting group meetings on his own. As Andrew progressed through his internship, he began to focus more on connecting with the residents, having one-on-one conversations, and creating a safe environment where residents feel comfortable being vulnerable about their histories with substance use and trauma.
Andrew credits Julianne Thomas, Hedgerow House Program Director, for his success in his internship and his desire to hire on as a fulltime staff stating, “Julianne truly cares about everyone who comes through our doors. She really encouraged me from the get-go to completely immerse myself in Hedgerow House! This gave me the confidence and the feeling of comfortability to trust my own process and the way that I help people. With her leadership we strive to create a safe environment where people can remain vulnerable and learn to grow in their recovery.”
“I the program’s structure and the connection with the residents.”
“What I liked best about working at Hedgerow House both as an intern and as staff, is the structure of the program and the connection that residents can create with their counselors,” Andrew shares. “Because there is a lot of structure in place, including in-house groups, there are plenty of opportunities for moments of collaboration where staff are able to get feedback on how we can support each resident. Person centered care is another strength of the program. While working through addiction, there is not one equation that works for everyone. Every resident has their own needs that need to be met which. Lastly, I like the teamwork amongst the staff at Hedgerow House. We communicate so well with each other which helps us assist each other. Everyone has their own strengths, and resources, our own backgrounds, and our own forms of communication, enabling us to bring different perspectives when working together to assist the residents.”
Currently, Andrew plays a pivotal role as the HAP Manager where he consistently goes above and beyond to ensure everything runs smoothly. The HAP Program is an extension of the Hedgerow House Program allowing people who need continued support to further their reintegration into the community. The residents live in apartments located throughout the community while still attending treatment and working with counseling staff. “Residents are able to work,” Andrew explains. “So they are saving up money, looking for their own housing, and learning how to be on their own again while still having the safety net of support from the program and staff.”
“The agency staff and administration is very supportive.”
Andrew enjoys working for RISE due to how supported he feels by the agency’s staff and administration. He feels that administrative staff have a large presence in making sure the team has support and direction. Andrew acknowledged how often Harlan Hall, RISE’s Clinical Director, visits the program and how on their first encounter Harlan reassured Andrew, “Whatever you need, you can call me too.”
Andrew accredits his work ethic to growing up in a household full of strong independent women, who taught him the importance of punctuality and following through with what you say you are going to do at a young age. “I learned that you just have to look at things as that is just something that I have to do and just get it done,” he shares.
Andrew’s employment history includes working at various audio engineering companies and a comedy club. “This is where I learned the importance of effective communication, understanding how to be respectfully sociable while setting boundaries and the importance of teamwork,” he explains.
Something that Andrew continues to work on is developing “thick skin” and not getting stressed out too easily. As an individual three years in recovery himself, Andrew participates in various sober support events and explains that running has been a huge part of his story. Andrew feels that running connects with him spiritually. He also enjoys painting and has recently taken an interest in stained glass art.
Andrew graduated from Schenectady Community College with associate degrees in Chemical Dependency Counseling and Audio Engineering. He would like to eventually go back to school to earn his master’s in social work so he can become a Licensed Social Worker.