MAHONING COUNTY, Ohio - The Mahoning Mental Health and Recovery Board has partnered with the Youngstown City Health District Office on Minority Health to address social determinants of health throughout Mahoning County.

The partnership is part of a new initiative called Take That Step and is funded by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

The initiative aims to remove the barriers to physical and mental health care for minority populations in Mahoning County.

Take That Step is led by Valerie Burney of the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board and Golie Stennis of the Youngstown City Health District Office on Minority Health.

"Whether it's scheduling your annual physical or attending your first therapy session, we want to remove those barriers that are limiting members of the minority population from accessing the care they so vitally need and also end the stigma around taking care of your physical and mental wellness," Stennis said.

The program is set to launch a new website soon.

The initiative will also attend community events throughout the year.