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Intoxicated Driver Program: Guidance for Partners

 Note: The information on this page is not intended for people looking to enroll in the Intoxicated Driver Program (IDP) and current IDP clients. Refer to the Intoxicated Driver Program: Client Portal for client-specific information.

IDP provides the framework for the assessment and treatment of people who have been convicted of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Like other DHS programs, Tribal nations and counties play an important role in administering the requirements of IDP. Tribal nations and counties collaborate with assessment agencies and driver safety plan providers to achieve the goals of IDP.

Key roles

DHS IDP coordinator

This role provides statewide oversight, technical assistance, and quality assurance support for IDP.

IDP Coordinating Authority

The Tribal nation or county agency responsible for administering IDP within their jurisdiction.

Designated coordinator

The Tribal nation or county agency staff person responsible for local IDP administration.

Assessor

The designated staff member of an IDP-approved assessment agency responsible for evaluating IDP clients to determine the appropriate driver safety plan in accordance with state statutes and administrative code.

Assessment agency

The approved private or public treatment agency certified under Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 75.15(8) and designated under Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.04(1) to conduct intoxicated driver assessments. This agency is sometimes referred to as an assessment facility.

Driver safety plan providers

Agencies that provide education programs and treatment services to IDP clients.

Providers should focus on the development of the assessment and the driver safety plan, while referring clients to appropriate partners for any needs beyond the scope of IDP. Some client needs may be hard to fully address within the scope of IDP, particularly when clients are facing significant barriers to change or are not yet ready to engage in the process. While empathy and flexibility are extremely important, assessors must also remain grounded in their role as defined by the rules and regulations.

Best practices

Follow rules and regulations

State statutes, administrative codes, and agency policies and procedures define many core components of the IDP process, while also permitting discretion in areas where prescriptive guidance is not provided.

Use Wisconsin Assessment of the Impaired Driver (WAID) criteria

The WAID tool provides a structured foundation for the driver safety plan but does not determine clinical need. Assessor judgment plays a key role in the selection of the WAID criterion, while finding level and state statute determines appropriate driver safety plan referrals. The WAID should not be used to justify overtreatment, nor should it be supplemented by requirements outside the allowable scope of Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 62. Select WAID criterion and certainty levels using professional judgment but use the WAID rubric (not judgment) to determine the finding. Only one WAID finding is recorded.

Develop appropriate driver safety plans

Develop driver safety plans that are the least restrictive necessary to meet client needs and support change. Avoid overtreating, adding burdensome conditions, or providing diagnostic evaluations or treatment services. Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 62 does not authorize assessment agencies to include routine abstinence monitoring or drug testing in driver safety plans. These practices can be clinical and, if appropriate, should be managed by the treatment provider under Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 75.

Each driver safety plan must include at least one service directly related to alcohol or other drug use and be supported by the WAID result. Plans cannot be boilerplate or based solely on count of operating while intoxicated offenses. If services are not clinically appropriate, particularly in cases where a client is referred to treatment but does not meet diagnostic criteria, the driver safety plan should be revised or closed accordingly.

Driver safety plan referrals to education or treatment must be determined by the WAID finding, aligned with state statute. A finding of irresponsible use can only be referred to education. A finding of dependency must be referred to treatment. Referrals beyond these parameters, including dual referrals to both education and treatment, must be approached cautiously and only when clearly justified.

Monitor supportively

Monitoring compliance with driver safety plans is a core responsibility of the assessment agency. However, monitoring should be focused on supporting client success, not focused on catching failure. Agencies are encouraged to use a strengths-based approach that responds to barriers (examples: transportation, health, childcare) with flexibility and client-centered problem-solving.

Address client barriers

Per Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.07(5)(a)1.c, alternative education programs may be approved when clients face specific barriers such as cognitive deficits, mental illness, limited English proficiency, or geographic hardship. These alternatives must be comparable in content and quality to Wisconsin Technical College System programs and require agreement among key parties.

Keep clear documentation

Timely, clear documentation is essential to ensure compliance and fairness for extensions and amendments. Each driver safety plan has a maximum duration of one year, with a one-time four-month extension. Extension requests must be made prior to the driver safety plan expiration. Amended plans should reflect updated client needs and must be signed by the client and assessment agency.

Protect client rights

Clients must be informed of their rights, provided with approved driver safety plan provider lists, and allowed to choose their driver safety plan provider(s). Agencies are required to maintain a confidential record for each client that includes the WAID, driver safety plan, monitoring documentation, and closure information. Record retention guidelines must be followed. Clients can see their records upon request.

Maintain open communication

Communication among all IDP collaborators is critical for success. The Department of Transportation is a resource for driver safety plan service logistics. DHS is a resource for WAID and treatment service questions. Consult supervisors, peers, the DHS IDP Coordinator, and/or DOT staff when working with clients who don’t fit typical standards or when unusual situations arise.

Intoxicated Driver Program Best Practices Guide

This guide was developed to assist IDP partners in delivering effective, equitable, and person-centered responses to substance use within the IDP framework documented in Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 62.

View the IDP best practices guide

Forms

Assessor training

An IDP assessment agency must employ or contract with at least one qualified assessor.

Each assessor employed or under contract with the IDP assessment agency must have complete the Intoxicated Driver Program-Assessor Training under Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.05(3). This ensures they have the knowledge and experience necessary to assess impaired drivers.

To enroll in the IDP-AT, professionals must verify they meet one of the following criteria:

  • Proof of certification as a Wisconsin substance abuse counselor in training (SAC-IT), substance abuse counselor (SAC), or clinical substance abuse counselor (CSAC).
  • Proof of certification or licensure as a physician, psychologist, master’s level social worker, marriage and family therapist (MFT), or licensed professional counselor (LPC) including those with in-training certifications (LPC-IT, MFT-IT certifications) with knowledge of substance use who are practicing within their scope of their education, training, and experience.
  • Professions identified in Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 61.06 and people who have been granted a waiver by DHS must submit verification of training and/or education that meets the categories and hours listed below.
    • SIx hours on interviewing skills
    • SIx hours on evidence-based counseling techniques
    • SIx hours on case management
    • SIx hours on substance use disorders
    • Six hours on professional responsibilities/ethics
    • SIx hours on trauma-informed care
    • SIx hours on cultural competence

Professionals who believe they meet the criteria for the IDP-AT and who have a sponsoring agency per Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.05(3)(a) may apply for the IDP-AT by completing the Intoxicated Driver Program Assessor Training Application, F-03010.

Technical assistance

Send questions or concerns about IDP to Katie Kinney, the DHS IDP coordinator, at katie.kinney@dhs.wisconsin.gov.

Glossary

 
Last revised August 1, 2026