PFCS
Palomar Family Counseling Service is a 1956-founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing mental health counseling, school-based programs, prevention services, and therapist training across North San Diego County via three offices and five K-12 district partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1956
- HeadquartersFallbrook, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What PFCS does
Palomar Family Counseling Service (PFCS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit mental health counseling organization founded in 1956 and headquartered in Escondido, California, serving North San Diego County communities including Escondido, Fallbrook, Vista, Valley Center, and Oceanside. The organization delivers individual, couples, family, and child counseling; children and youth services; couples therapy; domestic violence programs; prevention and early intervention initiatives; and specialized offerings including equine therapy (Turnout, using the Eagala model), telehealth, and play therapy. PFCS operates three physical offices (Escondido main, Fallbrook, Vista) and runs embedded school-based counseling programs in at least five K-12 districts, deploying evidence-based curricula such as Incredible Years (recognized by SAMHSA and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention), Screening to Care, Todos Los Niños, and TF-CBT.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model: sliding-fee client therapy billed individually or to insurance, foundation and government grants, individual and corporate donations (including a San Diego Gives Day campaign and Walgreens donation program), and continuing education workshop fees for mental health professionals (CAMFT-approved, ranging from $35 to $750 per participant). Recent grant inflows include $125,000 from the San Diego Foundation in May 2025, alongside funding from the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities, the Parker Foundation, the Dr. Seuss Foundation, the San Diego Women's Foundation, Rest Haven Children's Health Fund, and the County of San Diego. PFCS also operates a Graduate Practicum Training Program that, in 2025-2026, placed 12 master's-level therapist trainees with $5,000 stipends and a 500+ clinical hour target. The organization announced a merger with TrueCare effective September 1, 2026, intended to sustain and expand mental health services, and operates under a three-year strategic plan for 2024-2027 developed with Health Management Associates.
There is no proprietary technology platform underlying the service; PFCS is a human-delivered clinical services organization relying on licensed therapists, trainees, and evidence-based curricula rather than software products, APIs, or AI systems. Distribution is direct: clinic appointments, school-site delivery, telehealth, and community wellness workshops at the Fallbrook Community Wellness Center.
PFCS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PFCS
- Legal name
- Palomar Family Counseling Service, Inc.
- Website
- https://palomarfamilycounseling.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1956
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Palomar Family Counseling Service is a 1956-founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing mental health counseling, school-based programs, prevention services, and therapist training across North San Diego County via three offices and five K-12 district partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PFCS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Mental Health Counseling Services
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)
- SIC
- Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI)
Keywords
Where PFCS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fallbrook
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
PFCS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Mental Health Counseling Services: Individual, couples, and family therapy services provided to clients on a sliding fee scale basis. Revenue generated through client fees, insurance billing, and grant-funded programs.
- Grant Funding: Significant funding from foundations and government sources including San Diego Foundation, County of San Diego, and various private foundations to support mental health programs and workforce development.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, businesses, and community groups. One-time and monthly recurring donation options available.
- Continuing Education Workshops: Professional development workshops for mental health therapists offering CE credits, ranging from $35-$150 per participant.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Sliding Fee Scale for Mental Health Services |
| Other | One time | Suicide Prevention Workshop |
| Other | One time | Advanced Play Therapy Workshop |
| Other | One time | Neurodiversity Workshop Series |
| Other | One time | TF-CBT Certification Training |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Therapist Trainee Stipend Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
PFCS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PFCS provides community-based mental health counseling and prevention services for children, youth, adults, couples, and families across North San Diego County. Its services include individual/family/couples/child therapy, domestic violence programs, school-based counseling, prevention and early intervention curricula, telehealth, and therapist graduate-level training.
Product overview
Palomar Family Counseling Service (PFCS) is a nonprofit mental health counseling organization offering a comprehensive suite of services for children, youth, adults, couples, and families in North San Diego County. The core offerings include individual/family counseling, couples therapy, children and youth services, domestic violence programs, and prevention/early intervention initiatives. PFCS operates school-based counseling programs across multiple districts and provides specialized services such as equine therapy (Turnout) and play therapy. The organization also runs a Graduate Practicum Training Program and offers continuing education workshops for mental health professionals. Services are delivered through in-person sessions at multiple locations (Escondido, Vista, Fallbrook) and via telehealth. PFCS functions as a service provider organization rather than a technology product company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Counseling for Individuals, Couples, Families & Children Individual, couples, family, and child counseling services provided by licensed and associate therapists addressing mental health, relationships, and family dynamics for North San Diego County residents.
- Children and Youth Services Mental health services for children and youth including school-based counseling, social-emotional learning programs, and play therapy for K–12 students and adolescents.
- Couples Therapy / Marriage Counseling Relationship counseling services for couples at various stages, including premarital, marital, and couples dealing with transitions or challenges.
- Domestic Violence Services Specialized counseling and support services for individuals and families affected by domestic violence, including offender groups.
- Prevention and Early Intervention Prevention programming including the Incredible Years social-emotional curriculum for preschool through 3rd grade and screening-to-care initiatives targeting K–12 students.
- Group Services Support groups and group therapy covering parenting education, domestic violence offender groups, and community wellness workshops.
- Therapist Training and Education (Graduate Practicum Training Program) Graduate practicum training providing clinical experience and supervision for master's students in MFT, social work, and clinical counseling programs pursuing licensure.
- Turnout Equine Therapy Horse-based therapy using the Eagala model for treating trauma, grief, anxiety, addiction, and relationship issues without traditional talk therapy.
- School-Based Counseling Program On-site mental health services delivered in K–12 schools across Oceanside, Vista, Valley Center, Escondido, and Fallbrook districts, serving preschool through high school students.
- Screening to Care (S2C) Comprehensive mental health screening, small group lessons, and service linkage program for middle school students to maximize social and emotional learning.
- Incredible Years School-Based Program Evidence-based social-emotional curriculum for children preschool through 3rd grade, recognized by SAMHSA and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
- Wellness Workshops Community wellness workshops hosted at the Fallbrook Community Wellness Center covering vision boards, toxic relationships, anxiety management, and nutritional psychiatry.
- Telehealth Counseling Online therapy services delivered via telehealth platforms for individuals, couples, and families needing remote access to mental health care.
- Continuing Education Workshops for Mental Health Professionals CAMFT-approved CE workshops providing professional development credit hours for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals; sessions include TF-CBT certification training, play therapy, neurodiversity workshop series, and suicide prevention.
Quantifiable outcome
- 12 therapist trainees completing 500+ clinical hours by August 2026
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use PFCS
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PFCS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
PFCS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.
- TrueCarecorePFCS merging with TrueCare effective September 1, 2026 to sustain and expand mental health care services.
- Lakehouse ResortminorWorkshop venue hosting CE workshops at Heartwood Room location in San Marcos, CA.
- Health Management AssociatessupportingConsulting firm led by Betsy Uhrman and Kaya Tith that supported development of PFCS's three-year strategic plan 2024-2027.
- Fallbrook Regional Health DistrictcoreCollaborative partnership launched January 2024 for wellness workshops hosted at Community Wellness Center. Partnership includes vision board workshops, support groups, and mental health programming.
- Oceanside Unified School DistrictcoreSchool-based counseling services provided to students in partnership with district. Programs include Screening to Care and Incredible Years.
- Vista Unified School DistrictcoreSchool-based counseling services at multiple Vista school sites serving elementary through high school students.
- Valley Center School DistrictcoreSchool-based mental health services provided to Valley Center students as part of PFCS school-based program network.
- Escondido Union School DistrictcoreSchool-based counseling programs serving Escondido students through PFCS clinical and trainee staff.
- Fallbrook Union Elementary School DistrictcoreSchool-based counseling and prevention programs in Fallbrook schools as part of district partnership.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
PFCS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Jewish Family Service of San Diego: San Diego-based nonprofit offering counseling, mental health, and social services to children, adults, and families across the region. Directly comparable community mental health provider operating in the same geography with similar sliding-fee and grant-funded model.
- TrueCare: San Diego County community health center providing primary care, behavioral health, and dental services. Merger partner with overlapping patient base and integrated care model in North San Diego County.
- Behavioral Health Services (BHS): California-based nonprofit providing outpatient mental health, substance use treatment, and prevention services. Comparable outpatient counseling model with similar grant and MediCal funding mix.
- Family Health Centers of San Diego: Large community health center network in San Diego County providing integrated primary care, mental health, and social services. Comparable integrated behavioral health delivery and county-level contracting.
- Mental Health Systems (MHS): San Diego-based nonprofit delivering outpatient mental health, substance abuse, and behavioral health services across Southern California. Closely comparable outpatient mental health delivery model with county contract funding.
- Vista Hill Foundation: San Diego-based nonprofit providing mental health, autism services, and substance use treatment across the region. Comparable community mental health services with school-based and outpatient programs.
- San Diego Youth Services: Nonprofit providing mental health, counseling, and prevention services to youth and families in San Diego County. Comparable mission, school-based delivery, and grant-funded operating model with overlapping youth-focused programs.
Regional players
- NAMI San Diego/Imperial County: San Diego County affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness providing peer support, education, and advocacy for individuals with mental illness. Complementary rather than competing peer organization in the same region.
Broad incumbents
- LifeStance Health: Nationally scaled outpatient mental health provider offering in-person and telehealth therapy and psychiatry services. Represents the larger commercial model against which community-based providers like PFCS differentiate on mission and access.
- Pacific Clinics: One of California's largest community mental health providers offering outpatient, residential, and prevention services. Broader geographic footprint and more diverse funding model, but comparable outpatient mental health delivery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PFCS social profiles
Digital presencePFCS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PFCS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
PFCS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PFCS 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 PFCS
What does PFCS do?
PFCS provides community-based mental health counseling and prevention services for children, youth, adults, couples, and families across North San Diego County. Its services include individual/family/couples/child therapy, domestic violence programs, school-based counseling, prevention and early intervention curricula, telehealth, and therapist graduate-level training.
Is PFCS a public or private company?
PFCS is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PFCS founded?
PFCS was founded in 1956. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is PFCS based?
PFCS is headquartered in Fallbrook, United States, in the North America region.
How does PFCS make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Mental Health Counseling Services are the primary driver. The others are grant Funding, donations and continuing Education Workshops.
Who are PFCS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Jewish Family Service of San Diego, TrueCare, Behavioral Health Services (BHS), Family Health Centers of San Diego, Mental Health Systems (MHS), Vista Hill Foundation and San Diego Youth Services. NAMI San Diego/Imperial County is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are LifeStance Health and Pacific Clinics.
Does PFCS have an API?
No public API is recorded for PFCS.
What industry is PFCS in?
PFCS's product category is Community Mental Health Counseling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFACAI, Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers. Its NAICS code is 624120 and its SIC code is 8093.