Summary
Steven Balistreri, a lead case manager in Clackamas County, shares how his lived experience shapes the way he supports participants navigating court programs and recovery. He reflects on 11 years of sobriety, what he has learned through his own journey and why he values the opportunity to use his experience to help others find their own path forward.
If you ask Steven Balistreri what he loves about his job, he’ll tell you it lets him turn his experiences into something that can help someone else.
As a lead case manager in Clackamas County, Steven supports men participating in drug court, mental health court, and DUI court programs. Whether he’s transporting someone to treatment, helping them get an ID, sitting beside them in court, or simply taking time to talk, Steven meets people where they are and reminds them that recovery is possible.
In our conversation with Steven we learned more about what brought him to Bridges to Change, what his work looks like day to day, and the small things like pumpkin spice creamer and texts from his daughter — that brighten his day.
Can you tell us about your role at Bridges to Change?
I’m a lead case manager in Clackamas County. I support a men’s house that serves participants involved in Clackamas County’s drug court, mental health court, and DUI court programs. We don’t provide their treatment at the house. We support them, mentor them, and provide a place to live while they complete their treatment through Clackamas County.
How long have you worked for Bridges to Change, and what brought you to the organization?
It’ll be two years in October! I knew Bridges to Change founders Chuck and JoAnne Simpson before there was even a Bridges to Change. I first met JoAnne around 1996 or 1997 through my experience with incarceration. She was a huge advocate for people who were incarcerated. Chuck was involved in Pathfinders, a program inside Oregon’s prison system.
When they developed Bridges to Change, I was already involved with them, and I eventually fell in line with Bridges to Change.
What does a typical day or week in your role look like?
I start my day at 7:00 a.m. by supporting participants in accessing their medications at the house. Then the participants get ready for their day, and I support them in getting to their different treatment appointments. Drug court, mental health court, and DUI court all have treatment at different times. Schedules can also vary depending on which phase of treatment someone is in, so I spend much of my day helping participants get to and from their required appointments.
When we get to the facility, we spend time together, build rapport, and go over things before they head into treatment. While they’re there, I might take another participant to get food benefits, a food box, an ID, a driver’s license, or whatever else they need at the time. Then I’ll go back, pick everyone up, return to the house, and spend time doing one-on-ones with them.
Mondays are especially busy because the mental health court and drug court both meets. I spend the afternoon helping participants get to their court appointments and being there with them. The court recognizes that Bridges to Change has been a huge support for participants, so they really value having us there alongside them.
Do you ever work with participants’ families in your role?
Yes, a lot of times. When participants first arrive at the house, their families—if they have family in their lives—are often very relieved to know they have a stable, safe, and secure place to live.
Families will sometimes visit and I get to know them, too. If the participant has signed the appropriate release of information, we can talk with their family. It’s really nice to watch that family support take place, especially when a family may have previously felt like they had to distance themselves. Knowing their loved one is now in a court treatment program and having a safe place to live can make a big difference.
What parts of your background or lived experience prepared you for this work?
I’ve served six prison sentences—five state and one federal—and I was actively involved in cocaine addiction from the age of 17 until I was 50. I had nine years clean at one point, but I went back and forth. Now, I’ve been clean and sober for 11 years, day by day.
My life experience prepared me for this work because I’ve been where our participants are. I’m older than most of the people I support, and I can help them through what they’re going through. I can be a living example that we do recover and that you can come out on the other side.
What do you wish more people understood about recovery and the work of Bridges to Change?
I wish people understood that Bridges to Change is here to meet them where they’re at. We’re not here to do someone’s recovery for them, and we’re not here to tell them how they have to recover. We have guidelines and policies, but someone’s recovery depends on how much they’re ready to put into it. We’ll offer support and treatment, but it’s up to them to do what they need to do.
If someone decides they don’t want to participate, there’s no judgment. It just may not be their time yet, and we’ll support them when they’re ready.
We’re not here to say, “You have to recover like this,” or “You have to recover like that.” We use our lived experience and expertise to show people a better way, but if they’re not ready or don’t want it yet, we’ll still meet them where they’re at.
Which Bridges to Change values connect with you most?
Compassion, integrity, and transparency are my big three.
We have to be compassionate. Otherwise, there’s no point in doing this work. We also have to be transparent—within limits. We don’t just share our entire story. But when our experience matches what someone else is going through, and we can use it to help, that’s when we share it.
Integrity is hugely important, too. We have state certifications and professional expectations we’re supposed to follow. Without integrity, lines can be crossed very easily. We need it to be the professionals we are, maintain healthy boundaries, and give participants the best support possible.
What are you especially proud of?
What I’m proud of personally is that at 50 years old, I made the decision that I didn’t have to live that way anymore—that I could turn my life around. During the past 11 years of continuous sobriety, I’ve been able to use my experience to show people that we do recover and that it is possible.
I’m proud that I can contribute my experience, strength, and hope and show people that they can do it, too. Their recovery might not look like mine. It might not follow the same path as my treatment or recovery, but they can recover in the way that is right for them.
Which Bridges to Change program or resource do you wish more people knew about?
I wish more people knew about Bridges to Change in general. I don’t think I could pick just one program because they all serve people in different ways.
The court programs I work with serve people involved in the court system who enter through the county. We also have lower-barrier stabilization programs that serve people coming directly off the street. Then we have the Recovery Access Center, which is an even lower-barrier way for people to connect with support.
I wish more people knew about the whole umbrella of opportunities and support Bridges to Change offers, because we have something that can fit pretty much everybody.
What is one small thing that can always brighten your day?
Getting a text message from my daughter. And I like to go to the gym. That’s a good way for me to recharge.
Coffee or tea? Early bird or night owl? Mountains or coast? Summer or winter?
Coffee, because I prefer coffee over tea. Just regular coffee — and if I can get some pumpkin spice creamer, I’m down.
I’m definitely an early bird. I have a hard time sleeping, so I’m an early guy. I love my shift because I start early, get tired pretty early, and get off early. I’m a go-getter and really a Type A personality. I get in, I get it done, I burn out, and I go to bed!
I’d choose the coast because I like seeing the beauty and experiencing the ocean. And I’d have to say summer, just because it’s nice and you can go to the coast. I’m from Wisconsin, so winter? No, no, no!
Is there anything else you would like people to know?
I love my job!!!
This job has allowed me to take all the wreckage and damage I caused in the past—to myself and to other people, places, and things—and use that experience to give back.
I believe the nature of addiction and substance use is that we’re takers. We take and take and take, trying to fill ourselves up, but it never fills us up. We can cause a lot of damage doing that.
What I love about this job is that I can now use all that life experience to give back because of it.