(La Porte, IN) - More social workers will be hired by the La Porte School Corporation.

Five additional social workers will be funded with a $1.2 million grant from the Health Foundation of La Porte, said Amy Kosior, Director of Student Services.

The money is for a three-year period.

Kosior told the school board this week five social workers paid for by the school corporation to deal with mental health and substance abuse issues are now at the middle school and high school.

Adding more allows social workers for the first time to be at each of the elementary schools and the Little Learners pre-school program, which is at the former Lincoln Elementary School.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for us,” she said.

She said each school added to the program will have a social worker present at least once or twice a week because of a rotating work schedule.