YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board is expanding its team with the addition of four employees. Valerie Burney, Lee DaVita, Tracey Moracco and Michelle Werth have joined the staff of mental health and recovery specialists.

“Since the merger of the Mahoning County Mental Health Board with the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board in 2015, we have worked hard to maintain our staff to continue serving the needs of the community,” Duane Piccirilli, executive director, said. “As individuals retired over the years, we felt the timing was now right to add these additional roles and experience to our staff.”

Werth serves as the new clinical specialist and brings more than a decade of experience in the mental health field. As clinical specialist, she will assist and advise the board and contract agencies in methods for developing and modifying mental health and substance use disorder treatment programs, serve as a resource to advise agencies and recovery homes regarding the housing of clients and assist agencies in planning for client services.

“Having lived and worked in Youngstown for the past 20-plus years, I have come to know the Mahoning County community behavioral health system well,” she said. “I am committed to the ongoing growth and development of our behavioral health system, specifically the vision and mission of the Mental Health and Recovery Board,” Werth said.

DeVita joins the staff as a program coordinator. He will focus on housing and the homeless continuum of care in Mahoning County. He will work with contract agencies and local landlords on identifying housing opportunities to collaborating on housing solutions.

He also will focus on special projects, including the Loss Team and Mobile Crisis, and coordinate the Mahoning County Suicide Prevention Coalition.

He brings with him 10 years of experience in the field, having previously worked in housing and with the homeless in his prior roles.

Burney is serving as community engagement and outreach coordinator to make sure that people in vulnerable populations are linked to primary care, mental and behavioral health and social and supportive services.

With more than 20 years of experience in the field, Burney most recently served in community engagement for Beatitude House.

“In taking on this new role, I was very interested in how we can connect the dots for the community to the mental health and recovery services,” she said. “And most importantly, work toward breaking those stigmas around receiving care.”

Moracco joins the board as an administrative assistant and prevention trainer. She will work with local law enforcement to provide crisis intervention training, as well as assist the board with its day-to-day activities. She previously worked for 10 years in health care.

The four join Mark Dunlap, Marla Golec, Brenda Heidinger, Amy Klumpp, Jessica Makosky, Toni Notaro and Piccirilli on the Mental Health and Recovery Board team.

“While we can’t provide direct services to the community, through these new roles, we can help improve care and access to care throughout the county,” Piccirilli said. “These talented and skilled professionals will help us continue to fulfill our mission of supporting and improving the quality of life for residents of Mahoning County.”