Ohio & Mahoning Valley - Ohio Governor Mike DeWine held a press conference in Toledo Wednesday morning to announce a new partnership with several organizations throughout Ohio to reduce infant mortality rates in Ohio.

DeWine announced the "Partner for Change" initiative, which will see the Ohio Department of Children and Youth working together with organizations throughout Ohio to reduce infant mortality rates.

DeWine says the main counties that will benefit from this initiative include Lucas County, Cuyahoga County, Franklin County and Montgomery County.

"Those are some of the main counties that provide close to 50% tragically of our deaths, and so targeting these counties we know we're going to make a big difference," DeWine said.

Hayley Studer of the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio also took to the podium at the press conference and discussed the racial aspect of infant mortality noting that Black infants are dying at more than twice the rate of white infants.

"These statistics are not just numbers. They represent lives cut short, families grieving preventable losses and communities bearing the weight of systemic challenges," Studer said.

DeWine mentioned a model currently being implemented in Hamilton County called "Cradle Cincinnati," which is the partnership of healthcare providers, faith-based organizations and community leaders, who collaborate together in reaching out to expecting mothers.

"This model has helped drive a more than 30% reduction in infant mortality in Hamilton County in the past 18 months," DeWine said.

DeWine says the "Partner for Change" initiative aims to have other areas with high infant mortality rates replicate these results.

In addition, DeWine discussed a tax cut for working families with children in the form of $1,000 for every child below the age of seven years old.

DeWine said this tax cut can help over 450,000 families better afford necessities for their child like nutritious food, diapers, clothing and any unexpected costs that might come up.

"We believe in trusting families and we believe they know best how to spend that money," DeWine said