(WCS) is a local nonprofit organization that has been providing substance use, mental health and justice system services for more than 110 years in the Greater Milwaukee area. When the organization was founded as the Wisconsin Society for the Friendless in 1912, the mission was solely to help people who were incarcerated and to assist the families who had been left behind.
The organization has evolved through the years, changing its name, and expanding populations served as a response to growing community need. But the spirit of “A Friend of the Friendless” remains in the agency’s mission today: WCS advocates for justice and community safety,,providing innovative opportunities for individuals to overcome adversity. Today, WCS serves more than 14,000 individuals annually through 60+ unique programs and employs 500 staff members. Program areas are behavioral health, community reintegration, youth services, workforce development, court services, and other specialized services that address the mental health, substance use, and co-occurring needs of individuals. Following are descriptions of just some of the programs currently provided by WCS:
• Wraparound Milwaukee which provides coordinated community-based support and
services to families of youth with complex emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs
• Adult Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) which provides care coordination
services for individuals with significant mental health, substance use and life needs
• Youth Crisis Stabilization Facility (YCSF) which provides temporary placement to
support youth who are experiencing a mental health crisis
• Community Support Program (CSP) which provides coordinated care and Assertive
Community Treatment (ACT) for participants with co-occurring severe and persistent
mental health and substance use needs
• Center for Driver's License Recovery & Employability (CDLRE) which provides case
management and legal services to help individuals recover a valid driver’s license after
suspension/revocation for failure to pay fines
• Employment and Training Services which offer job development, placement, and
retention services for individuals to help overcome employment barriers.
• Residential Reentry Centers which provide evidence-based programming and
employment guidance for individuals who are transitioning back into the community
after incarceration
• Alcohol and Drug Treatment Courts which provides case management and supervision
to individuals who seek to break the cycle of addiction and improve their chances of a
sober, crime-free, and healthy life
• Hub & Spoke Health Home which provides services through a hub-and-spoke model to
promote seamless transitions of care from emergency rooms, jails, or correctional
facilities to specialized health homes which offer evidence-based continuums of care to
meet the needs of persons with severe or complex substance use disorders
• Youth Shelter Care – which provides youth referred by Milwaukee
County Children’s Court with safe, nurturing, and well-maintained environments aimed at decreasing risk factors, increasing protective factors, and supporting positive youth development
As WCS continues to expand and grow, they are seeking compassionate, motivated, and dedicated individuals to join their staff. There are many opportunities for individuals who are bilingual in Spanish and English. For more information about WCS or current career opportunities, visit www.wiscs.org.
