PENDLETON — Blue Mountain Community College has received a state Future Ready Oregon grant to help improve access and entry into health care-related careers in the region.

The Health Horizons in Eastern Oregon project will use grants to streamline the Medical Assisting Certificate program, add equipment in area lab sites and develop high-tech immersion tools to connect Eastern Oregon high school students to health care-related careers.

The Health Horizons program plans to offer two new entry points with a focus on improving bilingual and Hispanic needs within the health care workforce.

“As we increase and improve partnerships with regional medical facilities, a tribal health center and local career-technical programs in our high schools, we expect to see more students choose futures in the high-demand career field,” BMCC President Mark Browning said in the announcement. “Partnerships and collaboration are the core of our approach here at BMCC, and this new grant will help us better serve not only students but ultimately the citizenry of Eastern Oregon through trained and ready healthcare professionals.”