CLEVELAND (AP) -- Twenty-one towns are joining hospitals, universities and local officials in an alliance aimed at improving people's health in Ohio's largest county.

The pilot program in Cuyahoga (keye-uh-HOH'-gah) County is intended to match cities with organizations that can help them improve worker health through free services such as planning activities, offering flu vaccinations or creating smoke-free workplace policies.

The Plain Dealer in Cleveland ( http://bit.ly/Krj6V5 ) reports the alliance kicked off Monday. It focuses on city workers but could expand to other residents.

The Bay Village mayor says she wants to help employees stop smoking and manage stress. She says encouraging healthy lifestyles starts with small steps.

Some already have been taken. Bay Village banned fatty snacks at staff meetings, and the county administration's smoking shack was replaced by a basketball court.

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Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com