Kate Gekeler, a La Grande resident and mother of two, graduated this spring from the inaugural class of Eastern Oregon University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.

After five years of coursework and internships, she graduated with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees debt free. That’s largely because most of her costs were covered by the state, which is ramping up scholarships for people interested in careers in mental health.

On Wednesday, Gekeler shared her story in front of a crowd of mental health professionals, elected officials and people receiving behavioral health treatment as Gov. Tina Kotek signed a slate of bills at Fora Health in Portland meant to improve behavioral health care in Oregon.

“I wouldn’t be a behavioral health provider today without state tuition assis

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