Section 161.04. Counselor applications.

 

(1)   Substance abuse counselor-in-training. An applicant for certification as a substance abuse counselor-in-training shall submit evidence satisfactory to the department that all of the following have been met:

(a) That the applicant has a high school diploma, an HSED or GED.

(b) Successful passage of an ethics, boundaries and jurisprudence examination developed or approved by the department.

(c) Successful completion of 100 hours of specialized education in the transdisciplinary foundations in compliance with s. SPS 166.02 . An organized educational field experience program from an accredited school fulfills this requirement.

(d) Current employment, a written offer of employment or an agreement authorizing volunteer hours at an agency providing substance use disorder treatment. The applicant's clinical supervisor shall review the education submitted pursuant to par. (c) , and attest that the education submitted by the applicant fulfills the requirements of s. SPS 166.02 .

(2)   Substance abuse counselor.

(a) Except as provided in par. (b) , an applicant for certification as a substance abuse counselor shall submit evidence satisfactory to the department of all of the following:

1. Successful passage of the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse written counselor examination.

2. That the applicant has a high school diploma, an HSED or GED.

3. Completion of 4,000 hours of work experience performing the practice dimensions, supervised by an individual defined in s. SPS 162.02 (1) , within 5 years immediately preceding the date of application. Experience in excess of 40 hours per week or 2,000 hours per year does not count in meeting the experience requirement. The 4,000 hours shall include all of the following:

a. Two thousand hours in performing the practice dimensions with patients who have a primary substance use disorder diagnosis.

b. One thousand hours in substance use disorder counseling with at least 500 hours in a one-on-one individual modality setting.

c. A minimum of 200 hours of counseling during the 12 month period immediately preceding the date of application, of which 100 hours shall have been completed using an individual modality setting.

4. Completion of the requirements of s. SPS 166.03 . An applicant who previously held a certificate from the Wisconsin Certification Board, Inc., and can provide documentation of accumulation of 100 or more hours of approved specialized education as of March 1, 2007, may submit proof of completion of the balance of the 360 hours specified in s. SPS 166.03 from sources other than a comprehensive program.

(b) An applicant for certification as a substance abuse counselor who is previously credentialed by the marriage and family therapy, professional counseling and social work examining board shall submit evidence satisfactory to the department of fulfilling the requirements of s. MPSW 1.09 .

(3)   Clinical substance abuse counselor. An applicant for certification as a clinical substance abuse counselor shall submit evidence satisfactory to the department of all of the following:

(a) Successful passage of the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse written counselor certification examination taken on or after June 1, 2008. If the written examination was taken before June 1, 2008, an applicant shall have either successfully passed the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium case presentation method interview on or before December 31, 2008, or have successfully retaken the written counselor certification examination on or after June 1, 2008.

(b) Completion of 7,000 hours of patient counseling experience performing the practice dimensions as a substance abuse counselor, supervised by an individual defined in s. SPS 162.02 (1) , within 5 years immediately preceding the date of application. The 7,000 hours shall include 2,000 hours in direct, in person substance use disorder patient counseling. Experience in excess of 40 hours per week or 2,000 hours per year does not count in meeting the experience requirement.

(c) As specified in s. SPS 166.03 , attendance and completion of 360 hours of approved specialized education in substance use disorder counseling within a comprehensive program covering the transdisciplinary foundations and practice or attendance and completion of 360 hours of approved specialized education in substance use disorder counseling within a degree program approved by the department in a field with an addiction emphasis or concentration in clinical counseling.

(d) An applicant who previously held a certificate from the Wisconsin Certification Board, Inc., and can provide documentation of accumulation of 100 or more hours of approved specialized education as of March 1, 2007, may submit proof of completion of the balance of the 360 hours from sources other than a comprehensive program.

(f) Successful passage of an ethics, boundaries and jurisprudence examination developed or approved by the department.

(g) Graduation from an accredited school with an associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in a behavioral science field.

CR 07-031 : cr. Register November 2007 No. 623 , eff. 12-1-07; EmR0819 : emerg. renum. (3) (a) to be (3) (a) 1. and am., cr. (3) (a) 2., r. (3) (e), eff. 6-18-08; CR 08-094 : am. (3) (a), r. (3) (e) Register April 2009 No. 640 , eff. 5-1-09; correction in (1) (c), (d), (2) (a) 3. (intro.), 4., (3) (b), (c) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7. , Stats., Register November 2011 No. 671 .

Note

Prior to June 1, 2008, to receive a clinical substance abuse counselor credential, an applicant had to pass a written counselor examination and a case presentation method oral interview (oral examination) authorized by the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Effective June 1, 2008, the IC&RC withdrew its authorization for the oral examination and instead requires an applicant to complete an updated written counselor examination which includes a section to replace the oral examination. Pursuant to an agreement between the department and the IC&RC, applicants who took the written examination prior to June 1, 2008, were able to complete the oral examination until December 31, 2008. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1