Light Health & Wellness Comprehensive Services, INC.See LIGHT's Response to COVID-19 Here
Light Health & Wellness Comprehensive Services, INC.See LIGHT's Response to COVID-19 Here
Light Health & Wellness Comprehensive Services, INC.
In 1988, LIGHT’s Founder and CEO, Debbie J. Rock, MSW, began serving families through the Ashland Support Center as part of a Head Start demonstration project in Baltimore City that was developed to meet the needs of children and families who were infected/affected by HIV/AIDS. Working with local pediatric clinics in Baltimore, LIGHT started its tradition of serving medically fragile children by providing child care to infants born with HIV and other health complications.
By 1998, the organization had become an established 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in its own right called the Baltimore Pediatric HIV Program (BPHIVP), formed to meet the growing demand for day and respite care for older children infected and affected by HIV and other illnesses. It was later recognized as a national model by the Health & Human Services Resources Administration (HRSA) as the only program in Maryland that provided a licensed day and respite care specifically for children infected/affected by HIV/AIDS.
Within 10 years, BPHIVP was bursting at the seams and needed a way to reach even more. In 2008, in an effort to expand its comprehensive reach to service populations affected by substance abuse, mental health and trauma, the agency’s name was changed to LIGHT Health and Wellness Comprehensive Services, Inc. LIGHT’s acronyms expounding our mission: Advocating clients in Living, providing life-saving Information and Guidance for Health and Treatment services.
Over the course of the past 21 years LIGHT has provided services to over 21,000 individuals, aiding as many as 2,000 individuals on an annual basis. Today, LIGHT is proud of the three divisions forming the foundation of its support for children and families affected by HIV, mental health and the current substance abuse epidemic. The divisions are: 1) Children’s Services, an academy with credentialed staff, which continues to provide high-quality, early childhood education for young children; 2) Family Services, which supports parents, caregivers and other relatives to provide the best home and school environment for their children; and 3) Adult Services, which emphasizes the need to educate and train adults on imperative health matters and advocacy services that assists in empowering individuals on how to be successful in their life endeavors. In 2019, these divisions served over 1,600 individuals and 75 families.
Since 1998, LIGHT’s mission is to promote health and wellness and education of children, families and individuals impacted by health and social disparities.
LIGHT envisions a community where individuals are empowered to make healthy decisions, receive treatment for mental and physical health, and obtain the social support services that will help them live healthy and fulfilling lives.
LIGHT Health and Wellness Comprehensive Services, Inc. (LIGHT), formerly known as the Baltimore Pediatric HIV Program, Inc. (BPHIVP), is a premier community-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization specializing in providing comprehensive quality care for children, women, youth and families.
In 1988, LIGHT’s founder, Debbie Rock, MSW, began serving families as part of the Ashland Support Center as a demonstration Head Start project developed to meet the needs of children and families in Baltimore City who were infected/affected by HIV/AIDS. Working with local pediatric clinics in Baltimore, LIGHT started its tradition of serving medically fragile children by providing child care to infants born with HIV and other health complications.
By 1998, the organization had become an established 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in its own right called the Baltimore Pediatric HIV Program (BPHIVP), formed to meet the growing demand for day and respite care for older children infected and affected by HIV and other illnesses. It was the only program in Maryland that provided a licensed day and respite care specifically for children infected/affected by HIV/AIDS. Recognized as a national model by the Health & Human Services Resources Administration (HRSA).
In 2006, the board of directors decided to change the name of our agency in order to encompass the agency’s servicing of a wider population beyond servicing children. As a result, LIGHT is better able to reach out to the individuals (younger and older adults) and serve the needs of all individuals with its broader mission and goal.
In October 2008, LIGHT will proudly celebrated 10 years of services to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, mental illness and poverty, and will celebrate 20 years in October, 2018.
Today, LIGHT has served more than 20,000 individuals through child care, in addition to the following complementary programs and services:
This, however, is just the beginning for LIGHT. We will not stop until all families and children have the necessary tools to lead productive lives