LAPORTEĀ ā The LaPorte Police Department's first social worker is on the job in an effort to help officers deal with mental health and drug abuse issues encountered during calls for assistance.
Itās the type of work Caitlyn Kalisik has wanted to do since childhood, when reaching out to others seemed to come naturally.
Her first day on the job included responding to a drug overdose, lending moral support and connecting family members to services that might be needed or wanted to address their difficulties.
Kalisik was chosen from nearly 20 applicants.
āI was very excited. Iām still super excited. I think Iāll be very excited for some time,ā she said.
The position was created to help more people by filling gaps in the system.
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After responding to a call, officers often donāt have the time or training to get people to calmly open up and to connect them with a mental health professional most suitable for their circumstances, said LaPorte Police Chief Paul Brettin.
āThis person will get them the resources they need,ā he said.
Kalisik, 26, grew up in Wisconsin, then spent four years as a U.S. Marine.
She often stepped in to be a friend to classmates needing advice or a shoulder to cry on and source of emotional support to military colleagues having trouble dealing with a traumatic experience.
Kalisik said her dream has always been to become a therapist, but she wasnāt trying out for the role. Her actions just came naturally.
āI was doing a lot of social work without knowing that I was doing any social work,ā she said.
After being released from the military, she landed in Hobart, then Valparaiso, and enrolled at Purdue University Northwest.
Her internships included actual social work duties ranging from helping people fill out applications for protective orders to assisting substance abusers in their recoveries through the courts.
After graduating, Kalisik said she was employed as a family case manager with the Indiana Department of Child Services.
She later became a case specialist for Family Recovery Court through LaPorte Circuit Court and is currently working on her masterās degree.
Kalisik and her 3-year-old daughter now live in Michigan City where she bought a home last year.
For now, she said her primary goals at the department are reducing substance abuse and the number of repeat offenders.
Kalisik said sheās ready to change course, though, if other more pressing behavioral needs begin emerging over time.
āItās really just going to be what the needs of the community are. I, personally, am willing to do as much as I can,ā she said.
Kalisik is also making herself available to help police officers struggling with something they encountered while on duty.
Kalisik said she enjoys the family-like environment at the police department being similar to what she experienced in the military.
She also likes the camaraderie between her and the officers, who seem to relate to her because of her time serving the country.