Lower Lights Christian Health Center

What Lower Lights Christian Health Center does

Lower Lights Christian Health Center, operating as Lower Lights Health, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 2002 by Dr. Dana Vallangeon in the Franklinton neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. The organization delivers integrated whole-person care — physical, mental, behavioral, and spiritual — through seven clinical locations spanning Franklin, Licking, and Union Counties (Columbus/Broad Street, German Village, Franklinton Central, Linden, Northland, plus Marysville/UnionStar and Newark). Service lines include primary care, women's health/OB-GYN, pediatrics, dental, vision, behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment (including MAT), PrEP, infectious disease, food prescriptions via Mid-Ohio Farmacy, telehealth, and specialty care (rheumatology, neurology, dermatology) delivered through a strategic partnership with AndHealth. An in-house specialty pharmacy supports patients with complex conditions under the sliding fee scale.

The technology stack is intentionally standard FQHC infrastructure: the OCHIN MyChart patient portal for scheduling, messaging, and refills; a telehealth platform offering same-day virtual visits Tuesday–Thursday; MedZoomer pharmacy delivery for next-day medication fulfillment; and Labcorp for external lab draws. Operations are supported by 160+ clinical and administrative staff under CEO Anton Johnson (appointed 2025) following Tracy Cloud's eight-year tenure that grew the organization from a single Franklinton site to seven locations.

Lower Lights earns revenue through the FQHC Prospective Payment System, accepting Medicaid managed care plans (CareSource, Molina, Buckeye, Paramount, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan), Medicare, commercial insurance, and co-pays at check-in. A sliding fee scale applies for uninsured patients at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Secondary revenue streams include on-site pharmacy dispensing (including specialty 340B-eligible medications), the Beyond Health Care Fund (created in 2022), foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and an annual breakfast fundraiser ($84,000 raised in 2025). The organization serves over 16,000 patients annually and has grown from $10 million to over $30 million in annual revenue since 2017.

Name

Lower Lights Christian Health Center

Legal name

Lower Lights Christian Health Center

Website

https://llchc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Lower Lights Christian Health Center is a 501(c)(3) Federally Qualified Health Center operating seven clinical locations across Central Ohio, delivering integrated primary, behavioral, pharmacy, and specialty care to over 16,000 underserved patients annually on a sliding fee scale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Center Services

NAICS

Outpatient Care Centers (6214), Ambulatory Health Care Services (621), All Other Outpatient Care Centers (621498), Other Ambulatory Health Care Services (6219)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Primary Care for Underserved Populations (e.g., migrant, homeless, refugee clinics) (HLAFAGAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community-Based Preventive & Health Promotion Clinics (HLAFAGAO), Hospitals, Clinics & Charitable Healthcare Providers (BPAGACAB), Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH), Primary Care & General Medicine Virtual Care (HLALAAAA)

Keywords

• Community health center
• Federally qualified health center
• Primary care services
• Integrated behavioral health
• Specialty pharmacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Patient Service Revenue: Revenue from patient services billed to Medicaid, Medicare, commercial insurance, and self-pay patients. FQHC reimbursement model. Also accepts sliding fee scale payments from uninsured patients.
2. Donations and Grants: Charitable donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and foundation grants support specific programs and the Beyond Health Care Fund for uninsured patients.
3. Pharmacy Services: On-site pharmacy dispensing medications including specialty pharmacy, with delivery available. Revenue generated through pharmacy operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lower Lights Christian Health Center (operating as Lower Lights Health) is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that delivers whole-person primary, preventive, behavioral, dental, vision, pharmacy, and specialty healthcare across seven locations in Central Ohio. Services are provided to patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, using a sliding fee scale for the uninsured, and include integrated care coordination supported by telehealth, on-site pharmacy, and community-based support programs.

Product overview

Lower Lights Health is a faith-based Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) operating as a single integrated healthcare platform offering comprehensive whole-person care through multiple service lines. The organization delivers services across seven locations in Central Ohio, combining primary care, women's health, pediatrics, dental, vision, pharmacy, behavioral health, and specialty services under one umbrella. Key products include Primary Care Services, Women's Health/OB-GYN, Behavioral Health, Pharmacy Services (including specialty pharmacy via AndHealth partnership), Telehealth, Food Prescriptions (Mid-Ohio Farmacy), and Substance Use Disorder Treatment. Additional offerings include specialty services in rheumatology, neurology, and dermatology, along with patient support programs such as transportation assistance (Healthy Lyft) and infant safe sleep (Sleep Sack Campaign). The Beyond Health Care Fund provides financial assistance for uninsured patients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary Care Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Grew from $10 million to over $30 million in annual revenue under CEO Tracy Cloud (2017–2025)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AndHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 October 2023AndHealth partners with Lower Lights Health to provide in-house specialty care and specialty pharmacy services (rheumatology, neurology, dermatology) along with support for Social Drivers of Health such as medically tailored meal delivery, behavioral health support, sleep, movement, remote monitoring, and health coaching. Patients can fill specialty prescriptions at Lower Lights' pharmacy under the sliding fee scale.
• OhioHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhioHealth provides mobile mammography vans that regularly visit Lower Lights locations, bringing critical breast cancer screenings directly to communities served. This partnership removes transportation and scheduling barriers to preventive care.
• The Ohio State University Wexner Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSU Wexner Medical Center plays a key role in expanding preventive services through its mobile mammogram program at Lower Lights Health locations, allowing patients to access high-quality breast cancer screenings in a familiar, trusted setting.
• CareSourcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareSource is a vital partner in ensuring patients can access affordable, high-quality healthcare. Their commitment to health equity aligns with Lower Lights' mission, helping serve patients who face gaps in coverage, transportation, or care continuity.
• Buckeye Health PlancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuckeye Health Plan is a long-standing ally advancing access to affordable, high-quality care for Central Ohio residents. Together they work on Medicaid coverage, care coordination, and preventive services. Lower Lights also receives the Longstanding Partner Award from Buckeye Health Plan. The organizations conduct community outreach together including Buckeye Health van visits.
• CelebrateOne ColumbuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCelebrateOne Columbus is a citywide initiative dedicated to reducing infant mortality and improving birth outcomes. Lower Lights partners with them to support expectant parents and families by addressing medical needs and social factors impacting maternal and infant health.
• Mid-Ohio Food CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMid-Ohio Farmacy is brought to patients through Mid-Ohio Food Collective and local healthcare providers and insurers. The program connects patients with fresh produce at area locations. Available to qualifying households in Franklin, Licking, Ross, and Pickaway Counties.
• Vineyard ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVineyard Church supported the Northland and Westerville area prior to Lower Lights establishing its own location there. The partnership helped serve the community before the new Northland site was developed.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• AndHealth: Specialty care and specialty pharmacy partner of Lower Lights — comparable in operating specialty pharmacy and chronic-condition services, and a direct commercial counterparty.

Broad incumbents

• ChenMed: National value-based primary care group for low-income seniors with dual-eligible focus — comparable emphasis on wraparound services, in-house pharmacy, and quality-driven reimbursement.
• Oak Street Health (CVS Health): National value-based primary care provider for complex Medicare populations — broader scale, but directly comparable in serving low-income seniors through capitated/PCP-led care models.

Emerging players

• Cityblock Health: Tech-enabled primary care provider for Medicaid and dual-eligible populations — adjacent, value-based care model for safety-net patients but with a tech-enabled delivery layer Lower Lights does not have.

Direct peers

• PrimaryOne Health: Columbus-based FQHC providing primary care, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services across multiple Central Ohio locations to underserved populations — directly comparable footprint, payer mix, and service-line breadth.
• HealthSource of Ohio: Ohio-based FQHC operating across multiple counties with primary care, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy — comparable FQHC reimbursement model, sliding-fee scale, and whole-person care positioning.
• Equitas Health: Ohio-based nonprofit community health center with multiple Central Ohio locations offering primary care, behavioral health, and pharmacy focused on underserved populations — directly comparable geography and mission orientation.
• Esperanza Health Centers: Chicago FQHC serving predominantly uninsured and Medicaid patients with primary care, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy — comparable safety-net provider model with sliding-fee scale.
• Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation: Kentucky-based FQHC providing primary care, behavioral health, and pharmacy across rural Appalachian communities — closely analogous FQHC economics and underserved-population mission.

Regional players

• I Am Boundless: Ohio-based nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; the source of the new Chief People Officer's prior experience — adjacent nonprofit/regional operator rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lowerlightschc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSZG3GHFr_AD0QiXQmh1H4w
• Facebookfacebook.com/LLCHC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lower-lights-christian-health-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/lowerlightschc

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lower Lights Christian Health Center