Dr. Steve Rabeno

Dr. Steve Rabeno has dedicated over three decades to Hope House Ministries, bringing extensive expertise in social work, counseling services, and program administration. His journey with Hope House began in 1988, and he has served as Associate Director since 1999.

As Associate Director, Dr. Rabeno is responsible for the daily operation of agency functions in the absence of the Executive Director, overseeing program and staff development. He continues to maintain his positions as Director of Pax Christi Hospitality Center and Director of Counseling Services.

Since 1992, Dr. Rabeno has served as Director of Pax Christi Hospitality Center, Hope House's 19-bed emergency shelter facility for homeless men. In this capacity, he coordinates resources between the Department of Social Services and clients while ensuring adherence to program directives.

As Director of Counseling Services since 1994, Dr. Rabeno administers a team of 6 full-time and 10 part-time counselors serving over 200 clients. He is responsible for program development and serves as liaison between Hope House and the Schools of Social Work at Adelphi University, Stony Brook University, and Fordham University, where he supervises two Social Work Interns.

Dr. Rabeno's earlier roles at Hope House included Director of Wisdom House (1989-1992), where he supervised the Manager and evaluated program efficiency, and Manager of Wisdom House (1988-1989), where he maintained the transitional living residence for adults, developed treatment plans, and processed initial intake assessments.

Beyond Hope House, Dr. Rabeno has served as Adjunct Faculty at Adelphi University since 2003, facilitating learning for Bachelor's, Master's, and Post-Master's students. His course content includes practice application, theory, human behavior in the social environment, ethical decision models, and supervision.

Dr. Rabeno maintains a private practice providing individual treatment utilizing a combination of Rogerian, Behavioral, Cognitive, and Psychoanalytic modalities. His previous experience includes roles at Passages Counseling Center, where he provided intake assessments and individual and group treatment for clients mandated to counseling; New York Institute, where he supervised students pursuing certification as Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselors and provided lectures on treatment approaches and homelessness; and Mercy High School, where he provided individual and group psychotherapy to over 100 students.

His professional involvement includes:

• Board Member, New York State Social Work Education Association (2015-Present)

• Member, National Association of Social Workers, Suffolk Chapter (2015-Present)

• Field Instruction Committee Member, Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare (2000-2013)

• Board Member, Mental Health Clinician Program at C.W. Post College (1998-2008)

Dr. Rabeno earned his Doctorate from Adelphi University School of Social Work in 2009, his Master's in Social Work with a specialization in Substance Abuse from SUNY Stony Brook in 1991, and his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St. Michael's College in Vermont in 1988. His undergraduate studies included a semester abroad in Florence and Siena, Italy.

His early volunteer work included serving as Volunteer Coordinator for the Welcome Inn hot meal program and volunteering at University Hospital in Stony Brook on the floor for persons with AIDS/HIV+, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to serving vulnerable populations.