2 nonprofits bring behavioral health curriculum to MedQuest
Published 8:24 pm Monday, January 12, 2026
UNION COUNTY — Two nonprofits have partnered to support behavioral health education in Northeastern Oregon.
Greater Oregon Behavioral Health Inc. announced on Monday, Jan. 12, it will work with Northeast Oregon Area Health Education Center to offer a behavioral health curriculum for MedQuest camps in La Grande, The Dalles and Burns.
“MedQuest has a strong legacy of inspiring students to explore healthcare careers, and GOBHI is proud to contribute to that legacy through our partnership with NEOAHEC,” GOBHI’s Chief Human Resources Officer Julie Leutschaft said in the announcement. “By integrating behavioral health into these camps, we are investing in the future workforce and strengthening the pipeline for rural and frontier Oregon.”
MedQuest is a weeklong residential health career exploration camp put on by NEOAHEC for high schoolers. Camp activities have included job shadowing, mentorship from camp directors and medical professionals with hands-on experiences to learn clinical skills and intubation with Search and Rescue.
This new partnership with GOBHI expands the curriculum to include behavioral health, according to the press release, which gives students early exposure to critical careers in whole person care.
“With GOBHI’s support, we are able to meet MedQuest students’ growing interest in behavioral health careers through hands-on, career-connected learning that creates clear pathways to employment and further training,” NEOAHEC Executive Director Meredith Lair said. “This is an important first step in expanding opportunities for students to become part of the behavioral health workforce in our region.”
Both organizations are committed to advancing workforce development by inspiring young people, reducing stigma around behavioral health and building pathways into these careers for rural and frontier communities.