Social Worker - Substance Abuse Counselor

About the role

The Department of Corrections is focused on public safety through the custody and supervision of those in our care. Corrections employees have the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others through careers in a variety of fields. Using evidence-based approaches, employees implement lasting change with a positive impact for the people of Wisconsin.

Responsibilities

• Identify the nature and cause of client’s problem(s) and incapacities as they relate to chemical abuse, social functioning, vocational functioning, legal functioning, and leisure time functioning.
• Formulate service delivery plans, implement case plans upon approval of the supervisor, provide treatment and guidance in line with accepted modules, and develop and refer clients to appropriate community resources.

Requirements

• An active Social Worker credential issued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services in the form of a:
• - Substance Abuse Counselor credential issued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services in the form of a:
• - Substance Abuse Counselor In-Training certificate (SAC-IT) (130)
• - Substance Abuse Counselor certificate (SAC) (131)
• - Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor certificate (CSAC) (132)

Qualifications

• Applicants MUST possess an active Social Worker credential issued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services in the form of a:
• Applicants MUST also possess an active Substance Abuse Counselor credential issued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services in the form of a:
• - Substance Abuse Counselor In-Training certificate (SAC-IT) (130)
• - Substance Abuse Counselor certificate (SAC) (131) or a
• - Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor certificate (CSAC) (132)
• In addition to the credential above, in order to be considered for direct hire at the Social Worker - Senior level:
• Applicants must also have a non-Training Certificate Social Work Credential AND 12 or more months of social work experience with correctional clients or 2 or more years of total social work experience.

Skills

N/A

Benefits

• Substantial leave time including at least 3.5 weeks of vacation to start, 9 paid holidays, and ample accrued sick time that rolls over each year.
• Excellent and affordable health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• An exceptional pension plan including a lifetime retirement payment.
• An optional tax-advantaged 457 retirement savings plan.
• The Well Wisconsin Program helps participants set health and well-being goals, track progress, stay motivated, and earn incentives.
• Our Employee Assistance Program offers employees and their immediate family a variety of tools, resources, and professional consultation services to support their health, goals, and overall well-being.
• The Department of Corrections is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Pay

• Social Worker is in pay schedule and range 12-64 and Social Worker - Senior is in pay schedule and range 12-63.
• Starting pay will be set based on full years of non-training Social Work Credentialing in Wisconsin.

Schedule

Normal working hours are day-time hours Monday – Friday and the majority of positions are full-time. Specifics can be discussed at time of interview.

Application

To apply, click on “Apply for Job” to start the application process. Follow the steps outlined in the application process and submit your application.

Questions

Questions can be directed to Athena Foster, HR Specialist - Senior, at Athena.Foster@wisconsin.gov.

Deadline to Apply

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the needs of the department are met. This posting will be up until: Wednesday December 16th, 2026. At that time, we anticipate creating a new job opening to continue recruiting for this classification, and individuals will need to reapply to be considered. Applications are processed every week, usually on Thursdays. After your application is processed, you will receive an eligibility designation. The register created from this announcement will be used to fill vacancies, statewide, as they occur for up to 6 months.