Guiding Lights
Guiding Lights LLC is a Virginia-licensed behavioral health provider founded in 2008, serving children, adolescents, and adults in Virginia's Region IV through Mental Health Skills Building, Mobile Crisis Response, Residential Crisis Stabilization, and Crisis Stabilization programs, primarily funded by Virginia Medicaid.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersGlen Allen, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Guiding Lights does
Guiding Lights LLC is a privately held, Virginia-licensed behavioral health services provider founded in 2008 and headquartered in Glen Allen, Virginia. The company delivers a continuum of community-based mental health services to children, adolescents, and adults across four integrated programs: Mental Health Skills Building (coping strategies, problem-solving, emotional regulation), Mobile Crisis Response (on-site crisis intervention with 30-60 minute response), Residential Crisis Stabilization Units (24/7 short-term residential care with stays up to 15 days), and Crisis Stabilization (a Region IV day program for adults 18+ designed to divert or reduce psychiatric hospitalization). Services are delivered through multidisciplinary teams of licensed counselors, therapists, social workers, psychiatrists, nurses, and peer specialists, using evidence-based and trauma-informed methodologies under a license from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.
The company generates revenue primarily through Virginia Medicaid reimbursement for the four licensed programs, supplemented by self-pay from individuals, private donations, and Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT) state funding. Go-to-market is community-led and referral-driven: clients reach Guiding Lights through the Virginia 988 crisis hotline, Community Services Board referrals, healthcare provider referrals, and direct outreach via the company website (a Wix-hosted site) and social media channels. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, reflecting the Medicaid-rate-driven nature of the business. The operating footprint is single-state, concentrated in Virginia's Region IV, with no parent company, no institutional investors, no disclosed funding rounds, and no M&A activity identified in the source data. Leadership consists of CEO Eric Dawson Jr., Executive Director Cameliah Simon, and Office Administrator Sarah Hughes.
The underlying technology is minimal in the digital sense: no proprietary software product, no mobile app, no API, and no disclosed AI or machine-learning capabilities. The company's competitive position rests on its state license, its multidisciplinary clinical workforce, and its embedded referral relationships with Virginia's public behavioral health infrastructure. The core operational risk is single-payer (Virginia Medicaid) and single-geography concentration, while the principal growth opportunity is expansion into adjacent Virginia CSB regions or additional Medicaid-billable service lines.
Guiding Lights firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Guiding Lights
- Legal name
- Guiding Lights LLC
- Website
- https://guidinglightsllc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Guiding Lights LLC is a Virginia-licensed behavioral health provider founded in 2008, serving children, adolescents, and adults in Virginia's Region IV through Mental Health Skills Building, Mobile Crisis Response, Residential Crisis Stabilization, and Crisis Stabilization programs, primarily funded by Virginia Medicaid.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Guiding Lights industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Behavioral Health Services
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (624110)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)
Keywords
Where Guiding Lights is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Glen Allen
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Guiding Lights business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Medicaid-funded services: Majority of services are funded through Virginia Medicaid, with the company being a provider for state behavioral health services.
- Self-pay: Individuals can pay directly for services not covered by insurance.
- Private donors: Funding from private donors supporting the organization's mission.
- Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT) funding: State-funded program providing financial support for eligible families seeking mental health services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Guiding Lights product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Guiding Lights LLC is a Virginia-licensed behavioral health services provider that delivers four core programs: Mental Health Skills Building, Mobile Crisis Response, Residential Crisis Stabilization Units, and Crisis Stabilization. Services are delivered by multidisciplinary clinical teams to children, adolescents, and adults in Virginia Region IV, with funding drawn primarily from Virginia Medicaid, self-pay, private donations, and FAPT state funding.
Product overview
Guiding Lights LLC is a mental health services organization offering four integrated service programs: Mental Health Skills Building (a skills development program), Mobile Crisis Response (rapid on-site crisis intervention), Residential Crisis Stabilization Units (short-term residential care), and Crisis Stabilization (outpatient crisis diversion services). These programs work together as a comprehensive continuum of care designed to address various stages of mental health crises, from preventive skills building to immediate crisis response to intensive residential support, serving children, adolescents, and adults in Virginia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mental Health Skills Building A program that equips individuals with coping strategies, problem-solving skills, and emotional regulation techniques for daily life functioning. Tailored to meet the unique needs of each client, including adults and adolescents facing mental health challenges.
- Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) A community-based intervention providing rapid, on-site assistance to individuals experiencing mental health crises, delivered by multidisciplinary teams including therapists, social workers, and medical professionals, typically within 30-60 minutes.
- Residential Crisis Stabilization Units (RCSU) Short-term, community-based residential facilities providing 24/7 intensive support for individuals experiencing acute behavioral health crises, typically allowing stays up to 15 days as an alternative to inpatient hospitalization.
- Crisis Stabilization (CS) A program serving adults 18 and older in Virginia Region IV that provides daily services to divert, prevent, or reduce psychiatric hospitalization, including psychiatric assessment, medication management, supportive counseling, and case management.
Quantifiable outcome
- Teams respond quickly to crisis calls, often within 30-60 minutes for Mobile Crisis Response
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Guiding Lights
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Guiding Lights technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Guiding Lights partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Guiding Lights competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Centerstone: Centerstone is a large nonprofit community behavioral health provider offering crisis services, residential, outpatient, and skills-building programs across multiple states. Comparable to Guiding Lights in service continuum, evidence-based approach, and Medicaid-funded contract model.
- Wheeler Clinic: Wheeler Clinic is a Connecticut-based community health and behavioral health organization providing crisis response, residential, outpatient, and peer support services. Directly comparable to Guiding Lights in multidisciplinary care teams, state-licensed crisis programs, and community-led GTM.
- RHA Health Services: RHA Health Services is a multi-state behavioral health and intellectual/developmental disabilities provider offering community-based crisis, residential, and skills-building services. Highly comparable to Guiding Lights in service mix, Medicaid funding model, and regional licensed provider structure.
- Youth Villages: Youth Villages is a nonprofit providing intensive in-home, residential, and crisis intervention services for children and adolescents across multiple states. Comparable to Guiding Lights in family-centered crisis intervention, evidence-based practices, and Medicaid-funded residential/stabilization offerings.
Regional players
- Trillium Health Resources: Trillium Health Resources is a managed care organization coordinating behavioral health services in North Carolina. Comparable to Guiding Lights as a regionally-focused behavioral health services coordinator, though organized as a managed care entity rather than a direct service provider.
- Virginia Community Services Boards (statewide network): Virginia Community Services Boards are the public entry point for behavioral health services in each region and a primary referral source for Guiding Lights. They are both collaborators and indirect competitors in the same Virginia mental health ecosystem.
Emerging players
- BayMark Health Services: BayMark provides outpatient addiction and behavioral health treatment services across the U.S. Adjacent to Guiding Lights with overlap in community-based crisis and case management services, particularly for adults with co-occurring mental health and substance use needs.
- Brightside Health: Brightside Health is a tele-behavioral health provider offering online therapy and psychiatry, often covered by Medicaid. Comparable to Guiding Lights as an emerging player in mental health services delivery, though technology-led rather than facility-based.
Broad incumbents
- Universal Health Services: Universal Health Services is a large publicly-traded hospital and behavioral health operator with extensive behavioral health facilities and crisis services. As a broad incumbent, it competes with Guiding Lights in behavioral health crisis/acute care but operates at far greater scale and geographic breadth.
- Acadia Healthcare: Acadia Healthcare is a leading publicly-traded provider of behavioral health services, including psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment, and outpatient programs. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the behavioral health crisis/acute care space where Guiding Lights also operates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Guiding Lights social profiles
Digital presenceGuiding Lights compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Guiding Lights financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Guiding Lights leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Guiding Lights funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Guiding Lights M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Guiding Lights
What does Guiding Lights do?
Guiding Lights LLC is a Virginia-licensed behavioral health services provider that delivers four core programs: Mental Health Skills Building, Mobile Crisis Response, Residential Crisis Stabilization Units, and Crisis Stabilization. Services are delivered by multidisciplinary clinical teams to children, adolescents, and adults in Virginia Region IV, with funding drawn primarily from Virginia Medicaid, self-pay, private donations, and FAPT state funding.
Is Guiding Lights a public or private company?
Guiding Lights is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Guiding Lights founded?
Guiding Lights was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Guiding Lights based?
Guiding Lights is headquartered in Glen Allen, United States, in the North America region.
How does Guiding Lights make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Medicaid-funded services are the primary driver. The others are self-pay, private donors and family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT) funding.
Who are Guiding Lights's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Centerstone, Wheeler Clinic, RHA Health Services and Youth Villages. Regional players are Trillium Health Resources and Virginia Community Services Boards (statewide network). Emerging players are BayMark Health Services and Brightside Health. Broad incumbents are Universal Health Services and Acadia Healthcare.
Does Guiding Lights have an API?
No public API is recorded for Guiding Lights.
What industry is Guiding Lights in?
Guiding Lights's product category is Behavioral Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAH, Mental Health & Crisis Support Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAC, Family & Parenting Support Services. Its NAICS code is 624190 and its SIC code is 8300.