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Intoxicated Driver Program Best Practices Guide

Section 3: Assessor Roles and Responsibilities

Assessors are the key to successful Intoxicated Driver Program (IDP) implementation and operate as an agent of DHS and DOT.

An assessor is a designated staff member of an approved assessment agency, responsible for evaluating individuals convicted of an operating while intoxicated (OWI) offense to determine the appropriate driver safety plan (DSP), in accordance with state statutes and administrative code.

The assessor plays a pivotal role in facilitating early intervention, public safety, and access to treatment, while protecting client rights through the assessment process and develop of DSPs.

To promote consistency across the state and ensure clients are being treated equitably, many assessors network with other IDP staff at their agency and participate in regional IDP assessor networks.

Qualified professional types

Per Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.05, an assessor must be one of the following:

  • Substance use counselor.
  • Clinical supervisor.
  • Social worker.
  • Marriage and family therapist.
  • Licensed professional counselor.
  • A professional defined in Wis. Admin. Code §§ DHS 61.06(1)-(13).

DHS may approve other professionals to be an assessor on a case-by-case basis.

Required training

Initial training: Assessors must complete the DHS-approved IDP Assessor Training (IDP-AT) and training in local IDP policies and procedures. Additional training in motivational interviewing, cultural competence, and trauma-informed care is recommended.

Under Wis. Admin. § DHS 75.15(5)(c), agencies must maintain documentation of each assessor’s professional credentials and completion of the IDP-AT. This documentation should be maintained in the individual's personnel file or wherever agency policies dictate the storage of training/education documents.

Ongoing training: Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.05(3)(b) requires assessors complete at least six hours of continuing education annually. This additional training is helpful to ensure assessors are using the WAID to fidelity and following best practices in completing assessments. It is the IDP assessor’s responsibility to ensure they have met this requirement. DHS encourages all assessors to participate in the IDP Annual Meeting to meet this requirement.

Key functions

Conduct the IDP assessment using the WAID

  • The WAID is the standardized screening tool approved by Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 62.
  • The WAID should be administered during a one-hour appointment and is intended to screen for level of care referrals, not diagnose substance use disorders.
  • The WAID must be completed and documented in accordance with Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.07(3)(a).

Develop the driver safety plan

  • The driver safety plan should be based solely on the findings of the WAID and any relevant collateral information collected.
  • The driver safety plan must be the least restrictive plan necessary to ensure driver safety and support behavior change, per Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.07(1)(b). “Least restrictive” means the driver safety plan should assign the minimum level, intensity, and duration of services necessary to address the individual’s assessed substance use need, while still supporting public safety and behavioral change.
  • Driver safety plans may include education, treatment, or a combination thereof, but must be individualized.
  • The assessor must not impose additional restrictions beyond what is supported by WAID findings or what is allowed in Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.07(5).

Ensure client rights and referral neutrality

  • Clients must be informed of their rights as outlined in Wis. Admin. Code §§ DHS 62.04 and DHS 62.14, including the right to choose among qualified driver safety plan providers.
  • Assessment agencies must provide a list of all certified, approved Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 75 driver safety providers and document the client’s selection.
  • The assessor may not mandate a specific driver safety plan provider unless justified by geographic or service constraints and documented accordingly.

Do not exceed assessment scope

  • While assessors play a critical role in identifying client needs and making appropriate referrals, they are not acting as treatment providers within the scope of the assessment process.
  • Assessors may not include drug testing, absolute sobriety, or similar conditions on the driver safety plan. Per Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.07(5), the driver safety plan may not contain requirements that exceed the authority of the assessment agency. While referred treatment providers may include such conditions as part of their own clinical treatment plans under Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 75, these requirements must not be imposed or documented as part of the driver safety plan itself.
  • Assessors should not serve as instructors for education programs or treatment services unless no viable alternatives exist, per Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.12, and only with clear documentation and safeguards.

Collaborate with oversight and monitoring entities

  • Assessors should submit timely documentation to the DOT.
  • Assessors should provide updates to the IDP Coordinating Authority oversight entities, such as IPID committees and courts as needed, consistent with client consent and legal requirements.

Overseeing driver safety plan

The completion of the WAID and development of the driver safety plan are key functions of an assessor. The assessor also plays a vital role in overseeing the driver safety plan and proper closure of it.

Monitoring compliance: The assessor is responsible for periodically reviewing the client’s compliance with the conditions outlined in the driver safety plan, as required by Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 62.07(6), including:

  • Confirming attendance and progress with the referred driver safety plan provider(s).
  • Addressing reported non-compliance or barriers to completion.
  • Updating, modifying, or amending the driver safety plan if circumstances change (provider closure, client relocation, etc.), with proper documentation and client input.
  • The method of follow-up should be guided by the nature and duration of the driver safety plan and any concerns identified during the assessment.
  • The driver safety plan should not include fixed timelines or arbitrary risk tiers.

Collaborating with providers

  • Assessment agencies must establish clear communication protocols with traffic safety school coordinators and driver safety plan providers.
  • Any updates from driver safety plan providers should be documented in the client’s driver safety plan file and reviewed by the assessor for next steps.
  • If the client is not engaged or has dropped out, the assessor must follow agency policies and procedures for re-engagement or notice of noncompliance, including those noted in Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 62.

Closure of plan: Upon completion of all requirements in the driver safety plan, the assessor should:

  • Review the documentation provided by the driver safety plan provider(s) to verify full compliance.
  • Submit a recommendation to close the driver safety plan to DOT upon verification of full compliance using DOT’s designated form or electronic system, the Wisconsin Assessment Program (WASP) (see Wis. Admin. Code § Trans 107.07).
  • Notify clients in writing that their driver safety plan has been closed and that they have met the requirements for license reinstatement pending DOT finalization.

Records maintenance: All driver safety plan-related documentation, including WAID findings, provider communications, and closure forms, must be retained in accordance with DHS record retention policies and made available for audit or quality assurance purposes.

If a client fails to comply with the driver safety plan, the assessor must:

  • Document the specific nature of noncompliance.
  • Attempt to re-engage the client if feasible.
  • Submit notification of noncompliance to the DOT for potential license sanctions under Wis. Stat. § 343.30(1q)(c)2.

Go back - Section 2: Assessment Agency Roles and Responsibilities
Next - Section 4: Assessments

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