How to Become a Substance Abuse Counselor in Wisconsin

Created by SubstanceAbuseCounselor.org Contributing Writer

Over just the past four years leading up to 2023 the number of substance abuse counselors in Wisconsin has increased by 66%. That tracks somewhat with a very troubling statistic: between 2019 and 2022, the number of drug overdose deaths in the state grew by 77%, hitting an all-time high of 1,828 people that year.

We still haven’t turned the corner on this yet but we’re getting closer. Like so many other rural states, opioid-related overdoses are the biggest contributor to the mortality statistics, but there’s a glimmer of hope in the fact that there’s some indication that it’s starting to level off. In some significant part, we owe that to the tireless work of the dedicated substance use disorder counseling community here.

With hope on the horizon, now is the time to double down on the effort. From the Water Tower District in Milwaukee to the east side of Green Bay, Wisconsin needs compassionate and well-trained substance abuse counselors in the fight.

You can do something about it by learning how to become a Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC) here in Wisconsin.

Steps to Becoming Certified as a Substance Abuse Counselor in Wisconsin

In this guide we’re focusing on the undergraduate-level Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC) license issued by the state’s Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS).

The SAC license is required in the state to engage in substance abuse counseling in any capacity or setting.

However, when looking at your options for getting into Wisconsin’s addiction treatment field, you’ll find a couple other credentials for support roles. We’re giving them a brief mention here so they’re on your radar.

Prevention Specialist – This credential is also issued by the Wisconsin DSPS, designed for people who want to contribute to the solution through community organizing, community education, and public policy rather than direct counseling. 120 hours of education and training are required to qualify.
Certified Peer Specialist and Certified Parent Peer Specialist – These certifications are offered through the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative (WIPSEI), a non-profit that works with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. As the names imply, these credentials are geared towards people with lived experience with substance abuse, either directly or as the parent of a child experiencing substance use disorder. You become certified by completing a training session offered through WIPSEI and can then serve as peer-level support for people facing addiction challenges.

With those honorable mentions aside, this guide will focus on the steps to earning a Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC) license through the DSPS, the professional credential for addiction counselors in Wisconsin.

There are three progressive levels to the Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC) license hierarchy:

In the steps that follow, we’ll walk you through the details of all three:

1. Complete a Certificate or Degree Program in Substance Abuse Counseling

2. Pass an Exam on State Laws and Gain Experience as an SAC-in-Training

3. Apply for an SAC License with the Wisconsin DSPS

4. Pass the National Certified Addiction Counselor Level 1 (NCAC I) Exam

Step 1 – Complete a Certificate or Degree Program in Substance Abuse Counseling

The SAC-in-Training license allows you to gain the supervised work experience you need to qualify for full SAC licensure. It’s valid for two years and can be renewed a maximum of two times.

The first thing you need to qualify for the SAC-in-Training license is 100 hours of formal classroom education in these areas:

SA case management – 10 hours
SA education – 15 hours
SA counseling – 15 hours
SA assessment – 15 hours
SA professional responsibility – 20 hours
SA electives – 25 hours

Full SAC licensure requires 360 hours of specialized education in substance use disorders from a covering these areas:

Boundaries and ethics – 6 hours
SA electives – 54 hours
SA counseling – 60 hours
SA assessment – 60 hours
SA patient education – 60 hours
SA case management – 60 hours
SA professional responsibility – 60 hours

You have the option to complete just the hours required for the SAC-in-Training credential first, and begin gaining on-the-job and volunteer experience while completing a separate certificate or associate degree program that meets the requirements for full SAC licensure.

You can also choose to simply complete the entire 360 hours before getting your SAC-in-Training credential. Most education programs cover the full 360 hours for SAC licensure; only four programs are limited to just 100 hours to fulfill only the SAC-in-Training requirement.

The DSPS-approved education provider list includes qualifying training seminars, courses, presentations, and formal higher education programs, including undergraduate certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s, and even master’s programs if you already hold a bachelor’s degree.

You’ll find plenty of approved colleges offering certificate and associate’s degree programs that fulfill the minimum requirements for in-training and full SAC licensure. But you’ll also notice there are qualifying bachelor’s programs that go beyond just the bare minimum. You’ll also find that later when it comes to documenting supervised experience, the internships and practicums that are often included in a bachelor’s program count toward your training hour requirements.

Step 2 – Pass an Exam on State Laws and Gain Experience as an SAC-in-Training

At this point you have just two more hurdles between you and becoming an SAC-in-Training.

First, you’ll need to begin the process of finding a job. With the scourge of addiction ravaging the state, you might find it isn’t hard to find a job ad looking for aspiring SACs who need to complete the supervised in-training segment.

Your employer will assign you a supervisor and submit the Employment/Volunteer Verification Form For Supervised Substance Abuse Counselor Practice available on the DSPS website. This formalizes your supervisee-supervisor relationship.

Your supervisor must be licensed as one of the following and work in the substance abuse field:

Clinical supervisor
Physician
Psychologist
Professional counselor
Marriage and family therapist
Clinical, advanced practice, or independent social worker

After submitting your supervisory agreement, you’ll be eligible to submit an application for the SAC-in-Training credential through the LicensE portal.

State Laws Exam

Once DSPS approves your application it will send you information on how to log in to take the Wisconsin Statutes and Administrative Code (WSAC) Examination.

It’s a mouthful but don’t panic. It’s open book and you can re-take it as needed for an extra $75. The passing score is 76%, and the time limit is three months. That’s right: you can log out and log back in to resume the exam at any time over a three-month period.

This exam covers the laws, codes, and statutes that pertain to substance abuse counseling. Specifically, the exam covers:

Supervised Work Experience as an SAC-in-Training

Once you pass the exam the DSPS will issue your SAC-in-Training license. You can then start earning hours to fulfill the supervised work experience requirement for full SAC licensure!

To qualify, your work experience must be completed within five years prior to submitting your application for full SAC licensure, and it must total at least 3,000 hours. Your supervised experience must be within these eight subject category areas:

Clinical evaluation
Referral
Counseling
Documentation
Treatment planning
Service coordination
Patient, family and community education
Professional and ethical responsibilities

Of your supervised experience in these areas:

At least 800 hours must be on the topic of substance use disorder counseling, with an additional 200 hours on this topic obtained within the 12 months immediately prior to submitting your SAC license application
At least 400 hours must involve one-on-one substance use disorder counseling, with an additional 100 hours obtained within the 12 months immediately prior to submitting your SAC license application

Other than these two stipulations, you can mix and match the rest of your supervised experience hours among any of the eight categories.

Step 3 – Apply for an SAC License with the Wisconsin DSPS

Fast forward 3,000 hours of experience into the future and you’re ready to apply for full SAC licensure online through the state’s LicensE portal. All the forms you’ll need are on the SAC section of the DSPS website.

You and your supervisor will need to fill out Form #2749-SAC, an affidavit that confirms you’ve fulfilled the SAC supervised experience requirements.

You’ll also need to submit forms that confirm you’ve met the 360-hour education requirement: Form #3079 if your education was from a DSPS-approved education program, or Form #2841 if your education was from an equivalent program.

Once the DSPS confirms your application is complete it will send you the information you need to register for the national exam.

Step 4 – Pass the National Certified Addiction Counselor Level 1 (NCAC I) Exam

Sponsored by the NAADAC – Association for Addiction Professionals, the NCAC I is offered at Kryterion testing sites, including locations in:

Oshkosh
Appleton
Madison
Waukesha
Green Bay
Milwaukee
Wisconsin Rapids
Wausau

To prepare for the NCAC I you should familiarize yourself with these 10 topics as they relate to substance abuse counseling:

Professional development
Addiction pharmacology
Treatment orientation
Assessment and screening
Treatment planning
Evaluation
Referral
Case management and documentation
Ethics
Counseling theory and practice, including suicide and intervention

Exam questions are distributed as follows:

25% cover ongoing treatment and planning implementation
23% cover assessment
21% cover addiction counseling practices and skills
17% cover professional practices
14% cover orientation to the treatment process

You can find additional resources for preparing for the NCAC I on the NAADAC’s website.

The NAADAC will send your exam results to the Wisconsin DSPS, and if you pass then the DSPS will issue your SAC license. Congratulations are in order!

Even though you’ll be busy on the front lines of the fight, don’t forget to renew your SAC license by the end of February in odd-numbered years.

If you ever want to step your credential up to the top notch you can think about applying for the Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor license with DSPS. To qualify you need 5,000 hours of experience as an SAC and at least an associate degree in a behavioral health field.

Substance Abuse Counselor Jobs in Milwaukee, Madison, and Throughout Wisconsin

As of 2023 there are approximately 8,060 substance abuse counselors working throughout Wisconsin. Nearly half work in the Milwaukee and Madison areas.

Substance Abuse Counselor Jobs in Milwaukee

There are 2,660 substance abuse counselors working throughout the greater Milwaukee area according to the most recent count.

Although that’s higher than any other area in Wisconsin, it’s still not enough. A 2022 local news report quoted a manager with Milwaukee for Community Medical Services, a medication-assisted treatment center, as saying the caseload-counselor ratio was 55 to one. The timing couldn’t be better for the $70 million awarded to Milwaukee County from the recent national settlement with opioid manufacturers.

Substance Abuse Counselor Jobs in Madison

Madison is home to approximately 1,280 substance abuse counselors.

Tellurian Behavioral Health is one organization looking to make an impact in the community, connecting over 8,000 people each year with vital services. It participates in the Madison Area Recovery Initiative in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance program, in addition to operating adult residential programs, a community intervention team, transitional housing, and an outpatient clinic.

Substance Abuse Counselor Salary in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Throughout Wisconsin

Wisconsin ranks eighth of all states in the nation for offering the highest average annual SAC salary at $66,230. That’s up a whopping 75% over the past four years.

Among all rural areas, northeastern Wisconsin comes in third place nationally for offering the highest average annual SAC salary at $70,120.

The 75^th percentile salary statewide is $74,960, while the 90^th percentile salary is $97,450.

How Much Do Substance Abuse Counselors Make in Greater Milwaukee

How Much Do Substance Abuse Counselors Make in Madison

How Much Do Substance Abuse Counselors Make in Green Bay

Substance Abuse Counselor Degree Options in Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s colleges and universities are well aware of the state’s licensing requirements for becoming a Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC), with 11 on the DSPS list of approved education providers for SAC-in-Training and full SAC licensure.

Blackhawk Technical College

Human Services and Education
Accreditation: HLC
Online

Undergraduate Certificates

Associate Degrees

Chippewa Valley Technical College

Accreditation: HLC
Campus

Associate Degrees

College of Menominee Nation

Accreditation: HLC
Campus

Associate Degrees

Fox Valley Technical College

Education and Human Services
Accreditation: HLC
Campus

Undergraduate Certificates

Associate Degrees

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University

Human Services
Accreditation: HLC
Campus

Undergraduate Certificates

Madison Area Technical College

School of Human and Protective Services
Accreditation: HLC
Campus, Hybrid

Undergraduate Certificates

Associate Degrees

Moraine Park Technical College

Accreditation: HLC
Campus

Undergraduate Certificates

Associate Degrees

Nicolet College

Human Services
Accreditation: HLC
Campus, Hybrid

Associate Degrees

Northcentral Technical College

Human Services
Accreditation: HLC
Campus, Online

Undergraduate Certificates

Associate Degrees

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

Human Services and Education
Accreditation: HLC
Campus

Undergraduate Certificates

Associate Degrees

Northwood Technical College

Human Services
Accreditation: HLC
Campus, Hybrid

Undergraduate Certificates

Associate Degrees

2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures shown here for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors. Job growth projections are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, CareerOneStop. Figures are based on state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2024.