JobsAdvocate Health

Program Psychotherapist - Substance Use Disorder HOD

Advocate Health · Wauwatosa, WI

Posted Sep 7, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you had to update a treatment plan mid-course because a patient wasn't progressing the way you expected.

comfort with revising clinical goals under time pressure and evidence they track outcomes rather than just following an initial plan

Describe a time you were part of an interdisciplinary treatment team and disagreed with another discipline's read on a patient. How did you handle it?

ability to advocate for clinical judgment while still functioning as a team player

Tell me about a patient whose discharge planning was complicated - what made it hard and how did you work through it?

depth of experience coordinating discharge and case management, not just delivering therapy

Tell me about a time a peer chart audit or review flagged something in your documentation. How did you respond?

openness to regulatory oversight and quality feedback rather than defensiveness

What draws you to working specifically with substance use disorder patients at the inpatient level, as opposed to outpatient or general behavioral health?

genuine motivation and fit for the intensity and pace of inpatient SUD work

Technical

Walk me through how you'd run an individual therapy session with a patient who was just admitted to the inpatient unit for substance use, maybe within their first 24 hours.

whether the candidate can adapt clinical technique to acute, early-stage inpatient stabilization rather than outpatient pacing

How do you decide what belongs in a treatment plan so that the goals are actually measurable and achievable within a short anticipated length of stay?

understanding of documentation standards tied to insurance review and realistic inpatient timelines

What's your approach to facilitating a family meeting when the family is angry or in denial about the severity of the patient's substance use?

skill in managing high-emotion family systems work, a named job duty

What's different about how you'd assess and treat a teenager on this unit versus an older adult, given the age range you might see?

working knowledge of developmental stages and age-specific care as named in the posting

Walk me through how you'd conduct a psychosocial assessment for someone with co-occurring substance use and a mental health diagnosis.

clinical competence with dual-diagnosis populations, common on this unit

Situational

A family member calls asking for updates on a patient but the patient hasn't signed a release. What do you do?

knowledge of confidentiality law and boundaries around collateral contact

A patient becomes agitated and physically combative during a group session. What's your first move, and what happens after the immediate situation is handled?

crisis response instincts and whether CPI-type de-escalation thinking is already internalized

How do you keep your caseload and documentation on pace with productivity expectations without cutting corners on quality?

realistic self-awareness about balancing volume with clinical rigor

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 36609 Aurora Psychiatric Hospital - Behavioral Health O/P: Dewey Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Monday - Friday 0800-1630 Pay Range: $33.05 - $49.60 Major Responsibilities: • Provides individual and group therapeutic services in the inpatient level of care. • Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team by reviewing assessment data, case management, intake, and other discipline data.  Ensures goals identified in the treatment plan are clinically appropriate to the stated problems, development focused, measurable and achievable within current anticipated lengths of stay and updates treatment plans as appropriate. • Performs patient psychosocial assessments to determine appropriate interventions and care plan, goal determining and treatment plan altering as the case warrants. Contacts families, where appropriate for collateral information and discharge planning. Facilitates family meetings, communicates schedule and outcomes with members of the interdisciplinary team. • May be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the appropriateness of social services provided. Performs peer to peer chart audits consistent with regulatory requirements. • Works cooperatively with other professional and non-professional staff to identify and resolve problems in the service delivery systems, ultimately improving the quality of patient care. • Maintains or exceeds clinical productivity standards established by the Manager. • Works cooperatively with other professional and non-professional staff to identify and resolve problems in the service delivery systems, ultimately improving the quality of patient care. • Works cooperatively with other professional and non-professional staff to identify and resolve problems in the service delivery systems, ultimately improving the quality of patient care. • Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: • Professional Counselor license issued by the state of Wisconsin, or • Marriage and Family Therapist license issued by the state of Wisconsin, or • Advanced Practice Social Worker, or • Social Worker, Clinical license issued by the state of Wisconsin. • Wisconsin Teammates – Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) and Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) certification needs to be obtained within 90 days of employment. Education Required: • Master's Degree in Social Work, or • Master's Degree in Psychology, Clinical, or • Master's Degree in Psychology, Educational, or • Master's Degree in Psychology, Counseling or related field Experience Required: • ​​ Typically requires 2 years of experience in providing therapy in behavioral health. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Some positions may be restricted to individuals with Master's Degree in Social Work and be a Licensed Clinical Social Worker upon hire. • Some positions may also require one of the following Substance Abuse licenses upon hire, Substance Abuse Counselor-In-Training, Substance Abuse Counselor, Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor, or Clinical Supervisor-In-Training. • Skilled as a generalist and has one or more specializations. Extensive knowledge and skills in the application of theory, practice and techniques of behavioral health and/or substance abuse treatment services. • Good written and verbal communication skills. • Demonstrates the ability to function in a complex mental health delivery system. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Will frequently be required to lift up to 25 lbs. without assistance, and will occasionally be required to lift over 25 lbs. with assistance. • May be exposed to the following hazard: mechanical, electrical, chemical, blood and body fluids. • Must be able to sit, stand, walk, squat, bend, and reach above shoulders and twist. • Must be able to restrain and control patients who are outwardly psychotic or physically combative. • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.​ This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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