1
Rev. 3/18
Steps to Obtaining your SAC-IT Certificate, Substance
Abuse Counselor Certificate, and Clinical Substance
Abuse Counselor Certificate in Wisconsin
Substance Abuse Counselor in Training (SAC-IT) Certificate
UW-Whitewater counseling students are eligible to apply for their SAC-IT if they have completed
one-third of the master’s program, including courses that meet specific educational
requirements. Students can apply for their SAC-IT prior to graduation.
Substance Abuse Counselor In Training (SAC-IT) Requirements
• 100 hours of specialized education (requirement met by AODA electives within CMHC at
UW-Whitewater Counselor Education Program).
• Provide employment verification including a qualified supervisor.
• Take and pass the Wisconsin Statutes and Rules Exam.
Supervision Requirements
• Two hours of individual or group (no more than 6 supervisees) supervision for every 40
hours of work performed including face-to-face individual or group sessions.
• At least one in-person supervision meeting per calendar month.
• Supervisors must meet one of the following qualifications:
o An intermediate or independent clinical supervisor
o A physician knowledgeable in addiction treatment
o A psychologist knowledgeable in psychopharmacology and addiction treatment
Forms to Complete and Documents to Submit
• Form #2743: Substance Abuse Counselor Application and fees
• Letters from all State Boards where licensed (includes active and inactive licenses, if
applicable)
• Form #2770: Employment Verification (Applicants should only complete the top part of
the form. Then they should give the form to their supervisor to complete. The supervisor
has to send the form in directly to DSPS, not the applicant)
• Form #3079: Certificate of Completion of a Department approved Substance Abuse
Education Program (applicants should only fill in the top portion of this form, then they
should give the form to the department to complete. The department has to send the
form in directly to DSPS, not the applicant)
• Form #2832: Completion of 100 Hours of Specialized Education (with proof of
attendance and completion)
• Form #2252: Conviction and Pending Charges (if applicable)
• Form #2928: Malpractice Suits and Claims (if applicable)
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Rev. 3/18
Exam to Take (and Pass)
● Wisconsin Statute and Rule Exam
○ Exam can be taken online.
Fees (write one check to Department of Safety and Professional Services)
● $75: Initial Credential Fee
● $75: Wisconsin Statute and Rule Exam Fee
● $8: Convictions and Pending Charges Additional Fee (include this fee only if you are
submitting Form #2252)
Ways to submit application
Email To:
Mail To:
P.O. Box 8935
Madison, WI 53708-8935
**Note: Hand delivery is probably the fastest way to have your application processed, while
emailing it is probably faster than snail mail.
Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC) Certificate
To apply for a Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC) certificate, individuals must:
• Hold a SAC-IT license.
• Complete 360 hours of specialized education in substance use disorder counseling
(requirement met by AODA electives within CMHC at UW-Whitewater Counselor
Education Program).
• Complete 2,000 hours described in Form #2749 (4,000 total hours minus 2,000 hours for
having a master’s degree) of supervised work experience within five years immediately
preceding the date of application.
○ 1,000 hours in substance use disorder counseling with at least 500 hours
is a one-on-one individual modality setting.
○ A minimum of 200 hours of counseling during the 12-month period
immediately preceding the date of application, of which 100 hours has
been completed using individual modality setting.
○ Experience in excess of 40 hours per week or 2,000 hours per year will
not be accepted.
• Obtain a passing score for the ICRC exam (see below).
• Take and pass the Wisconsin Rules and Statutes Exam (within the last five years).
Forms to Complete and Documents to Submit
• Form #2743: Substance Abuse Counselor Application and fees
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Rev. 3/18
• Letters from all State Boards where licensed (includes active and inactive licenses, if
applicable)
• Form #3079: Certificate of Completion of a Department approved Substance Abuse
Education Program (applicants should only fill in the top portion of this form, then they
should give the form to the department to complete. The department has to send the
form in directly to DSPS, not the applicant)
• Form #2749: Supervised Experience Form
• Form #2832: Completion of 100 Hours of Specialized Education (with proof of
attendance and completion)
• Form #2252: Conviction and Pending Charges (if applicable)
• Form #2928: Malpractice Suits and Claims (if applicable)
Exams to Take (and Pass)
● Wisconsin Statutes and Rules Exam (If you haven’t already taken it for your SAC-IT)
● International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (ICRC) exam
o You must work directly with your IC&RC member board to determine eligibility
requirements and the examination registration process (find Wisconsin DSPS
contact info here).
o It is extremely important that you know your jurisdiction’s rules, timelines, and
processes regarding taking an IC&RC examination. These vary, as do the fees
you may be required to pay to your board. Always contact your local Member
Board (see link above) for questions regarding examination registration,
administration, and fees.
Fees (write one check to Department of Safety and Professional Services)
● $75: Initial Credential Fee
● $75: Wisconsin Statute and Rule Exam Fee (if you didn’t take the exam when you
applied for your SAC-IT)
● $125: ICRC Written Exam Fee
● $8: Convictions and Pending Charges Additional Fee (include this fee only if you are
submitting Form #2252)
Ways to submit application
Email To:
Mail To:
P.O. Box 8935
Madison, WI 53708-8935
**Note: Hand delivery is probably the fastest way to have your application processed, while
emailing it is probably faster than snail mail.
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Rev. 3/18
Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) Certificate
To apply for a Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC) certificate, individuals must:
● Hold a SAC-IT license.
● Hold an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral degree in behavioral science field.
● Attend and complete 360 hours of specialized education in substance use disorder
counseling (requirement met by AODA track within CMHC emphasis at UW-Whitewater
Counselor Education Program)
● Complete 3,000 hours described in Form #2749 (7,000 total hours minus 4,000 hours for
having a master’s degree) of supervised work experience within five years immediately
preceding the date of application.
o Of the 3,000 hours, 2,000 hours must be direct, face-to-face substance abuse
patient counseling.
o Experience in excess of 40 hours per week, or 2,000 hours per year will not be
accepted.
● Obtain a passing score for the ICRC exam (see below).
● Take and pass the Wisconsin Rules and Statutes Exam (within the last five years).
● Reciprocity may be granted if the applicant for CSAC holds a credential from a state
whose requirements are substantially equivalent to the current Wisconsin requirements
(Form #2786).
Forms to Complete and Documents to Submit
• Form #2743: Substance Abuse Counselor Application and fees
• Letters from all State Boards where licensed (includes active and inactive licenses, if
applicable)
• Form #3079: Certificate of Completion of a Department approved Substance Abuse
Education Program (applicants should only fill in the top portion of this form, then they
should give the form to the department to complete. The department has to send the
form in directly to DSPS, not the applicant)
• Official transcripts indicating proof of degree in a behavioral science field, sent directly
from the school to the Department.
• Form #2749: Supervised Experience Form
• Form #2252: Conviction and Pending Charges (if applicable)
• Form #2928: Malpractice Suits and Claims (if applicable)
Exams to Take (and Pass)
● Wisconsin Statutes and Rules Exam (If you haven’t already taken it for your SAC-IT)
● International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (ICRC) exam
o You must work directly with your IC&RC member board to determine eligibility
requirements and the examination registration process (find Wisconsin DSPS
contact info here).
o It is extremely important that you know your jurisdiction’s rules, timelines, and
processes regarding taking an IC&RC examination. These vary, as do the fees
you may be required to pay to your board. Always contact your local Member
Board (see link above) for questions regarding examination registration,
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Rev. 3/18
administration, and fees.
Fees (write one check to Department of Safety and Professional Services)
● $75: Initial Credential Fee
● $75: Wisconsin Statute and Rule Exam Fee (this fee is not required if you have already
taken and passed this exam for another Substance Abuse credential within the last five
years)
● $125: ICRC Written Exam Fee
● $8: Convictions and Pending Charges Additional Fee (include this fee only if you are
submitting Form #2252)
Ways to submit application
Email To:
Mail To:
P.O. Box 8935
Madison, WI 53708-8935
**Note: Hand delivery is probably the fastest way to have your application processed, while
emailing it is probably faster than snail mail.
Additional Resources
● Substance Abuse Counselor in Training DSPS site
● Substance Abuse Counselor site
● Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor site
