Founded in response to the urgent health needs of our most vulnerable neighbors, Lahai has been improving access to quality and compassion healthcare for over 20 years. Thousands of volunteers have given their time and skills to meet the health needs of thousands of people in King and Snohomish County since our founding. At the core of our identity is our desire to grow in response to the needs identified by our community. You can learn more of our story here!
Founded as Puget Sound Christian Clinic by a group of volunteer doctors who shared a vision to meet the urgent need for healthcare in their local community. At the time 20% of the population did not have access to medical and dental care. Granted its nonprofit 501c3 status, we opened our first location out of North Seattle Church in October of 2003.
Through the offering of our medical, dental, and mental health services we grew each year until our small North Seattle clinic reached its capacity. In 2010 we purchased a Mobile Medical Clinic (MMC), allowing us to expand our reach in medical care by taking it directly to communities with the highest need.
In 2013, our Mental Health Counseling program was able to start a pilot program to grow our model and services. From 2013 – 2016 our program expanded and the number of people receiving mental health counseling tripled. As Washington State is currently 34th in the nation for providing adult mental health services, Lahai Health views this as a vital healthcare service to continue.
In 2015, we were presented with the opportunity to build a new and expanded dental clinic in Lynnwood, WA. With support from the community and generous donors, our new fully equipped, state-of-the-art, dental clinic opened up in the Community Life Center to patients in September of 2016. With our new space, we are able to provide thousands of patients with care instead of only a couple hundred.
In 2019, the name Lahai Health was adopted in an effort to ensure all under-served people know they are welcome regardless of ethnicity, religious background, or other barriers they may have encountered.
In 2023 we began a campaign to remodel our original clinic site in North Seattle. While we always offered quality and compassionate care at this site, the physical space was outdated and crowded. We wanted the space to be more functional and reflect the quality of care we provide. We began a construction project to increase the clinic’s capacity to four exam rooms and two nurses stations. This remodel allowed us to create a space that affirms the dignity of our patients.
Over the years Lahai has continued to grow in an effort to meet the need of those in our community. We have now expanded clinic operations to 9 weekly clinics across 6 sites in King and Snohomish County.