Drew Pedersen
Why are you nominating this individual?
"I am a 42+ year social worker and the only LADC at an acute care, 25 bed small hospital in rural Carroll County, NH. We are the only county in NH that does not have a homeless shelter and due to the lure of the White Mts and free camping, we have a fair amount of homeless, sometimes transient, folks often struggling with SUD/ OUDs. And although we have only one inpatient treatment/ recovery facility in our County, their ability to accept all insurances is very limited. Thankfully, we have a robust, active recovery community of which White Horse Recovery is an integral part. I am regularly tasked with inviting a CRSW into the hospital to speak with patients who may be here detoxing and my go to person is usually Drew. Patients are sometimes Veterans, youth, Seniors, Men, Women with varying degrees of motivation, desire, denial, knowledge, naivety, anger, trauma, health related conditions, cognitive functioning. Drew always avails himself when I call and drives the 35-40 minutes to spend time with someone. His approach is always the same: friendly, kind, empathic, open to listening, and deeply authentic. There is no judgement, there is no shame, there are no expectations. Patients sense this and feel immediate comfort in his approach. There is the sense that he has just as much to learn from them as they do from him. He embodies gratitude and his disposition is even and positive each and every time I have witnessed him work. The feedback that I have gotten from patients is always the same. "He's a helluva nice guy. That guy really gave me something to think about. I didn't know how that would go but, he was great." I am confident in his abilities, and he has made a difference here in rural NH where the resources are scarce but, the recovery support is solid thanks to someone like Drew Pedersen. He is exemplary and a natural at what he does."
Biography:
Drew is a recovery coach at The Shed in Center Ossipee. The Shed is a recovery center in Center Ossipee, NH, where you can “shed your old life” and begin anew.
Drew provides judgement free support whether you’re seeking recovery for yourself or a loved one. He is there to help you take the next step.
He and the Team offer:
Friendly, peer-led recovery coaching
Help finding treatment and local resources
Fun, supportive, community-based recovery activities
Drop-in services
Telephone and virtual support
Laundry and Showers
NARCAN and overdose prevention tools
Help with applications for benefits and services
Support for families and loved ones
Connections to clinical care