(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte has created a new position to try and address mental health and drug addiction more effectively.

 

The La Porte City Council Tuesday night voted to add a social worker to the staff.

 

Officials said the social worker will handle cases involving people needing help with mental health and substance abuse.  Right now, some of those responsibilities fall on the police department.

 

Mayor Tom Dermody said the new position will free up time for officers to go after more drug dealers and perform other law enforcement duties.

 

“With as many mental health calls for service and as many overdoses as we’re getting, we need to do something different as we look to the future of policing,” he said.

 

The social worker, who has not yet been hired, will be paid an annual salary of $59,000. Human Resources Director Andrea Smith said she doesn’t expect the new position to be easy.

 

“He or she will probably be on call because you never know what time of day a mental health issue will occur.  It’s a great responsibility for this position, but we need it.  It’s so well needed in our community,” she said.

Smith said a grant from HealthLinc will go toward the salary.  She said more social workers could be added in the future with help from Purdue University Northwest, which has a social worker training program.